BN sports editor responses to questions

[JoshBarnett]

As promised, I have gone through the questions that you sent me and wanted to provide responses. I am happy to do this on a regular basis and I did not get to all of them. If you have other questions, don't hesitate to email me at jbarnett@buffnews.com.

 

I also want to thank those of you who wrote for welcoming me to town and your well wishes. Those are appreciated.

 

One note in terms of how I am replying: Because you emailed me, your email in most cases is tied to your name and not your screen name on the board. Rather than using your name, I won’t identify who the question came from. In some cases, a number of you asked something very similar so I will summarize the question rather than using them verbatim.

 

Q: Why are we being asked to pay for the same content that was free in the past?

 

A: We have expanded our coverage and coverage team to provide much more than in the past. We are posting more than 20 Bills-related articles per day since BNBlitz.com launched (we had 35 last Wednesday, 21 on Thursday, 27 on Friday and 33 last Sunday). We have put Mark Gaughan back on the Bills full-time after he spent several years on colleges and he is breaking down game tape for both the Bills and their upcoming opponents, looking at trends and much more. We have added Kimberley A. Martin as another voice on the Bills as a columnist and she also is doing feature stories. We have expanded our use of analytics – breaking out stats watches for players such as Taylor, McCoy, Dareus and the kicking game – among other analytics-based content. I have seen a reference on the board to all I want is a good All22 breakdown of the opponent.” Well, we have that.

 

We are doing more stories on the people who love the Bills in this community and beyond -- helping the fans who travel to see the Bills with trip guides, those who remain in town with bar guides and introducing you to celebrities who are Bills fans.

While many of the hallmarks of the BN coverage remain, there is much more available than before. There is not a single outlet doing more on the Bills every day than we are.

 

So. … we are offering a free 2-week trial for anyone who signs up. Sample it and see precisely what we are offering. If after 2 weeks you do not feel we provide you with something worth $2.99 per month, you can cancel.

 

Q: Why is there a total blackout and not a mix of free and paid content?

 

A: We do have a mix. There are 3-4 free articles after every game and around three every day, depending on the day and the content. The articles on our site with the red football icon with the star are only for subscribers. Articles without that icon are free.

 

You can always go here: http://buffalonews.com/section/sports/bills/latest-bills/ to see our latest Bills content.

 

Q: Why can’t you just sell ads like other outlets?

 

A: No doubt digital advertising is an important part of how we will sustain our business in the future. But it is only one small piece of the overall picture. It used to be that subscriptions were the small part of our revenue picture and advertising was the much larger piece. Now, it is, and needs to be, the opposite. Subscriptions are a much larger piece so we need to charge for our content to support the business. However, the advertising helps hold down the price of subscriptions. Without advertising, the cost of subscribing both digitally and in print would be more.

 

Keep in mind also that the advertising landscape has changed. One expert estimated that Google and Facebook accounted for 89 percent of digital advertising growth last year. As more advertisers coalesce around Google and Facebook, other outlets need to find other ways to generate revenue.

 

Q: The Buffalo News is profitable. Why should I pay you $3?

 

A: There are a lot of businesses that are profitable that all of us support on a regular basis, but they also don’t give away their products for free. Your favorite fast food change is profitable and they don’t give you hamburgers for free. Your favorite movie theatre is profitable, and they don’t let you into the movies for free. Or your favorite grocery chain or Target. And on and on.

 

We think we are offering a service that is valuable and warrants the investment – and we think the sum total of what we are providing on the Bills is worth it, even if you don’t like a particular columnist, feature or some element of what we do.

 

Q: Why are there pieces of content aggregated from other sources and why is that behind the paywall?

 

A: Sometimes they are and sometimes they aren’t. Our goal is to do as much Bills content as we can via the reporting and analysis of our staff. Items such as “what the national media is saying about the Bills” or “where the Bills are in power rankings” add to our coverage by providing a perspective from outside this region. But someone on our team is taking time to piece those items together and put them in one easy package for you to use. We are saving you time and becoming more of a one-stop shop for everything Bills.

 

Q: I don’t like your columnists and I won’t support where they work. (That isn’t really a question, but you get the idea.)

 

A: Yes, I’m new here so I can’t speak to the history or more of the longer view. Here is my view on opinion writing in general and what I have told all our columnists/opinion writers: You are entitled to your own opinions; you are not entitled to your own facts. In much the same way, the reader is entitled to disagree with the opinions or conclusions expressed or the tone. If we have something factually wrong – in columns or elsewhere – we will correct it. You now all know where to find me.

 

Again, the reader can disagree with the interpretation or conclusions drawn. That’s your prerogative.

 

We have three jobs that we try to accomplish every day that comes from a mix of news, opinion, human interest, stats, etc.: Inform, entertain and surprise. Some days we are better than others. But we will continue to work every day to hit the trifecta.

 

Q: Corollary to above, The BN has too many columnists and too much opinion.

