Charissa Thompson gets called out for lying in her sideline reports
David Aldridge at the Shirley Povich Symposium at the University of Maryland (Alexa Henry/The Black Explosion)
During the Nov. 17 University of Maryland's 18th annual Shirley Povich Symposium for sports journalism, Athletic writer David Aldridge responded to a question regarding Amazon Host Charissa Thompson's admission about lying in her sideline reports. "I don't understand why she's still employed," Aldridge said while describing the dangers of her comments and the importance of remaining truthful in reporting.
As a sideline reporter for ESPN and Turner Sports, Aldridge understands the difficulties of the position. He remembers moments when coaches blew him off, yet he does not believe it is an excuse to make up reports. "Go grab an assistant coach then, go grab the trainer, go grab a player, grab somebody, and ask them a damn question that you can use," Aldridge said.
Sideline reporting is a demanding job requiring sports journalists to report on news about the game they're covering in a limited time slot. ESPN's Monday Night Football sideline reporter Lisa Salters talks about the process she goes through when doing the job.
"I need to be able to put everything in a nice, concise little package. And I only have like a minute and a half worth of time from the time I've talked to that coach to the time that I'm going on to give my hit," said Salters.
Not only are reporters tasked to have stories ahead of time, but they also have to report on stories during the game, which Golden State Warriors sideline reporter Kerith Burke admits is difficult, noting how "sometimes it's hard because the arenas are so loud that I've become a master lip reader and I definitely can read body language, but I've gotta be sure at what I'm reporting."
Former ESPN Monday Night Football and NBC Sunday Night Football sideline reporter Andrea Kremer addresses the problem with Thompson's comments and the perception of the sideline reporting position in an interview with the New York Times.
“The sideline role has always been questioned about its necessity, which I think I’ve explained to you is erroneous," Kremer said. "I don’t remember anybody ever wondering, ‘Did they make that up?’ Now, there is that kernel of doubt.”
On the Pardon My Take podcast, Thompson said that she "would make up the report sometimes because the coach wouldn't come out at halftime or it was too late." Her comments not only offended many of her contemporaries but put into question the credibility of journalists, which according to Yahoo Finance, journalism is one of the twenty least trusted professions.