Every week, we like to drop Roundtable discussions from the Arizona Varsity staff on some of the hottest and most debated topics in Arizona High School Sports. To join the discussion, jump into our Subscriber TeamAZV or Blue Chips forums!
Today's Topic?
How Should the AIA Update Media Access Policies?
Adam Beadle
This is a hard topic for me because I feel like a lot of the conversation about cutting down the amount of AIA credentials, aka "getting the right people on the field," means eliminating young kids who are trying to get their start in media.
I’d hate for that to happen because I was once one of those young kids just trying to get a start. I hope that we can find a way to educate young journalists on the proper rules and regulations when it comes to what and what not to do when covering sports. Equally, I hope veteran journalists can be leaders for the younger generation and help them when they have questions. At the end of the day, it’s important that those who have a job to do have the space to do it.
You can follow Adam Beadle on Twitter/X at @therealbeadle
Jacob Seliga
I think the big thing when it comes to media credentialing, and everything in the future, is that there needs to be background checks on anybody who is requesting a credential.
At the end of day these are high school athletes, and we are allowing adults and individuals with credentials to have access to them. We need to make sure that the people who are granted these things don't have a checkered past, or have issues that may lead to serious problems down the line.
That's the biggest thing- the safety of the kids.
I'd say the other thing to is, and I'm gonna sound like a grumpy old person here, but not everybody with a camera should automatically be granted access. There are some great videographers and photographers in the state, but I think in a sense it has become "pick up camera and you're gonna get access to high school athletes."
High school sports is the perfect place for journalists and content creators to start- that's where I got my start as a writer, and it's where a lot of us have gotten our footing and have built a name for ourselves.
But I I almost want to see the work that they put in have to go through those traditional channels- but then again, the definition of "media" is still evolving... so for now I'm supportive, but I'm also skeptical of what the long-term goal of a lot of these people, because I don't want somebody to come along and take advantage of the people in our community just for the sake of making a quick buck or because it's popular.
You can follow Jacob Seliga on Twitter/X at @Jacob_Seliga
Zach Alvira
The credentialing system for the AIA is one thing that I've thought about for a while. I've been pretty vocal in terms of it needing to be changed, and I do believe that background checks are necessary. I also believe that you need to have some sort of track record- such as producing content for a legitimate site (and that means written articles or video that isn’t just posted to YouTube or social media). It’s great that we have more and more people covering high school games in Arizona, but you need to be able to do it for legitimate site that houses your content.
I think there could be a probationary period where you get limited access to regular season games, but then come playoffs, restrictions really need to be tightened down. Then that's when I think you should start thinning out the herd a little bit. That’s not to say that some people are media and some people aren't, it’s just a matter of over-saturation and space.
At this point, something does need to change, and we're getting to the point where it's kind of becoming more of a hangout social event on the sidelines than an actual working environment for those who are in the media, so we'll see if there are any changes that are made. I know personally that there have been some conversations. I know there has been a meeting, so we'll see what comes about. Hopefully by the next school year we’ll know more.
You can follow Zach Alvira on Twitter/X at @ZachAlvira
Gregg Rosenberg
I just personally think it’s a proof of work deal. If you have a legitimate website and are posting your information, great. If you are just making a buck off of a kid and randomly post it on maybe IG or X, it’s probably not going to get you credentialed.
The AIA needs to be universal too. If certain websites are getting in with a % of paywalled articles, then all paywalled websites that offer free content should be credentialed too. It can’t just be the ones who the AIA deals with more- it has to be fair.
Brand new websites trying to make it just need some guidelines from the AIA stating "this is how you can get in." Especially for the new wave of videographers and editors, because for those folks, there doesn’t seem to be a true guideline yet.
At the end of the day, I’d do a background check, verify that they have a platform or website, and set a standard for the mix of paid and free work.
You can follow Gregg Rosenberg on Twitter/X at @GreggRosenberg1
Ralph Amsden
First of all, safety is paramount and we’re long past due to employ background checks. While background checks wouldn’t have stopped some of the more unsavory issues we’ve run into with guys like The Edge Twins, AZSportsnetwork, and more recently, Dave Zorn- there’s just no reason that we shouldn’t have that level of thoroughness as a line of first defense.
Second, I know that we’re all a little nervous about massive influx of videographers and documentarians- partly because we all operate with the view that there’s a scarcity of access and we don’t want to feel the squeeze, and partly because many of the ‘media’ entities operate as a proxy for a promotion-style business rather than traditional media.
But the truth is some of these kids are making some of the coolest stuff out there. I love the extra content, and I especially love content that the athletes themselves enjoy consuming.
Look, I was part of the blogger/multimedia journalist movement of the early 2010’s and rode the wave of social media innovation to build up my business and team. I bring that up because I wouldn’t be around if the AIA, and seasoned newspaper journalists didn’t make room for what I was doing. We need to make room for the newer crop of Instagram or YouTube based creators, as well as the streamers- but they also have to have a long term mindset in the way they approach being part of the Arizona prep media atmosphere.
If media is the entry gate to your primary business, whether you’re a trainer, or a scout, or you make highlight tapes, or sell apparel, or have an awards dinner where you charge attendees, you have to have a true dedication to that media side of your business for me to personally consider you legitimate. I don’t run the AIA, but if I did, there’d be a lot less credentials given out on that basis alone.
I think the AIA is open to accommodating new forms of media, but those people are going to have to meet the AIA more than halfway- especially when it comes to ensuring safe standards and practices, getting permission for interviews, not cheering on the sidelines, and respecting the people who have been here and done it enough to solicit their advice along with their support.
One last thing- if you’re working around kids, it shouldn’t be a chore to find out your legal name, age, values, and business interests. If that offends anyone specific, good. It’s a privelege to cover youth sports. “Branding” should take a backseat to that.
