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Place in book drop to
LJBRAﬁJES remove this checkout from
”b your record. FINES wiH

be charged if book is
returned after the date
stamped be1ow.

”’7’”,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PETRA-’3'?

Michigan State University intercollegiate atnletics
has grown to a multi-million dollar business. in in most
businesses, continued growth is to an extent contingent
upon presenting the beet ooeeible image of that business
to the public which pays the bills.

The sports information office is the public relations
arm of the Eichiean State athletic department. It is
responsible for feeding information on the university's
athletic program to members of the mass media.

One of the most important median the sports infer.
nation office serves 13 the daily press. The Michigan
State sports information office spends more time in
servicing requests from the Kicnigan daily newspapers
than with any other media.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the
interaction of the Eichizen State sports information
office with the Michigan daily newspapers as it appeared
during the fall of 1965.

In order to make such an evaluation it was necessary
to understand the basic philosophy of the sports infor~
nation office as it evolved to its present level of
operation. Furthermore, the function of the office. in

terms of etaff, budﬁet, facilities and services, had to

be examined, particularly as it appeared in the fall of
1965, to clarify the manner in which the office attempts
to fulfill its objectives.

Lethcde of research in the study included a content

anelysie of selected nevepacere duric a six-week period,

if?

interviews, questionnaires and personal correepondence.

The author first examined seven Xichigan dailies
from September 27 to Hoveeber 5. 955, to determine the
quantity, source and character of news appearing on the
Elohigan State athletic teams. The results were compared
with coverage afforded the University of Michigan athletic
news.

Interviews were conducted with toe sports editors
of six of the seven newspapers in the content analysis to
discuss the results of the study and to obtain suggestions
for incroving the sports information office at nichigan
State.

Questionnaires were mailed to the Sports editors of
all 53 Englisn language ﬁichigan daily neweoaoere to
determine their reactions to ﬂichigan State athletics and
the Sports information office.

Mnjor findings of the study incluﬁe: zichigcn State
and Univereity of Ficcizcn are considered about equal
”newc value" by the participatin: sports editors; the

sports information office in said to be held in high per-

(1"

eonal regard by many coorts cdi arc; the predominate

criticism of the sports information office is its lack of

localized features distributed to the daily newspapers;
the coverage of cross country and soccer teams are but a
fraction of what appe¢rs on the EJU football team; the
Monday Rio press luncheon proouceo more traceaolo articles
in the daily newspapers than any other ogorto information
office service; the bulk 01 moat aaterial appearing 0o
Michigan state athletics is transoittod o; the wire ser-
vices; the sports information office agooa o to have more
effect in determining the amount of daily newspager oover~

age between §2m59 than it has on the anouut of coverage of

'5

Saturday football ﬂames in Sunday popurs; the sports infor-

‘3
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d
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U
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0
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0

All finﬁinqs are based on ﬁata obtained fron 23 of
the 53 ﬁicnifa“ dilly neWSQSPers. among to- newsgapers
unioh contributed to 393 Bt333 are 14 of the 13 largest

circulation dailies in the state.

AH EVALUATION op THE KIQHIGAH STATE UNIVERSITY

SPORTS INFORMATION coolan
INTERACTION KITS
NICHIdAN DAILY NEﬁSPAPEPS

\ .

FALL - 1965

Donald w. stewart

A TKW"IS

Submitted to
kichigan State University

in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree of
MASTER OF AdIS
Lepartment of Journalism

1967

CKNOWLED 32.573??? 3

This author is sincerely gratsful to tho many
persons who assisted substantially in the rssssrching and
writing of this thesis. Although s couplets list of
those people who have been most kind and tolerant would
be prohibitive. the author wishes to personally rsOOgnizs
those who wont far beyond what was ssksd.

Sincsrs grutituds is extended to tho Elohigan Stats
sports information stsfr. particularly Fred W. Stabloy
who was cost patient. ooopsrativs and encouraging
throughout the study. Mr. Stablsy's helpfulness cxtsndsd
past the intsrruptions or his daily schedule and stamina-
tion of oonfidsntisl filss.

in appreciation is fslt towards the sports sditors
and writsrs who took tins to answsr tho questionnairss
or to submit to intsrvisws. Similar feelings or.
orprssssd towards tho former nichigan Stats sports infor-
sstion dirsctors who wrote personal letters with informs-
ticn on the development of the department.

Although tbs data was not used in this study, tho
author spprscistcs the questionnaires returned by sports
information dirsctors of Michigan colleges and Big Ten
universitiss.

John nurrsy. thesis adviser, has been most helpful

11

in his suggestions and criticisms. Special thanks is
extended his for his patience and his sacrifice of uany
hours of personal time to act as adviser. critic and
friend.

A thanks which cannot be fully eXpressed is felt
towards this author's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Stewart
and his grandfather, Mr. w. L. Woods, without whom s
college Opportunity would not have been financially or
emotionally possible.

A similar thanks is extended to the author's wife.
Linda, without whom-concthing. Her sacrifice of personal
time. her encouragement. her financial underwriting, her
assistance in typing and proofreading the manuscript--

all without complaintooois appreciated beyond words.

iii

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Scope of Etudy

Yetnoi of Research
Si~nificance of Study
aLif” tj of Stx‘y
Cr.snization of Stud;

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A Nan Eports Era

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national roLiuenne

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1'.:I'N/A;:I\.'I:E{ LI1:JOOOOOOIOOOOOOOOOOOOIOIOQII
Football: Hajor Sport

”allies covering Football Gases
Sunday Coverage of EJU for October 1
chaﬁng JavsrnLue 0f £51 for 603093?
Sunday coverage of H?! for October 1?.
$1ndny ﬂcvarags of Bid for October FT,
Sunday Coverage of .ZGU for October 29,
Sunday Cavernqs or £33 for ﬁoiezher 3,
Results of sunday leverage for HSU

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17

AC

Chapter

V. DAILY EBITIOE COﬂTENT.ANALY313 0? SEVEN
KICHIGAN NE'thPAPERSeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesee

Daily Coverase of £33 between
September ZT-Eovenber 7, 1965
Conclusions of Daily no‘ Coverage
September 27-Hovamber 7. 1956

VI. Kienionn DAILY spouts EeITon's REAGTION
TO 310 A33 M33 ATHLETIQS..................

Questionnaire Results for Large Dailies
Questionnaire Results for Redium Bellies
Questionnaire Results for Small Bellies
Interviews with Sports Editors of

Six ﬁichisan Bailies
Summary of Sports Editor's Reactions

VIII COEJLUSIOHSOQO0.00.0.0....00...I.0.0.0.0....
Operational Level of 510
Content Analysis
Sports Editor's Reactions
Recommendations

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APPEEDIXOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOO.00....OIOOO$OOOCOCﬁlOOO

123

150

159
16h

Table

1.

2.

3.

4.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

newspaper Column Inches of E33 and UK for
Games Of OCtObﬁr 1, 1965.....o....oc........

Kewspaper Column Inches of KSU and UK for
3393 Of OCtOber 8, 1955......c......u......

