At the 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit, Ryan Spoon, President of Yahoo Sports said his brand’s goal is to make you a smarter sports fan. I love that line. It’s something we strive to deliver to media professionals here on this website. Our mantra is to educate, celebrate and challenge and inform and explain what’s happening and why it matters to media professionals.
That simple approach is why millions of sports fans have loved ESPN, sports writers, sports insiders, and on-air personalities for decades. The ability to gain access to critical information, share it, and examine and debate it is what makes fans feel smarter. They become more interested in watching, listening, reading and engaging. Take a quick gander at X, IG, Facebook, etc. and you’ll find millions of people following reporters like Adam Schefter and Shams Charania. People do so because of their abilities to deliver insightful and valuable information.
But what happens when information is withheld, controlled and/or influenced by teams, individuals, and companies? How does it alter the perception of journalists and the brands they represent? It could become a serious problem if the current patterns continue.
The Key Issues
John Mamola did an excellent job yesterday detailing the issues surrounding the coverage of the Kyle Shanahan story. Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard said he knew about 15% of the details and didn’t think it was worth rushing out the story. I agree that leaping in without additional information isn’t smart. But Kawakami had 11 days. He shared on X that if it was a trade or firing he would’ve made more calls.
Why wasn’t the 49ers Head Coach being involved in a serious accident worth looking into further? Tim also tweeted that same day, “49ers report to training camp today. I think there’s going to be some news later this morning.” That suggested that he knew the Shanahan story was about to drop.
Tim has never been a carry the water for a franchise type of guy. He’s candid, ruffles feathers, and is a damn good writer. He’s a good guy too. But choosing to not look into this story deeper from someone as respected locally as Tim is was perplexing.
More disappointing though was what Adam Schefter said during a conversation with Unsportsmanlike on ESPN Radio. Adam said, “the 49ers did a great job at keeping things quiet” and pointed to July being a quiet time in the NFL. He mentioned that Sean McVay knew about the accident and alluded to it during interviews. Except there’s one major problem – Sean McVay is not an NFL reporter. Adam is. Just like the 49ers, Sean is going to seek to keep the news about himself, his team, and his colleagues private. It’s the reporter’s job to uncover it, not the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams.
I have been a huge Adam Schefter fan for over a decade. I believe he is the best in the business, and I will remain a fan moving forward. Adam’s work is top notch and he’s a class act of a human being too. But that remark surprised me. I have never heard a reporter congratulate a team for keeping important information private, especially when it’s the type of information a reporter is paid to uncover. I realize Kyle Shanahan’s accident was scary, and the story is sensitive. However, the 49ers should have told fans that their head football coach suffered a serious injury. When a reporter knows that information and waits to publish it one minute after the team does, it creates the impression that the reporter serves the team or league instead of the public. Until Adam made that comment, I had never viewed him that way.
The way this was reported and discussed by Schefter, Kawakami, Chris Simms and local San Francisco media members raised serious questions about media members being truthful with their audiences. Having worked in San Francisco, I know that KNBR had a public perception that portrayed the brand as a mouthpiece for the local Bay Area teams. We took advantage of that at 95.7 The Game. To think that there won’t be some franchise protectors in the media isn’t realistic. To have nobody in town though or across the country share vital information about a massive story like this brings everyone’s credibility into question.
The LeBron James Saga
To make matters worse, Shams Charania created another issue. ESPN’s NBA insider sat down with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul and revealed that he knew the Cleveland Cavaliers met with LeBron James weeks ago. When Max Kellerman asked Shams why he didn’t report it, he cited the information being off the record, adding that he couldn’t report it ethically.
Hang on. I understand the pickle Shams was in here. He didn’t want to burn a source over a sensitive situation. Let’s say for argument sake that the source was LeBron James. If he expected to get anything from LeBron in the future, he had to prove he was trustworthy. I get that. But this begs the question, what is and isn’t fair game to report then?
What if Shams learned that LeBron James had a serious drug problem. LeBron would prefer that information remain private. Would Shams hold that back too? What if LeBron has major issues with Joel Embiid and didn’t want it known because it could hurt his image. Would Shams not share that too? How about if a month into the season LeBron told Shams ‘off the record’ that he regretted returning and planned to retire in December. Would Shams wait until LeBron was ‘ready’ to announce it?
Better yet, is Shams going to provide the same courtesy next offseason to unrestricted free agents Steph Curry and Kawhi Leonard? Do Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo get similar treatment if they elect to decline their player options and explore other situations?
Truth vs. Protection
Does anyone think Michael Jordan wanted the public to know about his gambling issues in the 1990’s? Did Brett Favre want the world to know about his addiction to painkillers? What if Alex Rodriguez controlled the way the media presented his public image during his playing days? Barry Bonds and many other MLB players didn’t appreciate reporters linking them to steroid scandals. They’d be in the Hall of Fame if journalists hadn’t done their job.
What if when Thurman Munson died the Yankees fanbase had to wait 11 days to find out. Is that cool? What if the media sat on the Chris Benoit story for 11 days out of respect to the WWE and those close to Benoit. Is that OK?
