Stephen A. Smith and Dan Le Batard have had a little back and forth over the last week regarding ESPN and the quality of the product on the platform.
But Jon Weiner, known as Stugotz, who is Le Batard’s partner on “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz,” chimed in on the ongoing argument on the Tuesday, July 18 episode of the show by giving a grim look at the broader state of media and journalism.
“Journalism, as we know it, as you know it, what you wanted to do when you were a little kid, it has changed,” Stugotz told Le Batard. “You’re not wrong, Stephen A. Smith is not wrong, you have to adapt sometimes.”
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Stugotz added that the way news is consumed has changed and therefore the priorities of media outlets have shifted.
“No one cares how someone goes and gets the news that they get as long as the news is accurate, as long as it’s coming from a credible place,” Stugotz added.
Stugotz’s comments come after a back and forth between Smith and Le Batard regarding the quality of journalism at ESPN.
Le Batard, who alongside Stugotz rose to fame at The Walt Disney Co. (DIS) -) network, has long been critical of ESPN for using the debate show format to dumb down its audiences, and questioned the network again amid layoffs of on-air talent over the past few weeks.
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Stugotz, who worked under the ESPN umbrella in the past, agrees that the debate show format is plaguing the network and undermining proper journalism.
“Everytime [Smith] does that show, his journalistic integrity, it sheds away,” Stugotz said. “He’s doing a debate show debating the most ridiculous topics in sports. It has to affect his credibility.”
Smith has been the face of ESPN’s most popular debate show “First Take,” and defended his network by reiterating that they are still number one in ratings on sports television.
But Stugotz also called out both Smith and Le Batard for their participation in the changing media landscape.
“You all sold out -- every single one of you,” Stugotz said. “Stephen A. Smith jumped inside the circus tent, I don’t blame him. Why’d he do it? Because he had to do it … You have ditched journalism a long long time ago because why? Survival of the fittest, Dan. You have to change with the times.”
Le Batard responded by saying Stugotz was being “very absolute” about his views on sports media. The former “Pardon The Interruption” host claimed he wanted to do things “differently” on ESPN and that he didn’t want to do debate shows.
He even defended Smith by saying that he does do “credible” journalism outside of the opinion-heavy, debate show format.
“[Smith] does reporting, does journalism,” Le Batard said. “If Stephen A. gives you information that’s not opinion, you trust that it’s informed.”
Smith has not yet responded to the reactions from both Le Batard and Stugotz over the last two days, but he could as soon as the next episode of his podcast “The Stephen A. Show” on Wednesday, July 19.