Newspaper Column Inches of 383 anﬂ UH for
38383 of OCtOber 15. 1955......o....¢...oouo
Eewepaper Column Inches of M30 and Uﬁ for
Ca BS Of October 22. 1955......a...¢no...ooo

Hewspaper Column Inches of KSU and UM for
Cameo Of October 29, 1955..........o........

Hewepaper Column Inches of MSU and UH for
Games Of SOVEﬁber 5, lgSSIeeeeeeeeoeeeeeeeee

Total Hewepaper Column Inches of E33 and UK
for Games Cctober l to November 5, 1966.....

Column Inches of KSU and Hg in Betroig ngg
from Daily Editions, Excluding eunéay
from September 27 to ﬂovemoer 7, 1955.......

Column Inches of MSU and UK in retro t Ergo
rreee from Daily Editions, Fro udlng ennday
from September 27 to November 7, 1955.......

   

Column Inches of MSU and BE in Grand ﬁnniﬂs
Bragg from Baily Editions, Excluding Sunday
from September 27 to Eovenber 5. 1955.......

Column Inches of M30 and UK in State Journal

from Daily Editions, Excluding gunday from
Septeﬁber 27 to ROVGMber 7, lgSéeeeeeeoooeeo

Column Inches of non and BE in gggksog
Qitiggn Patriot from Daily Editions,
Excluding ounday from eeptember 27 to
Rovember 5. 19650.00.COCOOOIOOIIOCOIOOOOO...

vi

71

7h

79

88

95

99

103

107

111

Table Page

13. Column Inches of M33 in Ann Arbor have
from Daily Editions, Excluding Sunday
from September 27 to Hovember 5, 1956....... ll;

14. Column Inches of ESU and UK in 1333 Von tei
ﬁgwg from Daily Editions, Excluding Suneay
fron September 27 to November 5, 1965....... 119

   

15. Hire Service Role in KSU Baily Coverage for
Seven Michigan Newspapers from September 27
t0 HOVEEbEP 5, 19660.0eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 123

16. 333 Minor Sports Coverage in Seven Eichigan
ﬁesspagere from September 27 to
ﬁcvember 5' 19550eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeoeee 126

17. Total Column Inches of ESU and UK Sports

News in Seven Michigan Daily ﬂewSpapers
{POE September 27 to ﬁovember 7. 1966eeeeeee 154

vii

:‘ﬂﬂ """1
210,1' 1‘ b :41

I§?Q0?U3?ICE

i Growin? Enginegs
Intercollegiate athletics st Elohignn State Univer-

1 in n culti-sillion dollar business in terms of the

city
operatin: buoqet and facilities. in athletic proarss of
a major university say not be inportent in shaping the
world's course, b.ut it can, and st EE3U does involve a
significant amount of money.

In IEZT, Ejj'e only athletic teen needed Just on

V

open fielé a co ooch'e salary of ?10 sn.d on annual bod ::ct
of E2?#.2
Euzing I? 55-57, £.J sponsored 15 intercolleviete

varsity enorts with nearly ASS nrticicsting athletes.
.Me ethl etio plant included a 75,003 seat steel and con~
crate football stadium; s 13,900 sent field house; a

5,000 seat baseball field; a 3,503 sent outdoor truck; a
3,0’3 seat ice arena: 3 2,90 0 east soccer field; a Ecn's
Intramural Building with 2,000 seats for swimming,

wrestling, fencing and gvmnsstice; ho tennis courts and

?

 

 

lhereinnfter referreo to on E33.

2c Jy Sildr er. "A Century of Athletics at State:
Elﬁ's B .bes Enerﬂe From the woods," :ﬁe Licbiuen Stet:
Knivers_t: “coo"inr, V, E0. 7 (Enron, 1953). 1?.

 

a l§O~acro golf course.

The initial estimated value of the E.3U athletic
complex, incluaing the 9.5 million dollar Ken's Intra-
mural building and the million dollar Jamison Field House
is 13.8 million dollars.3 The estimate incluﬁos the price
or land at the time of purchaoa, the original cost of coma
struction and purchaoe price of equipment.

The Big ten. an athletic union of ten midweatern
naive rsitiea including MSG, authorizes seventy new 3th“
letio ocholorshipo a year for each member school. It is
possible to have 230 scholarships ooerotive annually
during any rour¢year cycle. The present value of one ESU
schol ship is 31,233 a year, V‘ni oh puts the cost of
Operating a complete scholarship program at about $503,000
a year

The Enloh Young Scholarship Eund, established in
1995 to "provide financial assistance in support of a
gran t-in-aiﬂ budjet congruous to those of otner major
uniVeroities,” listed 1,153 mothers who contributed
#103,293.79 in 1965.5 Too fund has grown from 214 members

(I
who contributed 931,é67.96 in 13.753.v

__‘ A

3Interview with Merrill Pierson, Aooistant Treasurer
ESU, July 2?, 1957.

h .
Arson-=1 793:»n'rt of th M3313??? if. Yfﬂmﬁ Schglarshig
1:410?! 1':::} (US$50 *KlétuLt.‘ 1:: i'C Artist-‘11: C; 3:311:231 .Zeltit-ionﬂ
and leveIOpment Fund, ESU,19 7), p. 2.

 

51:1", 0

A“

3

9or the year ending June 30, 1965, the HSU athletic
department had a gross income of 31,633,8h9.67.7 This
included $1,236,739.67 receipts for individual sports,
$62,500 from the Ralph Young Fund and 323h,260 for alloca-
tion from student admissions.

Expenditures for the same period incluﬁed $335,932.56
for the 13 varsity sports and 3691,27,.0h under general
expenditures for a total disbursement of $1,527,511.60.

Tze excess of receipts over diebxreezeote was £10C .033.07.8

In l9hh-ﬁs, E33 3 :ent 336,9 ‘33 65 on its athletic
orogram. Profit that year was 3h3#.51.9 In the inter-
vening 21 years, athletic department exyendituree have
risen about 23 times while profit multiplied about 200 times.

1944-A5 was the year E33 established its full time
sports information office.10 The above comparison is not
to infer the 313 was the solo. or even major. cause of the

athletic department's growth, but rather it was a partici~

pant in and contributor to toe develogment.

Ihe PPObLQM
Harry E. Heath, former member of the Iowa State
00116? e Journalism Department and Lou Gelfand, former

sports writer for the St. Paul Pioneer Pgege, assert!

MA‘ A... ___— +

 

     

7Mnanc1a 3W (East Lansing: new.
NOV., 1966 ’ 166‘670
82bid.
9 a . J W HH-.w u -
qulgglture one , , §;aet Lansing: £33, 1945), 57.

 

loHereinefter referred to as SIG.

