(Instant) Fame and (BAD) Fortune?

It’s true.  It’s not common…and it’s not likely.  But at times, it’s true: Youtube = instant fame. 

Williams before fame struck
http://mantoos.com

Just ask Antoine Dodson.  Or Susan Boyle.  And now, Ted Williams. 

No, not the legendary Red Sox Hall of Fame, 19-time All-Star left fielder.  There’s not much Youtube coverage of him… 

I’m talking about Ted Williams, the straggly looking man with the silky baritone who is the latest overnight Youtube sensation.  Surprisingly, the ‘Youtube = instant fame’ bug doesn’t only apply to musicians and child prodigies.  Now, it’s infiltrated the sports and sports media world as well.    

I’ll admit, the 53-year-old Williams’ story is certainly a tear-jerker.  The man went to school for voice-acting and even held a position with a radio station in Columbus, Ohio in the ‘90s before drug and alcohol abuse derailed his life and his career.  After nearly 15 years of homelessness and poverty, Williams was recorded earlier this month by a videographer from the Columbus Dispatch who then posted the video of Williams (and his undoubtedly impressive and powerful, yet soothing radio voice) on Youtube:  

You know how the rest goes.  Matt and Meredith, Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, even Dr. Phil.  Williams made an appearance with each.  Now, job offers are rolling in.  He’s already promoted macaroni and cheese for Kraft, a commercial that now has over a million Youtube hits.  On the sports side, the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA want Williams for TV, radio and Web voiceovers, and NFL Films is looking into his services as well.

Since finding fame overnight,
Williams is trying to clean up his act
http://www.lex18.com

A man who, less than a month ago, had nothing, now has the world (or at least any job he’d like) at his fingertips.  Thank you, Youtube.

Sorry to interrupt the emotional music, but is this really a fairytale?  Will Ted Williams live happily ever after?

The same media industry that has instantly made him famous can just as easily guide him toward his demise.  In his appearance with Dr. Phil, Williams had a reunion-turned-intervention with some members of his large family (Williams has nine adult children).  Williams is an alcoholic.  He claims he’s been clean for over two years. His daughter, fresh off a recent altercation in which she claims her father punched her, says he’s a liar.  He checked into rehab a few weeks ago, only to check himself out of it…against the advice of medical professionals.  Dr. Phil loves it.

The point is this: Fame isn’t as easy as it looks…especially for a man with a history of drug and alcohol addiction.  Psychologist Dale Atkins agrees. 

 “Indeed, sudden stardom is overwhelming in every sense of the word. Williams never had a moment to take it all in, process what was happening, and reflect, revitalize and restore himself.      

 He was suddenly faced with televised reunions with family members, appearance after appearance after appearance, contemplation of various job offers, little or no sleep. In these situations, parties and celebrations become the norm. How does someone adjust to all of these changes when all around him are lights, cameras and too much action?... People want to see a positive outcome. But instant fame doesn't usually come with the ingredients to ensure that will happen. Privacy, respect, preservation of dignity and concern for the person's welfare seem to be less important than making the most of the moment.”

 Hear that, Dr. Phil?

So while Quicken Loans Arena, home of the Cavs, beautifully offers to pay the mortgage of a home for Williams  as part of their full-time job offer, Cavs officials (and the world) better wait and watch Williams either unravel before our eyes or ride off into the sunset. 

Meanwhile, I need to go record a video of myself doing play-by-play of a televised college basketball game in my living room and then post it to Youtube.  I should have a prominent sports broadcasting job by tomorrow...       

Moving from behind the desk and out of the newsroom

Peters recently joined the legion of
"former" sports broadcasters
http://www.kmot.com/

If you sit down and have a heart-to-heart with somebody who is currently in the sports journalism profession, it seems as though many are Debbie Downers, with mostly negative things to say about it.  Crappy hours, bad pay, poor equipment…

The Fargo-area sports broadcasting pool has even taken a hit lately, with both the sports director (Scott Peters) and weekend sports anchor (Brian Shawn) at KVLY recently (and quietly) announcing their resignation.

So let’s face it; the broadcasting/journalism business (the sports side in particular) is tough.  And new media isn’t making things any easier on the traditionalists (the local TV/newspaper guys)…  Or you could say that new media IS making things easier…for those willing to forge new territory.  

Brown is forging new territory in the
sports journalism world
http://www.marcmine.com/
orangebloods.com-chip-brown

For example, take the story of Chip Brown.  Brown currently works for orangebloods.com, a fan-based Web site that predominately covers Texas Longhorns football.  He is now known as one of the first journalists to break a national sports story on a fan-based site because of his work covering the potential realignment of college football’s Big 12 conference this past summer. 

The point is that Brown had previously worked for the Associated Press and The Dallas Morning News for 20 years as a reporter.  He was well established in his career, to say the least.    

But Brown evidently saw an opening.  One created by new media. 

Instead of being restricted by the traditional boundaries of television and print, Brown took his journalistic skills and 20 years of experience to the web and just started digging, as every journalist must do.  In the process he out-performed ESPN and every other prestigious radio and print journalistic entity in breaking a story with definite national interest.  All while working for orangebloods.com.

Byers has found his niche
as multimedia coordinator for
the NDSU Bison
http://www.gobison.com

More locally, Kasey Byers, the multimedia coordinator for NDSU Athletics, serves as another example. Byers, like Brown, had dabbled in the “conventional” sports journalism world…and hated it.  He, too, turned to new media.  Now, he covers all things Bison for gobison.com.

Byers has found freedom.  Not only can he get the game’s best plays available online for the world hours before the evening news will go on the air in its limited market, but he is not confined to a four minute time slot in which he has to jam highlights from six different games.  On the web, he can post whatever he thinks is necessary to a seemingly limitless audience, even adding artistic flair.  Check out his work: 

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.  During the development of the Big 12 story, Brown made seven appearances on ESPN and did 70 radio interviews, according to SI.com.  Subscribers on his Web site increased seven percent while more and more people tuned in to his Twitter account for updates.     

Because of the ever-growing prevalence of the Web, guys like Peters can attest to the fact that success in the sports journalism industry no longer necessarily means you have to wear a suit and tie while sitting behind an anchor’s desk or write for a prevalent newspaper or sports magazine.  All you really need is an internet connection...and a healthy dose of ambition.       

Allow me to introduce myself...

For this blog throughout the semester I am going to examine how new media is affecting the sports journalism/sports broadcasting industry.

And for your reading pleasure, here's my life in 1 minute, 4 seconds:

My name is Matthew Kurtz.  I was born and raised in good ol' Bismarck, ND and am currently a junior at NDSU majoring in Journalism/TV Broadcasting.  I am a sports anchor for NDSU's student-run campus news station, 'SU TV News.  You haven't seen 'SU TV News?!??!?  Well, here you go!

I also write for Bison Illustrated magazine as well as lead a men's Bible study on campus through the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS).  I love sports (especially the Minnesota Vikings) and my faith is very important to me.  Here's a quote I really enjoy, and I found it fitting for this class:

"Make time for quiet moments, as God whispers and the world is loud."
-Unknown

Here's to a great semester!  GO BISON!