National Sports Journalism Center

"Errors in the booth by announcers, scheduling conundrums, talking over the national anthem and other perceived "political" intrusions are areas that, based on the ombudsman’s mailbag, seem to drive a good chunk of ESPN’s audience up the wall," ESPN ombudsman Don Ohlmeyer writes, adding, "So let’s take a closer look." That’s what Ohlmeyer does this week, examining: mistakes in the booth, scheduling conundrums and political intrusions. Among Ohlmeyer’s thoughts: "Some viewers believe announcers gain their reputations by the brilliant insights they provide or the inventive way they can construct a sentence on the fly. But those perceived as solid broadcasters are skilled at avoiding the irritating mistakes that annoy viewers. Some of which are sins of omission, some of commission. Transgress too often and the audience begins to question both credibility and professionalism."