A

Because the popularity of a team has a great
deal to do with its financial condition, the sports
publicity trade seems to be here to stay. And for
another reason, too. The sports audience in
America recruits more and more fans every season.
is this sports interest increases. the public
demand for information about the subject and its
outstanding figures increases. . . .Some information
can be compiled by the newspaper sports writers.
but much of the test falls to the press relations
eXpert.
DODOOOOOOOOOOOCOQCOIUOIOOO

The rapid rise of certain major college sports to
the statue of big business brought solid competi-
tion for various professional promotions. School!
which committed themselves to major sports bad to
use all or the promotional tricks of other enter-
tainment media to liquidate fieldhousc and stadium
debts. The crowds had to be large. and they had

to keep coming back.11

Essentially, Heath and Gelfand make three points:
(1) there are an increasing number of sports fans who demand
a greater volume of information. (2) for a team to prosper
economically in the face of growing competition, it must
communicate information to the public. (3) the newspaper.
as one medium of communication. needs the assistance of e
310 to provide thorough coverage.

u. Lowell Treoetcr, Director of XSU'e nepsrtoont of
Information Services and the general supervisor of the SIG,
sees the function of the sports information unit so a
combination of promotion, publicity and interpretation.

In a statement or policy, Treeeter asserted:
1) Without promotion the athletic program

would be highly ineffective and it would not
attract public interest as it should.

11

Harry B. heath and Lou Golfsnd, ﬁgs to nge;,
- t (Amos, Iowa: Iowa State college

 

5

2) Obviously publicity is the heart of sports
information. The public, including students,
faculty, alumni and fans in general, must be kept
informed about all Sports programs and the details
concerning coaches and participants. Their appee
tites for spectator sports of many kinds must be
whetted continually.

3) Intercollegiate athletics continually needs
to be interpreted to the public. what are the
wholesome aspects of athletics, shy is it a part of
a program of higher education, what efforts are
being made to improve the programs, what is the
inportanoe of building bodies? These are Just a
few of the questions that must be answered loudly,
clearly and constantly.12

The object of this study is to examine and evaluate
the Michigan State Sports information office's interaction

with the Michigan daily press.

ﬁeooe_of_§tgdx

By ”examine and evaluate” I mean to analyze the con-

 

tent of the sports pages of a select sample of hichigan
daily nonopapers, to solicit subjective reactions of sports
editors of Michigan dailies and to draw conclusions from
the findings which should be meaningful to the SIG and the
daily press. Method of selecting the daily newspapers

will be discussed in the following section.

By "Michigan State sports information office" I mean
the staff (director, assistant director, publications
editor, two student aides, two secretaries and anyone else
employed with Innds from the Sports Publicity or Press Box

budget), facilities and service of the MSU department

V—mw— w...—

12W. Lowell Treaster, Statement of Policy, September
9, 1966, (in files of 810, Michigan State University).

6
primarily designed to promote athletics by working with
the press.

By ”interaction with" I mean the results of the con-
tent appearing on the sports pages of selected Michigan
dailies and the subjective reaction of the sports editors
to the SIG.

By "Michigan daily press" I mean the 25 of the 53
English lanbzage newspapers listed in the 1967 £132_Director
ggtgewsnapers QEQ.Period cals as "Michigan Dailies” which
participated in this study.135 .

This study should not be construed as a total eval-
uation of the 310 or all reaction to it other than the
Michigan daily press which is listed. The author recog-
nizes the BIO provides services to daily newspapers out-
side of Michigan, to weeklies, bi-weeklies and other
periodicals within and without Michigan, to individual
radio and television stations as well as networks, to state
and national magazines, to athletes and their families,
coaches, alumni and fans. Any one of these publics could

be the basis of further study.

Fethod of Research
Research in this study includes three techniques; a
content analysis, written questionnaires and personal
interviews. The author further relied on reading, corres-

pondence and personal observation for background material

 

7

and to help focus the results.

Content Analysis

A six week day-by—day examination was conducted of
the sports pages of seven Michigan daily newspapers. The
study began Tuesday, September 27 and ended Monday,
November 7, 1956.

Newspapers included in the content analysis were:
219. m m m,“ 233 Detgoit m, Detroit Em w,
1113 Q5323 Rapids 329.29» 31.9. _I_r_9_n_ Mountain Ms, Jackson
gitizen Patriot, and 2_g_§tatngournal in Lansing. Five
of the seven dailies have Sunday editions.

Results of the content analysis is presented in two
parts. One section includes the qualitative and quantita-
tive coverage of MSU news in Sunday editions.

Under ”qualitative coverage" this study will consider
headline size, page position, number of stories and pic-
tures concerning MSU sports on the first sports page and
total stories and pictures.

Under ”quantitative coverage" this study will con-
sider first page story and picture inches, total story and
picture inches and total coverage, which is the sum of the
total story and picture inches concerning LSU sports news.

The second section of the content analysis considers

the Tuesday through Monday quantitative coverage of MSU

14Selection of names of daily newspapers in the
content analysis is based on how each appeared in its
nameplate. Hereinafter, for consistency, "the” will he
dropped when referring to each paper.

8
news in each of the seven dailies. Answers in this section
includes how often during th 36 days of the content
analysis a picture or story on hSU appeared in each of
dailies, how many stories appeared, how many story and
picture inches appeared and who originated the story or
picture.

The reason for separate analysis is the content of
the Sunday editions' Michigan State Sports coverage was
almost exclusively a report of Saturday's football game.

As such, it represented snot coverase of a specific news
event.

The bulk of the Tuesday through Monday coverage was
feature, comment or news predominately pointing towards
the following or preceding event.

By ”Fichigan State athletic news"15 I include any
article or picture wherein the predominate theme, sub-
Jectively ascertained, concerns the action, condition or
performance of any athlete, coach or athletic official
involved in the 1966 MSU athletic program; or the condition
and performance of a team, facilities or playing conditions
relating to any of the l} varsity shorts previously men-
tioned; or the condition or performance of a team or indi-
vidual who next or previously apposed one of the MSU teams.

Tabulated results are compared with the athletic news

- Q - 16 o
coverage of the University 01 hichigan, whicn appeared

l”. ,,e
)hereinafter referred to as msU news.

16Hereinafter referred to as UM.

9
in the seven dailies. Basis for comparing the two schools
is each belongs to the same athletic conference, both have
similar enrollments, both have similar athl tic budgets,
both began the content analysis with identical football
records and both are serviced by the newspapers which are

analyzed.

”ritte15Questlonn1lri

 

i sintle-pane nimeo:raphed questionnaire, containing
8 brief-answer questions, was mailed March 28, 1967, to
each sports editor of the 53 English language daily news-
papers in Kiehiqan. See Appendix 3.

The questionnaire was desicned to obtain the subjec-
tive reaction of the sports editor to the M33 athletic
pregram and 310.

Each questionnaire was enclosed with a EEO-word
mimeOgraphed letter exclaininq the object of the study,

and a stamped, self-addressed envelooe. See Appendix A.

Intervieﬂ

A sports staff representative of each newspaper in
the content analysis, except the gagg.ﬁountain K we, was
interviewed. The questions asked were supplemental to the
questionnaire and were designed to evaluate the 810 of MSU
as viewed by the individual snorts editor.

The sessions were informal, each lasting between 30

minutes and two hours.

10

Si fi anc St d

The significance or this study lies in its applica-
tion to the members of the 310 of ISU and the sports
editors of the Michigan daily press.

A study of the interaction between these groups
should help each to a fuller understanding of the other's
role and the working relationship between then. The sub-
Jective attitude of the sports editors identifies the
interest, thinking and bias of the selected ”gatekeepers"
for the SIO. - i

The Sports information director and his assistant
have Spent 19 and 13 years respectively in an effort to
promote MSU athletics. The results of this study should
identify for them the areas in which efforts should be
maintained, improved or slackened in relation to the
Michigan daily press.

