The golf press corps received a somewhat disturbing email this afternoon from PGA Tour Executive Vice President of Communications & International Affairs:
As you know, our media regulations prohibit the use of real-time, play-by-play transmission in digital outlets. In order to enforce these regulations, beginning this year, we will revoke the on-site credentials of all journalists affiliated with outlets that post play-by-play coverage, whether those posts are originating from tournament site or otherwise.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Best,
Ty
So I guess going forward, we will tweet updates in madlibs style, as Yahoo’s Shane Bacon has suggested:
Tiger Woods just hit ___ iron on hole ___ and has a good look at ____ .
#pgatourmadlibs
Feel free to tweet @PGATour and @PGATourMedia or email the Tour brass to let them know how you feel about threatening to revoke our credentials if we live-tweet play-by-play.
After all, we’re not in the former Soviet Union. Or are we?
With the PGA now expanding (and encouraging) fan cell phone and social media use at tournaments… will they also stop every fan who tweets a result? Good luck with that.
Looks like someone in the PGA needs to read the 1st Ammendment and take a common sense pill. In any event, there’s a time lag so doubt an online post can be considered real time coverage. Who would turn off TV to follow an event solely via post?
First amendment does not apply to the PGA Tour…only to government.
[...] role in the golf media world after some promising video-reporting segments over the past year), shared the PGA’s warning email on her golf blog. Wei, one of the more prolific tweeters in the golf media who regularly follow the [...]
Now you have me confused. You seemed to think Phil’s criticism of his 60+% redistribution taxes was just fine so maybe thought you were in favor of Soviet style politics.
Was not fine
[...] Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif., members of the media were sent the following release/threat from Executive Vice President of Communications & International Affairs and Executive Director [...]
I think the tour needs to use some super beta prostate, relax and just let it flow.
Idiots.
This isn’t Russia. Is this Russia? This isn’t Russia is it?
[...] to Wei Under Par for the above text. Are you kidding me? What year is this? How on Earth can the Tour be this [...]
[...] the message sent by the Tour to prolific on-course tweeters like reporter Stephanie Wei seemed heavyhanded, Votaw said the prime [...]