James Andrew Miller and Jim Trotter on Dan LeBatard and ESPN

Episode 62 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: First up is best-selling author and media writer James Andrew Miller, the host of the podcast, “Origins with James Andrew Miller. He is followed by longtime NFL writer Jim Trotter, who serves in a multitude of roles for NFL Network and NFL.com and previously worked at ESPN, Sports Illustrated and the San Diego Union-Tribune. In this podcast, Miller discusses ESPN Radio host Dan Le Batard’s criticism of President Donald Trump and Le Batard’s criticism of his own network  for not having “the stomach for the fight” when it comes to ESPN’s  coverage of issues of race unless “there is some sort of weak, cowardly sports angle that we can run it through;" where the line is for an opinionist in relation to ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro’s dicta that it is not ESPN job “to cover politics, purely” and what that even means; the reaction of employees and management inside and outside of ESPN to Le Batard’s comments; whether there is a difference between saying something on ESPN’s airwaves and personal social media feeds; whether ESPN’s social media policy can stand heading forward; what is likely next in this story, and more. Trotter discusses working at ESPN and discussing issues of race; how he viewed Le Batard’s comments from afar; his thoughts on whether there are any parallels to  Jemele Hill’s situation at ESPN; how he views ESPN’s social media policy and whether it is tenable; whether others at ESPN will head in the same direction as Le Batard, especially as we head toward an election year; why some issues are more important than policy; how sports has always been connected to race and politics; how he sees this will play out heading forward, and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Radio.com and more.
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