Conversely, if the Sports editors can communicate to
the SIG those services which are not useful, both time and
effort of the sports editor and the 310 can be more
Judiciously applied.

The HSU athletic budget is estimated at 1.6 million
dollars for 1967-58. All indications from past growth
points to a continually eXpanding athletic budget.17 In
addition, MSU spent over $100,000 in 1966-67 to promote

athletics. With such an economic investment, this study

 

171nterview with John Laetz, Athletic Business
Manager, MSU, June 5, 1967.

11

could be significant to the university as an evaluation
of the relations between the parties responsible for
delivering HSU news to readers of Hichigan daily newspapers.

The study should be significant to other sports
information directors, particularly those with Michigan
colleges. In this study the Operation of the MSU office
is eXplained with an evaluation of that office by the
daily press. The data may suggest a different approach
to some sports information directors and the sports
editor's evaluation should enable the sports information
directors to identify some values of the sports staffs

on the Michigan daily neWSpapers.

Validity of Study
Contant_§nnlzsie Length

The six-week September 27 to November 7, 1966 content
analysis began following the first two football games and
ended before the final two games. This period was selected
to eliminate possible early or late season abnormal pub-
licity which might result from the novelty of early weeks
or the intensified interest of a winning season in the
closing weeks.

The MS? soccer team began regular season competition
September 2d and ended November 5. Eight of the nine
scheduled soccer games were played during the period of
the content analysis.

The regular cross country season began October 1 for

MSU and ended November 5. All four cross country meets

12

were run during the period or the content analysis.

Newsnaper Selectigg

The combined daily circulation of Eichigan news-
papers in the content analysis was 1,510,115 or 63 per
cent of the state's 2,392,150 daily circulation.18

The combined circulation of the Richigan Sunday
editions surveyed in the content analysis was l,7h6,304 or
about 80 per cent of the state's 2,093,080 total Sunday
circulation.

The Betroit £312 (daily, 68h,705; Sunday, 936,&10)
and the yetrgit Eggg_§;g§§ (daily. 537.20}; Sunday, 580,412)
were the largest circulated evening and morning daily news-
papers published in Michigan respectively.

The ﬁgggg gournal (daily, 75,493; Sunday, 75,258)
and the gag,ggggg Eggs (daily, 33,133) were the hometown
newspapers of MSU and UM respectively. The ﬁgatg,gournal
was the fifth largest daily in Michigan while the éng_
ggggg_ﬂggg ranked 16th.

The §3§g£.Ranids grass (daily, 130,139; Sunday,
118,870), third largest daily in Michigan, was the largest
daily in Michigan published west of East Lansing. The
122g_Mountain Eggs (daily, 10,527) had the second largest
circulation of any daily published in the Upper Peninsula.

Both dailies were selected to test coverage in their

M _._‘

13All neWSpaper circulation figures in this study
were drawn from the £367 dyer Directory of Newspapers and
feriodicals (Philadelphia: x.e. dyer and son, Inc., 19677,
pp. 1276-1277. These figures were based on the September,
1966, A83 circulation report.

l}
respective geographical areas.

The Jackson litizen Patriot (daily, 38,915; Sunday,
33,354) tas the lhth largest daily in Michigan. Jackson
was chosen because it is located equidistant from Ann
Arbor and East Lansing and because there is no state
university located in that town.

The highway mileage from Lansing is to Jackson, 37;
to Ann Arbor, 63; to Grand Rapids, 65; to Betroit, 85;
to Iron Mountain, #23.

The highway mileage from Ann rbor is to Jackson,
35; to Betroit, 38; to Grand Rapids, 129; to Iron Houn-

tain, 479.19

Assets and Liabilityg;

In a study such as this, results will be more often
conditional than conclusive. when evaluating a relation—
ship, it would be more judicial to expect results in terms
of preponderance of evidence rather than absolute proof.

in obvious shortcoming is 23 of the 53 Enslish
language daily newspapers in ﬁichigan did not contribute
data. All but seven of the dailies which did contribute
are represented only by the subjective replies of its sports
editor, which may or may not reflect his candid views.

The bulk of data, upon which conclusions must be
drawn, centered on seven ﬁichigan dailies. Although this

group represented over half of the daily and Sunday

lgdll highway mileage figures in this study were
drawn from the Official Highway#3ap (East Lansing: Depart-
ment of State Highways, 1967).

14
circulation, it represented only about one-eighth of the
total daily newspapers in Eiohigan.

All dailies examined in the content analysis except
the lggg_Nounta;n Fess were among the 18 largest circulated
newspapers in the state. Of the 24 responses to the
questionnaire, 14 were from sports editors of dailies in
the 18 top circulation group. All interviews were con-
ducted with sports editors of dailies from the 18 top
circulation group. Evidence of what appeared in the medium
and smaller Michigan dailies is less clear.

Categories which must be designed in a content
analysis are, at best, artificial. Classification is by
its nature, subjective. Coverage was determined by the
stories and pictures included.

For instance, some compilers miaht have included
“You be the Quarterback," a daily feature ghost-written

’3
for football coach Duffy Daugherty‘o

in the ESU coverage.
This author did not, but had he, HEU would have received
over 23 additional inches of coverage.

The content analysis was conducted during a period
which was unusual in that the ESU football team ron each
of its games and was considered in the national wire
service polls to be one of the two best college teams in
the country. Another analysis during a period when the
football team was not successful, could produce different

results.

 

First names of coaches, players and sports editors
a

are user 3 they consonly appeared in nesspapers.

15
The possibility of discrepancy between what the
Sports editors replied in the Questionnaire and what they
believe also exists. An unclear memory could yield an
incorrect answer. Lack of candor could have prompted the

respondent to reply what was thought to be most discreet.

Creepizaticn ofpﬁtugx

4L4

 

This paper presents first the development of the 310
at KSU until the 1366-67 school year; then the reaction by
seven hichigen daily newspapers to ECU athletic news
during a six-week period; and finally the Opinions and
attitudes of Michigin daily newspaper's sports editors to
KSU nevs and the SIG.

Chapter II traces the development of the SIG at HSU.
An attempt will be made to show that an espanding athletic
program precipitated the develcpment of the BIG and to
trace the genesis of the present staff, services and
facilities of that office.

Chapter III presents the function of the SIG during
1966-67. Areas such as budget, publications, services,
facilities and staff are considered.

Chapter IV contains an analysis of the coverage
given MSU news in the Sunday editions of five dailies.
Included is an evaluation of the quantative and qualita-
tive presentation of the ESU news in these dailies.

Chapter V reviews the Tuesday through Monday cover-
age of MSU news in the previously mentioned newspapers.

The object is to clarify the role the SIG of MSU had in

16
providing or facilitating access to the information which

appeared in the news columns.

go

ﬁhapter VI reviews the ttitudes of the Sports

£5th daily 11817333310918 taiﬂlrﬂs the _.;';,‘-JU

\

editors of Hichi
athletic pregran and the 310. Interviews a th tne sports
editors of all daily newspapers in the content analysis

!

except the Iran Tennta;n have is presented.

