ESPN is known for their commentaries, news, broadcasting, and coverage of sports of all kinds. As a very well respected broadcasting network with an average of 115 million viewers a month, it is safe to say that the reporters are in the lime light and completely monitored by mass media. Good behavior online through social media is crucial in keeping up a good image for ESPN and its professional network. Slander and ignorant tweets or posts may be released into the public causing mass hysteria all over social media as we have seen with reporters in the past.
Last night, ESPN Reporter Michelle Beadle tweeted:
Tweets blew up with FSU alumni and students appalled by this, and rightfully so. ESPN covers a wide spread of college events and is very involved with FSU during a variety of sport seasons. There was controversy in the past regarding ESPN and their bias against FSU during football season. To see that a reporter, representing and bearing ESPN's name, is tweeting such blatantly degrading things about FSU and all its affiliates is alarming and disrespectful.
Let's take a look at FSU's accomplishments in this recent past and see if it should be classified as such:
- In the past 19 years, Dance Marathon at Florida State has raised over five million dollars for the local children's miracle network.
- U.S News and World Report ranks Florida State Number two as the most efficient high quality university in the country for 2015.
- Winners of the 2013 National championship, and extremely successful athletic department overall.
- Among being selected as top five in the country for a variety of departments, FSU is home to the following departments being ranked number one overall in the country: College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Interior Design graduate program, School of Information's school library media program, Black Law Students Association, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Best Online Computer Science Bachelor's Degree Programs of 2015, and the number one law school in the State of Florida, just to name a few.
The last time I thought of the term “filth," I did not associate it with success, champions and top ranked programs. In the past ESPN has had issues with their reporters, for example Marisa Martin, when she decided to tweet this regarding a gunman on Florida State's campus.
Why is it that ESPN has issues keeping their reporters under control when it comes to FSU? What motivated Beadle's unprofessional tweet? It's an uncomfortable situation as well when things are brought back up about Beadle's past and causes more Twitter controversy. In the past there were rumors flying high about late night parties after ESPN's ESPY Awards in 2011. After this night she was called in by her boss and was addressed by rumors circulating about events of the the night prior. Co-workers accused Beadle of being drunk and using drugs at the ESPY after parties and apparently blurted out inappropriate comments to Aaron Rodgers. Beadle was accused of being obnoxiously intoxicated and unprofessional, however she continues to deny the claims.
I am in no way saying that anyone is perfect, however there are ways to be professional and avoid calling top ranked and well respected universities “filth." Respected and successful alumni, employees, and students were shocked at what she tweeted. Beadle continued to argue with students who were addressing her tweet and followed these tweets by blocking them. She even blocked me when I addressed her tweet.
I find this to be extremely unprofessional. There is no need to slander a university and all affiliated with it, and many would agree. An apology of some sort would be appropriate in a situation like this. Many viewers and followers of Beadle look forward to some sort of repercussions or public apology. Some may say ignorance is bliss, however I classify it to be the main flaw in society today.