Some tweets now out of bounds at ESPN

For ESPN, the social-networking revolution will not be televised--or tweeted, blogged, or Facebooked. Not for now, at least, and not without ESPN's approval.

The sports network has apparently banned its workforce from posting any sports-related content on social-networking tools such as Twitter and Facebook without its permission. The news first came to light Tuesday when Ric Bucher, an NBA analyst for ESPN, tweeted that he had just received an network memo regarding tweeting:

The hammer just came down, tweeps: ESPN memo prohibiting tweeting info unless it serves ESPN. Kinda figured with was coming. Not sure what this means but

In a follow-up tweet, Bucher, who has more than 18,000 followers on Twitter, pondered the gravity of his tweet revealing the memo:

I'm probably violating some sort of policy just by telling you. In any case, stay tuned.

According to a purported copy of the memo posted on the sports blog The Big Lead, Bucher may just be violating the new policy (one point begins "Avoid discussing internal policies...").

In the memo, ESPN tells employees that it is "currently building and testing modules designed to publish Twitter and Facebook entries simultaneously" on ESPN Web sites and mobile platforms, and it plans to roll out the modules this fall.

"Personal websites and blogs that contain sports content are not permitted," according to the memo. But, it says, "If ESPN.com opts not to post sports related social media content created by ESPN talent, you are not permitted to report, speculate, discuss or give any opinions on sports related topics or personalities on your personal platforms(.)"

The memo seems to mirror efforts announced earlier Tuesday by the Marine Corps and the National Football League affecting their respective members and employees. And while one could argue that a military ban on using social-networking sites could ultimately save lives, the NFL is apparently just trying to save itself from some embarrassment.

Professional athletes ranging from Shaquille O'Neal to Lance Armstrong have long twittered about their observations on their respective sports experiences but not always with the approval or to the amusement of their coaches. In April, San Francisco Giants pitchers Barry Zito and Brian Wilson found their Twitter accounts getting the hook over some rather bizarre posts. But those posts paled in comparison to Washington Redskins tight end Chris Cooley, who last season posted a portion of his team's playbook on his personal blog--along with a photo of his penis.

So what is ESPN's angle? A spokesman for the network told The New York Times that, "we want to be smarter about how we do it," adding that Bucher's "interpretation of the policy is mistaken."

As for Bucher, he seems to have no plans to abandon Twitter. "My guess is I can still tweet about my vacation/car shopping, etc. Which I will do, if I can."

[jture]

The Worldwide Leader is beginning to sound more and more like an old-style totalitarian dictatorship, mind control and all.

[ikramerica--2008]

Why? ESPN pays these people to research and report for ESPN. They should tell ESPN about "news" and "scoops", not scoop their employer. It's standard practice for a company to own all work you create related to the company's market while employed. It's why Thomas Edison quit his job and gave up the money from his backers to create his own lab over 100 years ago. No different here.

[Super2online]

What these companies and governmant agencies don't understand is that they have no control. These conversations are happening whether they like it or not. It just gets spread around slower is all.

[bryanlyle]

Just another company that doesn't get it.

[Truckdrvr]

Honestly I don't think you get it. ESPN is a business that is asking its employees not to broadcast sports related content to the public. Unsanctioned broadcasts of sports information is essentially direct competition to them. If they were smart, they would roll out company sanctioned accounts that would be a part of the service that ESPN provides to its customers.

[markphillip]

It's pretty ridiculous not to mention that Chris Cooley _accidentally_ posted a picture of his privates on his blog. He apologized profusely.

[Vegaman_Dan]

I don't think it's so much a liability or exposure issue so much as it is a money one. ESPN pays these people to produce sport content. If the same people then go ahead and create and post content on their own separately, they become competitors to their employer.

That's one way a company might look at it. It's ridiculous, but it is that sort of thinking that makes companies try to control their employee's lives like this.

[alt117]

ESPN - owned by Disney, wants t keep as much of it's content behind it's paywall as possible.

And they want to control what is put out there; can't have tweets about their boy Roethlesberger's assault case when they are trying to shove it under the rug.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Paywall. I like that term. That fits.

[skyscraperjim]

Seems like ESPN needs to add a Designated Twitter to their lineup.

[virtualtodd]

Seems a bit shortsighted to try to shutdown twitter from ESPN hosts. They should probably put together a policy and some training for their people, so that they could take advantage of this new medium. Others will fill the void of sports twittering - and then they will have that audience. A lost opportunity for ESPN and Disney to be present and potentially profit from a new medium.

[ca5ter]

Steven Musil,

We do not care about Twitter, as you can tell by the lack of comments on your second rate story. If you were a true journalist you would not report on one typic over an over again. Especially, if that typic was not of any interest to your audience. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Furthermore, the filtering of comments is even more reprehensible. To provide a forum for the community and then filter the replies to suit your options is called propaganda.

You and the editors are CNET are in need education on what it is meant to be called a journalist. At the current moment you and your organization is nothing more than a group of bloggers masquerading as a news company.

[ikramerica--2008]

Sadly, that's what most printed reporting (including real newspapers and web based) has become. cnet is just part of the problem, not an outlier.

[eswinson]

Most companies already have media and disclosure policies. I don't see this as being any different. I'm sure you are still welcome to tweet about your dog or kids or even how much you hate your job.