Chapter VII contains a summary of reactions by the
Hichiga daily press to the BIG and results of the data
compiled in the content analysis. Finally, proposals are

u a. 3.- '- .ﬁ'z - 11.. Dell . . u Ht , .1". .. 1: ‘ .3”.
so :cstsd to intreve the in“ “relation betrcen tle l0

and the sports departments of the Michigan daily press.

CHAPTER II

HISEORY OF THE DEPAiTMEHI

.Bth Century
In 1865, three years after President Abraham Lincoln
signed the Merrill Act, the ”Star Baseball Club" organized
as the first athletic team on the Michigan Agricultural
College campus. Representing the eight-year old college,
the "Stars" took the school's first athletic trip; a 16-

mile Journey to hason on the newly—opened Jackson, Lansing

and Saginaw Railroad.1

In 1877, seven years after women were first admitted

2

to the college, sephomore W. K. Prudden organized the

”Nine Spots” baseball team. Prudden arranged the school's
first sports schedule, planned summer trips, purchased
brown-trim, white flannel uniforms and equipment. The

Lansing gapuplican_nublicized the team's success and stu~

dente urged the college for an athletic association.3

The Speculum, then the student magazine, editor-

ialized in the April, 1882 issue:

_.._ M

lGary Gildner, "A century of Athletics at State:
Mia's Babes Emerge From the ﬂoods,“ The Nichisan State

Unizgrsity Magazine, V, No. 7 (harch, lyoOS,'~§.

'3

“zhis isﬂﬁichigan State University: lQQ? dacts goo:
(East Lansing: michigan State University, 1957), El.

3Gildner, The_hichipan State University Ragazine, V,
No. 7, 15.

 

17

18

Why can we not form a College Athletic Association?

It is safe to say that every college of equal

importance with ours has such an organization and

that the students derive both pleasure and profit

from it.A

Representatives of Michigan_dsricultural College,
Olivet, Albion and Hillsdale colleges met Harch 2A, 1888
at Albion, agreed on a constitution and organized the
Michigan Inter-Collegiate Athletic Association.5 The
association admitted Ypsilanti in 1339, Kalamazoo in 189A
and Adrian in 1900.

By the turn of the century, Michigan Agricultural
College hired Detroit Tiger trainer Robert Gayle as the
first salaried coach, played its first football schedule

and cleared lj-acre Old College Field for baseball, track

and football.

lﬂfOTth on chvice Firth

The Hichigan Legislature in Hay, leS, enacted
Public Law E0. 81 which authorized the State Board of
Agriculture, the college governing body, to begin an agri-
cultural infornation service prozram. The stated purpose
was:

To provide bulletins for dissemination among
the peeple of the state and through the medium of
the ouhlic press the results of esperinents made b
different departments of the Agricultural college.

#— ‘4 __ M

AJillian: James Real, history of the wichigan agri-
cultural Col es. (East Lansing: lngy, pp. 219-20.

   

{7‘
’Ibid., 221.

ogﬁate Heard of Agriculture Annual lanort (East
Lansing: Michigan Agricultural Gollege, 1885), 23.

19

In 1889, the State Board of Agriculture reported,
"bulletins now have a circulation of 4,500 copies. Some
of the leading newspapers of Michigan and other states
reorint the most important parts of our bulletins, and so
give them a very wide circulation.”7

The 1885 Act marked the beginning of what develoocd
into a complete public information service program nearly
a half century later. Shortly after the Cooperative
Extension Service was established by the federal Smith-
Lever Act in 1914,8 Michigan Agricultural College began a
varied information program.

As Frank S. Kedzie assumed duties as the college's
eighth president in September, 1915, the college's first
eoorts information director arrived on cemnne as inetruc~
tor in English. James B. Hasselman, who later taught the
first course in journalism offered at the college,9 taught
during the day and spent after~hour time doing "free-lance"
press information work.

As a member of the English department, 'aeselman
organized an information service program to newspapers on
April 1, 1917. Earl R. Trancmar, a student, assisted

Hanselman by writing news releases.

Recalling the circumstances in a 1967 letter,

75tatg Boarg of égriculture Annual geoggt (East
Lansing: nichigan Agricultural College, looﬁ), 35.

9~ w a s- -. n —. p‘ v.0 .. s
’madison nuun, gicuioan ptate: fee rirst honored
gears, (Michigan State University Press, 19557. p. 241.

0..
{ibidog 3h“.

Hasselman wrote:

When I came to the then Michigan Agricultural
College in 1915 as an instructor in the English
Department, there was no sports information office.
In fact, there was no public information office of
any kind. The school was small---not much over a
thousand students including girls.

Athletic facilities were very limited. There
was one general purpose athletic field, on the south
bank of the Red Cedar. It served for football,
baseball and track. The wooden bleachers would seat
about 5,000 as I remember. The only indoor facility
was a relatively small armory with a small row of
showers and a basketball court with baskets flush
against and walls, and steel beams cutting across
the basket area.

While there was a surprisingly good football
team in the period Just before world War I (MAO beat
the University of Michigan in 1915), we were not in
the big time. Our games were not of primary interest
to the daily press.

Things began to change for the better, ath-

letically, with the completion of a new gymnasium

in 1916, the construction of the first separate

football stadium in 1923 and the strengthening of

the athletic staff and a steady increase in student

enrollment.10

Between 1915 and 1917, Trangmar handled correspond-
ence with the Detroit and Grand Rapids newspapers. Since
both Hasselman and Trangmar had an interest in athletics,
they joined to eXpand sports coverage from East Lansing.11

Hasselman was assigned part-time to the Extension
Services in 1919 while he continued to teach. The follow—
ing year he was transferred permanently as Extension Editor.

His assignment was to prepare ”how-to-do-it" information

 

lOLetter from James B. Hasselman, April 6, 1967.

llLetter from James B. Hasselman to Earl 0.
Richardson, May 14, 1959.

2l

on agricultural subjects for press and farm magazines, to
edit farm bulletins, and to handle related Jobs in the
agricultural field. His salary was paid entirely by the
Extension Services.12

Because there was no other office on campus servic-
ing the press, side jobs included sports, general college
news and student recruiting activities. Commenting on the
circumstances, Hasselman wrote:

At first it was strictly a one-man, one—
stenographer Job. We were expected to carry out
whatever service could be furnished in connection
with athletics, student recruiting, general college
activities and any other public relations activi-
ties which seemed in crder.13
The Engineering Department built a pioneer radio

sending station which was used to broadcast on an irregular
basis in 1921-22. The first official entrance of Michigan
Agricultural College with a station into the radio field
came on August 18, 1922, with the granting of a license
for the 250 watt station.14
During the 1922-23 season, Hasselman broadcast from
the gymnasium, home basketball games over campus station
WEAR. A double-wall telephone booth was installed on the
balcony to block out fan noise. The opening basketball
broadcast is thought to be the first of its type ever

attempted.15

 

12Letter from James B. Hasselman, April 6, 1957.

13Letter from James B. Hasselman to Earl 0.
Richardson, May It, 1959.

l‘gbig.

lSKuhn, 315.

