MAY/JUNE 2020 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 123
Since leaving the energetic
world of television
broadcasting after 40 plus
years, I constantly get asked
if I miss it. I do miss the friends
and the camaraderie we had, the
excitement of covering certain
stories and knowing that people
were tuning in to watch. There
was studio work, work in the press
boxes and of course, the live shots,
all combining to bring the story to
the viewers.
I also admit to those who ask,
while missing all of the above,
that I don’t recognize the business
anymore. It has changed in my mind.
That started to happen near the end
of my time in the industry. I saw the
mantra changing from get it right
to get it first. It was as if the industry
executives thought the average viewer
had two or three television sets going at
once in order to see which station told
the story first.
I know in my case and in the cases of
some of my colleagues who have also
gone into retirement, that there was an
insistence that we get the story right rather
than first. It took more time and checking,
but was worth it when the story went on
the air correctly. It was the kind of thing
that instilled confidence from the viewers
to know we were giving them the facts.
When COVID-19 hit in March, we
witnessed some of the press at its worst;
and it was mostly national journalists in
both broadcast and print. In an attempt to
lead the way, it seemed that everyone was
an expert. There were opinions flying all
over the place from facts to partial facts to
no real facts at all. It seemed that just guess
work and speculation reigned. In the press
conferences, it looked more like an ambush
than fact gathering. Members of the press
had me remembering my days in sports
broadcasting, where some of my colleagues
thought it was more important to be the
one to ask “the” question that stood out
from the others. You know, the “What did
you have for breakfast?” question. Ask one
that sparks a strange reaction, and you
may have a shot at making the national
networks.
I remember covering the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers’ locker room for many years
from when the Bucs started their franchise
by losing their first 26 games. I remember
many reporters who would try to bait
certain players. One of those players
was Warren Sapp. Warren would
sit in front of his locker in nothing
but a towel after showering and
field questions. Players know the
reporters just like the politicians
do, so he was aware of who was in
the hive asking questions. On more
than one occasion, a reporter would
shout out a ridiculous question and
Warren would sit there shaking his
head, looking down at his feet, not
saying a word. Then he would look
up and wait for a question that
would get things back on track. He
understood the situation.
I can accept the fact that the world
is ever-changing and yes, I am one
of those who believe that most
change is for the better. I believe
we will come out of this COVID-19
to find things have changed. In many cases,
it will be for the better. In the case of the
press and the reporting that the average
American can expect, I am not so sure, but
let’s hope the pendulum will swing back
and truth will rein once more.9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Dick Crippen, a staple
in Tampa Bay broadcasting for more than 40
years, is a senior adviser for the Tampa Bay
Rays, and works extensively with the military.
He is active in the world of charity fundraising
and sits on numerous boards for nonprofit
organizations.
COMMENTARY
PRESS ON
By Dick Crippen
Dick Crippen