You may say “JB, some of those are extreme situations.” Fair enough. Let’s just go back to last week. What if ESPN chose not to disclose its recent layoffs for two weeks? Would that be alright? What if police and the Wisconsin media kept the news of Tony Romo’s arrest private for 11 days because the story created a tough PR situation for CBS? Is that acceptable?
The things we learn about teams and players become public knowledge because reporters are doing their jobs. They uncover details that are sensitive and important. They risk losing relationships because they understand that the information comes first. Their responsibility is to serve the public not protect teams, leagues, players, coaches and executives.
The Same Challenges Exist Elsewhere
Radio groups do this stuff too. They let people go, say nothing, and hope the news will vanish. Or if they have a bad revenue performance, they’ll share one or two positives with publications they own or have influence over to try and convince the advertising industry it’s sunny when it’s raining. Companies are always going to try to hide important information. It’s a reporter’s job to uncover it.
I’m not saying it’s easy. I deal with similar conflicts. I have relationships with consulting clients, advertising partners, personalities, agents, and numerous media professionals. But I’m also the company owner. My role is different from that of a reporter. I have to make judgment calls that are in the best interest of our entire business. I’ve never claimed to be a reporter. Sometimes we uncover and report news. Sometimes we don’t. We offer experienced perspectives and industry news, recognizing that our reporting will occasionally create tension. I am comfortable with what I put my name on and willing to defend it when others take exception.
If we do go with information on a breaking story, I consider all facets before I press send. When you cover an industry daily with hundreds of brands and thousands of people involved who compete against each other, many with different opinions and agendas, it is impossible to keep everyone happy. I prefer having healthy relationships and highlighting the wins, but people make mistakes and operate in ways that raise questions sometimes. We can’t avoid those issues. That’d be no different than a reporter turning a blind eye to an NFL head coach suffering serious injuries in a car accident. If we make a few enemies, attract a few critics, or create a few uncomfortable moments because of that approach, so be it. Those reactions prove we’re doing our job instead of letting outside influences control our decisions.
And therein lies the problem for Adam, Shams, Kawakami and others. They are not in the owner seat. They are in positions to serve the public. But suddenly a shift is taking place where writers and reporters withhold information. They are prioritizing relationships with leagues, teams, and individual sources over the public’s interest. That is a huge problem.
The Other BIG Issue
Another problem in this instance involves the impact of sports gambling. What if a heavy bettor wagered $1 million on the 49ers to win the Super Bowl on July 21? Would that person have placed the same bet if they had known the franchise’s head coach suffered a serious accident a week earlier? Maybe not. Will the casino or betting app refund that bettor after new information comes to light? No.
When reporters or teams withhold information that could affect people’s finances, they create a gray area and fuel distrust among the people who depend on that information. That reality creates a challenge unlike any media outlets and journalists have faced before. How long will it take before someone loses a significant amount of money because a reporter withheld critical information and then blames that reporter or the brand they represent? If you think that sounds far-fetched, I know of multiple situations where people showed up at workplaces intending to harm on-air talent.
What if a bettor was considering dropping millions on LeBron re-signing with Cleveland. The information Shams had on that story literally influences how many people would wager. Yet the reporter with access to vital information, chose to withhold it. That creates division with the public. Some will be happy they didn’t invest in King James returning to Cleveland. Others will be furious that the insider they trust most wasn’t transparent with the public and cost them.
The same applies to the public buying tickets, merchandise, investing in television/streaming packages, etc.. If for instance my made up example of LeBron tipping off Shams that he might retire early was real, isn’t that information important to a 76ers fan who is considering buying tickets, a jersey, an upgraded television/streaming package to watch LeBron play? Who deserves the blame if a reporter and a media brand hold back key information and people learn those details later?
In Closing
When you consider that leagues now do business with betting companies and own stakes in the media companies that cover them, it creates concern that they will pursue and expect greater control. When reporters publicly acknowledge withholding important information and congratulate teams for keeping stories quiet, they expose a serious problem in sports journalism. Nobody in the sports media business who values the truth should feel good about reporters failing to report the Kyle Shanahan or LeBron James stories in real time.
The good news is that the door is wide open for competing outlets to lean in to reporting. Reporters who have a desire to uncover the truth, have more platforms and access than ever to make their names by relaying what they learn. The bad news is that the ones we love and trust most are giving us reasons to question if they work for us or the people they cover.
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Jason Barrett is the Founder and CEO of Barrett Media. The company launched in September 2015 and has provided consulting services to America’s top audio and video brands, while simultaneously covering the media industry at BarrettMedia.com, becoming a daily destination for media professionals. Prior to Barrett Media, Jason built and programmed 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He was also the first sports programmer for SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, which later became 97.5 The Fanatic. Barrett also led 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY, and worked on-air and behind the scenes at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years at ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT producing ‘The Dan Patrick Show’ and ‘GameNight’. JB can be reached on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.