22

The first press box was built in 1923 at Macklin
Field and dedicated in 192A. It was a counter covered by
a tin roof, Open from front and rear. The back was covered
with canvas in ensuing years and slanting glass was in-
stalled to protect the typewriters. Eventually, the back
bays were bricked up and the front was glassed in.15

For the UM football game of 1924, Hasselman had his
radio-telephone booth placed atop the press box in the new
15,000 seat stadium. wens carried a play-by-pley report,
believed to be the first college football game directly
broadcast from the playing field.17

Throughout the 1920's, Hasselman depended on stu-
dents to handle sports correspondence with larger daily
newspapers. Each aide was asked to sell advertising for
the annual football programs in addition to reporterial
assignments.

In the early 1920's, the Associated Press sent a
reporter from Detroit once a week to collect feature
stories. Later in the decade, both the Associated Press
and the United Press assigned writers to the Lansing
bureaus who worked with college athletic news.

Keith Himebaugh was the student director of Sports

information under Hasselman from 192A to 1926. Himebaugh

later was Director of Information for the United States

16Press Box History Notes (in the files of w. Lowell
Treaster, Department of Information Services, Michigan

State University).

17Letter from James B. Hasselman, April 6. 1967.

(‘0
LN

18
Departme.t of Agriculture.

Hale Stafforﬁ, in the fall of 1925, recigneﬂ as
sports eﬁitor of the Lwieinw Tonital Egg; to enter Michiga
State College no a freshman. Athletic Director Ralph H.
Young "ave Stafforﬂ use of a typewriter, 110 a week and
a corner desk in too office of the gymnasium and told him
to produce athletic publicity.
Stafford recalled:
it the time State's football stature was far
removed from today's level. I recall inviting sports
writers to come to games but it was rare indeed for
one to Show up. Ehen one did, it was a real event.
The Detroit papers covered games with student
correspondents. I handled this chore for the Detroit
Times. It was impossible to get relatives of the
players to attend much lees the Sports editors from
their home towns.19
Stafford, founder of the Football Writers Associa-
tion of America, was the only student sports information
director to work directly under the Athletic Director. His
material was first edited by Ralph Young and then sent to
Hasseloan'e Agricultural Hell office.
Theodore Smite, presently general sports editor of
the Associated Press, was hired by Haseelmon for 310 a
week. Suits, who was student aide from 1926 to 1929.
spent most of his office time writing sports releases.

Smite recalled:

The creation of an efficient sports publicity
department, the handling of complicated press box

18;};1.d 0

1"better from Dale Stafforo. march 25' 1957'

24

arrangements and so forth were all deveIOpmente of
the 1930's.

There was no interaction between my job and
the Eichiaan dailies because, to tell the truth,
the Kichigan dailies dién't give a dawn for the
Spartans. The only newsoaoermen who covered any of
the games were those inapansing, with occasionally
a visitor from Detroit.30

will holler was the last of the student Sports infor-
mation directors to serve Eichigan State College under
Hasselman. holler, a political writer for the Detroit
Eggg,today, handled sports publicity in 1923‘30.

In reviewing the period between 1915 and 1930,

Hasselman commented:

There was no sports information office as such.
Our office, which by 1930 was known as the publica-
tions office, did what it could to service the daily
press and the athletic denarthent. I guess we spent
a disproportionate amount of our time on shorts
activities, considering the fact that our basic
funds came from the Agriculture and general college
accounts.

It was a period of trial and error eXperimenting,
and feeling our way. But I like to think those early
years served a useful purpose and helped lay the
groundwork for these later years of great eXpansion.21

A New Sports Frn

;

Most of the 1920's was a transition period in the
Michigan State athletic program. Coaches Chester Brewer

and John Macklin established a winning football tradition

with the Aggies“ between 1903 and 1915, comoiling an

doLetter from Theodore Smite, Kerch 27, 1957.

w—w— _——

21 aq- l'p-I
Letter fron Jaees B. hasselman, April 5, 1391.

K
I

22 , , t
MbU's hare chances incluoe: Agricultural college of
the State of hichigan, 1&55; State Agricultural College, 1361;

K.“ “.3
Ki!

'3
c.

84-15-5 ain-loss-tie record.
In the first twenty years of the twentieth century,

otbgll teas won its firet and second QBJHGS

from UL, re3istered its first unbeaten and untied season

3 “b “A“ V-r'! ’2‘ ‘ 1 I ‘. I I. r 4“ ‘. ‘ f' - ‘«1 l
gnu had its iiiac Ali-Ame:ice selection in Hill

ﬁicte: anu chglin doubled a: baseball coaches during
1 - '9 A 25
tee ccia period ihd octpiied l lwéi-l re 0 r. Luring

hockey team took the ice in 1303 and xalgh Carr won the

- 1 $ 1‘ “ ‘ r‘ 26

two mile caampicnsaip at the 19c3 western conference meet.
Before James Crowley was named coach in 1929, the

Aggie football team compiled a 31-h2-4 record in the

\

1329's. The college had grown too big for Michigan Inter-
Collegiate ithletic Association opponents, but were not on

a competitive level with larger schools.

Michigan Agricultural College. 1909; Richigan State College
of Agriculture and Applied Science, 1925; Hichigan State
University of Agriculture and Applied Science, 1955 and
Michi3an State University, 1954. Before 1?25, the school's
athletic team nickname was "$33168."

O ’1' ‘9‘ ﬂ
341cu3rin 3t te Football: 12cc {Last Lansing: HbU,
13'3v)’ p. 3.1.

 

 

24 A
Ihid. ’ ’13, 53, 5'»).
2:) 'I \ ‘N r 'I I"
“ iCQlQﬁl ‘t1te 33$:et3‘ll: cc-LY (E est Lansing!
27,1:CJ), Po 3'70

3amry Gil ar r, "A Centuryo of Athletics at State:
The Awkwarﬁ Yea: , Fichisans tate University Ma gazine, V,
NO. 9 (Kay, 1950 , 8" 9.

an
)

,-

20
George S. Alderton left the Grand Ra ids Eerald in
1923 to become sports editor of the Stetg Journal.

Alﬁerton an ltted be ewltoneﬁ in order to watch the growth

3

of the 0011823 and to promote its Sports.‘

H

7
I

As toe local sports editor, lldertoo soon cemented
a friendship with Haeeelman wnoo Alderton called:

a true 'ooewell' for ﬁlohlgan State. I think he
somehow personally covered every newsworthy event
on campus. I Know he was at all Sports events.

One of my early exoerienoes at East Lansing
wee comnletelv forgetting about a home baseball game.
Tnet was my first eerie; season. I was in toe middle
of a eolf round when I remembered the game. I went

”w

on wltn it, and on finally arriving at the :tete

u“...-.~

box soore and all the notes I needed.¢°

During 1925, the school's name was changed to ﬁlcnigan
State Jolleﬁe of Agriculture and Applied Science. The
college offered a $100 prize for an athletic team nickname

to replace "ATTlES". A faculty committee awarded the

n ‘g.

prize for etaters" but Aléerton used '

'Spartens" in his

newepeper oooy. Other newsmen followed Alderton's lead,

09

" as the team nickname.“

aéOpting "Spartans
In tee face of the national economic depression,

Elohlgan State athletics began flourishing. Crowley, one

1

of the Notre Dame "Four 50reemen,’ was appointee head

football coach in 1929.