 

A: We have two full-time beat writers on the Bills. That is more than Syracuse or Rochester or ESPN.com or Olean (that is not to disrespect how hard everyone works at other news organizations, but just to indicate that we are putting in more resources to covering the Bills). We have three columnists who write Bills but also are free to write other topics. We have an enterprise/long-form writer who writes on the Bills but also other topics. We have a number of analytics writers on the Bills in various forms.

 

Within those roles, anyone and everyone is able to break/report on content that has traditionally been handled by the “beat writers,” even if they are not designated as “beat writers.” We had five people in the press conferences this week with McDermott, Taylor and McCoy and then other reporters added when the locker room was open. We then broke our team apart to determine the most important elements, storylines and posted lots of materials. We also then ran the transcripts of what was said directly from the podium and beyond. And our reporters were tweeting as information was acquired both in the press conference and the locker room with our live coverage from One Bills Drive.

 

I saw someone posted a list of what they deemed analysis or opinion from us on Two Bills Drive off Sunday’s game against Carolina and determined it was too much. But we aren’t looking at it as a static list. Our goal is to deliver Bills content as it’s happening and when you want it. That means before the game, during the game and after the game and into the overnight Monday morning. Or if you want to see it all in one place at the same time after it’s over, you can do that, too. We post an analysis of each quarter as the quarter ends. We post Hot Reads from the game after the games ends. We post more extensive pieces after being in the locker room and talking to the principals.

 

That extends beyond just what happens at the practice facility. Don’t have time in your day to listen to The John Murphy Show? We’ll give you a recap. Plus, we have our own podcasts with Vic and Jay, radio and TV appearances and a Daily Drive podcast from Kevin Sylvester and Paul Peck. You can catch up with that content at any time.

 

Q: How do you balance the need for accurate reporting with the need to be out front in the era of social media, and increased competition between different media sites, bloggers, etc.?

 

A: Sure, we WANT to be first, but we NEED to be right. It’s tough out there with competition from a lot of outlets that are working hard too, but accuracy is what we have to stand on. Some of you have mentioned the coach and GM searches in your comments. Keep in mind those are fluid situations with a lot of changes. It’s no different than when you or your wife or kids apply for jobs. The employer likes someone one day and then talks to the next person and might like him more. Maybe the candidate the employer really likes wants too much money or has another offer and so circumstances change. Maybe the person in one part of the organization has a favored candidate, but the owner vetoes that choice or has a different view. We will provide the best and most accurate information we can at the time we report it.

 

Q: Any chance the sports reporters may join Two Bills Drive with their name so we can interact with them from time to time?

 

A: I would not rule out anything. It certainly is a possibility if we set up some moderation rules in order to have a civil and productive discussion on the team.

[BringBackOrton]

Cool stuff Josh. Thanks!

Edited September 22, 2017 by jmc12290

[boyst]

thank you.

 

Can you confirm reports, though, that Rex Ryan is a fat piece of ****?

Edited September 22, 2017 by Just Jack

[plenzmd1]

Thank You, Josh, much appreciated.

 

I am a sucker for a standup guy, you got my $3!

 

Tell Mr. Buffett he can retire now !

[oldmanfan]

I appreciate the time and the answers.

[ndirish1978]

Thanks for taking the time to talk to us. I may disagree with some of your positions, but I can respect that you came here to answer questions.

[Rubes]

I appreciate it as well. Thanks.

[NewEra]

Thanks Josh. Stand up job and your answers were clear and concise. Too bad the majority of the BN writers = garbage and not worth a penny. Hopefully you're carrying an axe and are ready to use it. You need one. Good luck.

[YoloinOhio]

Thank you for doing this!

[BringBackFergy]

Well done Josh! Thanks for joining us in this thread...please visit the "I can't stand McDermott's clapping" thread for a few laughs.

[Captain_Quint]

Thanks Josh. I'll pay the $3, but you're on thin ice.

[WotAGuy]

Great job Josh. Amazing what ya gotta do for a lousy three bucks these days, huh?

[PirateHookerMD]

Your grocery store/movie theater analogy is flawed. Your business was allegedly profitable before you started charging extra. The same is not the case for the businesses you listed.

 

Way too much free content out there from so many outlets. I wish you luck in your venture.

[Kelly the Dog]

Thanks, Josh. Communicating with and listening to your readership is an important element of the new world order.

[The Frankish Reich]

Thanks, Josh. By the way, I'm the guy who made the comment about the 19 separate Monday articles - thanks for the explanation. Right now, I'm not planning to subscribe. As I mentioned in another comment, I think I just have "subscription fatigue." I'd be much more inclined to buy coverage 1 week at a time, whenever I have time or am sufficiently interested to peruse a dozen articles. Not sure how that would work, but I think some day everyone will have a little debit card and one of those little Square card readers (or a software app version) on their phones and the pain of subscriptions will start to fade away ...

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Q: Why are we being asked to pay for the same content that was free in the past?