A:

emits, who gredueteﬁ in 1929, left for Paris as a

free-lance writer. He recommended Alderton to Haseelman.

w-v— VF— “ .__.

’5
C.

7 ,
‘Letter from George S. Aloerton, Karen 2?, 1907.

2 . _

’7.

£9Kuhn, 305.

U.)

27

Alderton, who accepted the responsibilitiee for $10 a

week, recalled:

I had no office. I wrote tkD news letters each
week on the gtatg Jourggl:§_tyoewriter, paper and
time. I also served as an information source for
writero who come to the onmono; althouoh those were
few. I one time wrote a Michigan otateoPenn State
football some story at State College, Pa., for four
wires: the Sta+e 1ournel, the Detroit Free lTees, the
Egtgglt‘ﬂgg§.and the rittohur hv 1-"nftc-1ioee.d

 

 

In 199?, Hiohixon State College had on enrollment of

3,07h resident students. By 1939, enrollment doubled to

6,716.
served from 1928 to 19¢

Robert S. Show, the school's eleventh president,
1.31

Crowley, and his successor Charles Bochman, reestab-

lished winning football teams in the 1930's. Crowley's

teams compiled a four-year 22-8-3 record. Bachman,

another ox-Notre Dame football player, raided the Spartans

to a A2-15-5 record in the 1930's, including a four-year

domination of UM. 3“

Alderton relied on the football coaches' reputations

to vault Michigan State athletic teams onto the state's

sports pages. He recalled:

 

Michigan State had no sports news standing in
those early years. You wrote and wrote, dug and dug
and could see little results.

when Crowley came as football coach, I rode
him real hard. I could ret iohi'qn State mentioned
along with his Notre Dame background. After four

Letter fr m George 3. Aldcrton, torch 27, 1967.

 

 

28

years Baohman, former coach of a national champion-

ship team at Florida, moved in. He too, was 9005

capy and combine? with wionln: teams, we began to

crack the pr 83.55

In 1?33, Laukllr $1216'3 sootiﬁ: 0%UECLt7 was in-
orenseo Fro» 1J,‘OO to 25,099 seats. A two-deck press
box, with seating arrunremonta for 35 regorters, ?as con-

'2

structeé on the west staﬁus.
aiﬂney Tagner, co~cgptain of the 1335 Spartan foot~
hall squad, was selected as an ill-America guard by the

Un ted frogs, International keys Service, the ﬁ;w York gun

 

and Liberty Engagine. He was the second All—Aﬂerloa

selection in ﬂiohigan Rtate historv and ﬁhe first since

7

1h
baa beginning of the sporﬁs Information ac-I‘VZLCes."r Three

years later, 19;”, hulfhack John Pingol was the first

I

Soartan to he ohooon in the Associated Press 3011.

John A. Hannah, appointeﬂ secretary of the Board of
Trustees in 1935, raised Alﬁerton's salary to *100 a month

in 193%. In aoﬁition, Hannah av nor17e€ a ?2,COO budget

35

for SIS use; an unprecedenﬁeﬂ oxnenditvre at tho college.
Hanna set asiﬂe an office in the Easement of
Agricultural Hall for sports information use; another

first. "Eurirﬁ the footkall seasor," wrote leorton,

w v v w m

3' 7
’“Letter from George S. Alderton, March 27, 1967.

«7 r

Hﬁecausa of the many All—America football polls,

it is often difficult to finﬂ agreenont on what noll should
be recognized. In this study, an All-America will be
considereﬁ only the athlete: who have Eeen certified such
0y the oational Collegiate Athletic Bureau.

1.

U1

Le

\n‘

Cher from George 5. Alderton, Earch 27, 1957.

"I worked all
in my Ag Hall

For the
State's first

6% inches and

books had been mimeographed stitched sheets.

In 1933,

29
day at the giggg Journal and until midnight
cubbyhole.”35
fall of 1936, Alderton published Eiohigan
football publicity book. The book was 4% x
contained 20 pages. Previously, the football

37

the football facts book was 24 pages at a

4 x 6% inch size. The following year, ilderton adapted a

two-color cover for the first time and enlarged the book

to 32 pages and a 4 3/4 x 7 inch size.

The 1938 football fact book orplained the facilities

available to members of the press:

The press box (constructed in 1933) seats 88
working press men and telegraph Operators, 38 in the
lower deck and 50 in the upper deck. There are
three radio booths available. Two of them are re-

served,

one each for HEAR. the college radio station,

and HJIH of Lansing.

There is a permanent installation for 24 wires
and as many more can be added within a few hours

notice.

working press is in a separate deck from

the non-working press, cutting noise and other dis-
turbances to a minimum. writers who need Spotters
will be provided them without charge if the request

is made

a day before the game. No typewriters are

provided unless arrangements are made with the
telegraph companies who are always helpful in such

cases.

On entering the press box you will find a
complete game information sheet at your position.
This differs from the game program being strictly
statistical and complete in every respect. Lineups

will be

checked five minutes or so before game time

by someone on the field and will be announced in
the press box. A loud speaker system will provide

h __‘

30

detailed information as the game progresses, giving
yardage on runs, kicks, passes, identifications of
players.

At halftime and at the conclusion of the game
you will be provided with a cepy of the statistics.
Should you need something special in this line,
please notify us in advance so that arrangements can
be made to fill your wants. Also, you will be given
a complete lineup and summary with substitutions
after the game. This ride you of the job of making
one up and at the same time standardizes the report.

A lunch will be served at halftime for those

who desire it. The press box is electrically heated

and lighted and enclosed. You can come in, hang up

your hat and coat and work in home office surroundings.

Your suggestions for inprggement of the press box

service will be welcomedwU

Among other firsts for the $10 at MSU during the
1930's was a national broadcast of a football game from
Hacklin Field; a pre-season photograph session with the
football team for the press and advance visits by the sports
information director to the press in areas of away from
home football games.39

Alderton remained on a $100 a month salary until
194? when MSU abandoned intercollegiate football for a
year due to horld War II. In 1944, Hannah, then president
of the college. offered Alderton a full time position.

Alderton declined to continue his position as sports editor

of the State gournal.

 

 

Full m se Position
By 1944, Michigan State College's athletic facilities

3ayichigan State Football_;nformation2 l928 (East
Lansing: £50, 1938}, pp. 2-}.

39Letter from George S. Alderton, March 27, 1967.

31
and team success had been substantially established.
Hacklin Field, the football stadium, had a seating capacity
of 26,000. Jenison Field House could hold 12,500. Demon-
stration Hall could seat 3,000 for ice hockey games and

Old College Field could seat 5,000 for hasehall.ko

The first college athletic team had flown to an away

"I

from home game; Michigan otate College had appeared in a
poet~eeason football bowl game and the Rational Collegiate
Athletic Aesociationhl cross country championships had
been inaugurated at East Lansing.

fred Alderme became the first Spartan to win an
Olympic Games gold medal; waiter Jacobs won the loo-pound

RJAA wrestling crown to he he first Spartan national

champion in any Sport and the Spartans won their first

W *. 1L2

boAA cross country title.
In August, 19&4, N. N. Eerhawy was given a starting

salary of $3,630 a year and the title of "Sport Editor of

'2

the Departs exit of Info ormet ion Services."h’ Kerhewy, a
former public school Spa nish teacher, was a graduate of
hillsdale College.