 

A: We have expanded our coverage and coverage team to provide much more than in the past. We are posting more than 20 Bills-related articles per day since BNBlitz.com launched (we had 35 last Wednesday, 21 on Thursday, 27 on Friday and 33 last Sunday). We have put Mark Gaughan back on the Bills full-time after he spent several years on colleges and he is breaking down game tape for both the Bills and their upcoming opponents, looking at trends and much more. We have added Kimberley A. Martin as another voice on the Bills as a columnist and she also is doing feature stories. We have expanded our use of analytics – breaking out stats watches for players such as Taylor, McCoy, Dareus and the kicking game – among other analytics-based content. I have seen a reference on the board to all I want is a good All22 breakdown of the opponent.” Well, we have that.

 

We are doing more stories on the people who love the Bills in this community and beyond -- helping the fans who travel to see the Bills with trip guides, those who remain in town with bar guides and introducing you to celebrities who are Bills fans.

While many of the hallmarks of the BN coverage remain, there is much more available than before. There is not a single outlet doing more on the Bills every day than we are.

 

So. … we are offering a free 2-week trial for anyone who signs up. Sample it and see precisely what we are offering. If after 2 weeks you do not feel we provide you with something worth $2.99 per month, you can cancel.

 

Q: How do you balance the need for accurate reporting with the need to be out front in the era of social media, and increased competition between different media sites, bloggers, etc.?

 

A: Sure, we WANT to be first, but we NEED to be right. It’s tough out there with competition from a lot of outlets that are working hard too, but accuracy is what we have to stand on. Some of you have mentioned the coach and GM searches in your comments. Keep in mind those are fluid situations with a lot of changes. It’s no different than when you or your wife or kids apply for jobs. The employer likes someone one day and then talks to the next person and might like him more. Maybe the candidate the employer really likes wants too much money or has another offer and so circumstances change. Maybe the person in one part of the organization has a favored candidate, but the owner vetoes that choice or has a different view. We will provide the best and most accurate information we can at the time we report it.

 

Q: Any chance the sports reporters may join Two Bills Drive with their name so we can interact with them from time to time?

 

A: I would not rule out anything. It certainly is a possibility if we set up some moderation rules in order to have a civil and productive discussion on the team.

 

Thank you. I will def. consider checking out the new content.

 

I will just register that I'm somewhat put off by paying for content from a couple of your long time Bills columnists. I feel they are notorious for "twisting" observations and distorting facts to fit a narrative and it isn't a contribution for which I desire to pay.

Edited September 23, 2017 by Hapless Bills Fan

[Cripple Creek]

As promised, I have gone through the questions that you sent me and wanted to provide responses. I am happy to do this on a regular basis and I did not get to all of them. If you have other questions, don't hesitate to email me at jbarnett@buffnews.com.

 

Thanks for doing this. How about giving us the Josh Barnett story? Where are you from etc.

[Charles Romes]

I am just going to wait it out reading the free national fan local sources until the BN comes off its high horse and makes it free again. Newspapers charging customers is not sustainable. Too much free content out there.

[Cripple Creek]

Because Josh had the balls enough to respond to our questions and seems like an intelligent fella; whereas you come across as an arrogant dolt.

Is he a dotard?

[transient]

Thanks for taking the time to do this. Welcome.

 

Based on perusing the headlines of this morning's Blitz, your publishing of this Q and A and Jerry Sullivan writing a piece on why Tyrod doesn't audible, which had already been a thread on TBN for several days, maybe we can continue this arrangement and TBN pieces can be posted in a thread at TBD first...

 

Damn, where's that sarcasm font again?

[CommonCents]

Stay Classy San Diego.

[SoulMan]

I have thought it through. No thanks. I will be spending more time on stadium wall.

Edited September 23, 2017 by SoulMan

[Scott7975]

Id rather the BN just do an ala carte method. Charge x amount per writer. People can pick and choose which writer they deem worth paying to read. Then you can fire the writers that people arent paying for.

[Keukasmallies]

Josh, thanks for the very complete responses to the concerns of some on TBD. Nevertheless, I won't be paying the $3. I get my fill of the Bills, their excuses, and season ticket holders' ill-founded optimism without paying for more of it. The articles in the BN are quite enough, thank you.

[JoshBarnett]

Classic post and ghost?

 

I have answered a bunch more emails from those in this community who have sent messages and plan to post responses to additional questions to the group next week.

 

I remain happy to engage with people on these issues. I have read everything written in this thread since my initial post. I know where to find your thoughts and you know where to find mine.

[Rubes]

For the life of me I can't figure out why this conversation has to be so hard.

 

You don't like the BN? Great, don't pay for it. We also don't need to hear why you think you're so much smarter than everyone else by not paying. Just don't pay.

 

Others see value in some or all of the journalism on that site and understand the reason and need for supporting it. If you feel the need to criticize or mock others for doing so, do everyone a favor and go read another thread.

[Just Jack]

Rubes response summed it up perfectly. Thank you Josh for answering our posters questions. We look forward to your next Q&A thread soon.