Kerbavy was given two office locations, one in the

basement of Agricultural Hell and the other at Jamison

A .A A-

t‘rnw-Q I— ‘ f” ° "V "r
”this is iioniggg otete huive eity: 120? Fectg B005,
8 0
a J -

)3, 1
hereinafter referred to as RJAA.

A2"‘igrnificant D3 tee and Events in Michigan State
Sports Hie tory” (in the files of Sports Information Office,
fSU), p. l. Mimeogreohed)

43+

‘1‘

getter from W. n. Kerbawy, March 29, 1967.

32
Gymnasium. He admitted he intentionally concentrated
efforts in the public relations quarters because:

I was afraid that had I stayed in Jenison, I
would have become a clarified errand boy for the
athletic director and the coaches, thus defeating
the purpose of my office.‘4
fhis decision, in effect, determined whether the 810

should fall under the auspices of the athletic department
or the public relations office. The decision affirmed an
unwritten policy and permitted the SIG at MSU to Operate
indecendently of the athletic department.

Purina his first year, Kerbewy spent $1,76h.18 to
print football game programs for the three home games.
Profit from the sale of the programs was 3&84.Fl.45

Kerbawy did most of his own office work and typing,
although he had occasional access to the services of the
news bureau secretary. hiss Gerri King, Kerbawy's first
and only student aide, began working on an hourly basis
in 1945.“6

Individual and teams continued to earn the college
recognition with winning performances. Dave Seibold won

the 200 meter breaststroke and 400 meter individual medley

en the Spartans won the 19h5 National Amateur Athletic

we.

“hgbig.

4’“ »

’ninancial Report of Kichieqn_3tate_§clgeme of
ﬁggjpultureunng_doplicdwﬁcience formthe Year endingagggg
10 19%: (East Lansing: Office of Comptroller, 19¢5).

7.09 c

46Letter from W. H. Kcrbesy, heron 29, 1967.

33

I W7
Union 3 outdoor sw mming team championship.

A 17~year old Chuck Pavey won the first of an un~
precedented four NJAA boxing championships in 1943.
Davey was awarded the John E. Rowe trophy with each of
his last three tit les as the outstanding fighter in the

1;"?
tournament. ’
flarence L. Lunn succeeded the retiring Charles
Baohman as head football coach in 13W? Lunn's teams won
54, lost 9 and tied 2 over the next seven seasons to boost
the college in national prominence.

In 1946, Kerbawy left the SIG for a public rela-

tions position with ti :6 Detroit Lion s of the Rational

”roxnss

;.

onal Foothell League.

 

nationsl proginenoo

 

When the university of Chicago resigned as the tenth

member of the Big Ten on Key 8, lgké, Hiohisan State

College's chances of entering the conference improved.49

Fall enrollment for 1947 was 15,P08, comparable to the tap

or
five schools in the leesne.J)

In addition, the college had one of the largest

gymnasiums-field houses in the Middle West end would have

__ 4.. A‘—‘—‘

W W w— ‘—

 

 

 

d . .
7Gory Gildner, "A den+ur7 of Athletics at State:
Spartans Flex Their Kusoles, Ehe LlCAlT‘“ State Universitx
Faeggine, V, No. 10 (June, 1950), lo.
43 .
Ibifgc
Bis Wren Records 39px: 1966-1961, (Chicago: Big Ten
SBrViCB aql°&u, lJUu),l {0.
30931313 Fichieon State Hniversity: lZSZFacts
Book, 29.

 

34
a football stadium with a 51,030 seating coca ity by 1948.
Spartan athletes, individually and collectively, had been

successfnl in the field.51

Certification of league membership was received on

12’)

"\’ ’\ ~l‘-
~

- {LBJ} 23 , l ,‘—"T" ,1} 0 flick 17:75.31 5 t“ t O

5.2

'LJ

ollcge begun conference
competition in all sports exceyt football with the 1949-
1953 school year. The Big Ten football schedule would
begin in the fall of 1953.53

Hhether or not identification with toe Big ion was
a deciding factor, Aichigan State College nearly doubled
its All-soario J list in 1943. Until 1943, the Spartans
had three All-America selections. In 1949, halfback
Lynn Chandnois and guard Ed Bagdon were selected on recog-
nized All-Ame rica polls al uhoogh the team finished witha

c).
6-3 record.5’

”31 to.— .i: Time

“w

 

?red w. Stabley succeeded Kerbawy as sports infor-
mation director in August, 1943. Stabley came to Michigan
State College as ﬁeqs Editor on Mo enber 1,1947, from

the Yorg (Pa.) Gazette an; Dnill_where he was city editor
55

 

for twov Me rs.

w ___.

ﬁf/

Dix Ten Records Book: 1733-115', 9. 173.

 

 

55"Biographioal Data of Fred d. atzibley," (in files
of Sports Iniormation Office, USU), p. l. (Mimeograched)

A former edits; with an Associated Frees bureau in
Unitiucrc, Hd., Stanley received a bachelor of arts degree

from Pennsylvania State University in 1937 and a master

f";’
1"! ‘ I 1 ~ ' - .' "’ ‘A a I: 3"}
of arts 09;l9@ from ﬂed in ?gc.

I
J

‘0 ‘I

. ~- .— ~-~L — 'o-—. 'v‘. ~-' I---.-- «7' -~~-.
.J .-',.: cf {135:011111‘233 1JL].»‘-:.l’u 'flCnculi, lOlu.er captain of

331

tne Spartan baseball team, the first full-time assistant
in the SIS.

The 510 was moved to its present office location on
the first floor of Agricultural ﬂail. Gerri King, the
student aide who handled office affairs in the interim
between Teroany's deocrture and Etabley's arrival, con-

tinued on a part-time basis. A second student assistant

7

was added in the winter of 1948.
A ﬁl.5 million addition to Hackiin Field, completed
in 1933, increased the stadium seating capacity to over
9 ,oOO. The press box was remodeled to include a lounge
and snack bar beneath the lower deck and an elevator
between the press gate and decks.53
In addition, the lower deck of the press box was
reserved exclusively for newsman. The top deck was con-
verted into eight radio booths and stations for scouts,

spotters and ohotograohers.

In lyt9, Stabley arranged for not pre-game lunches

~ A A A‘
w

5.
5 Ioid.
57 . _
Interview with ?red 9. Stable‘ Sports Information
p .- r. ’
sirector, 33?, June 5, 19:7.
I23 ‘
’“kicbigan Gtate Football facts: lui3 (East Lansing:

 

35

. :9

to es served to reporters in the press box lounge.’
During his first year, Stebley had 55.255 football

game pregraee printed for the five home games at $15,106.07.

. profit of 33,059.12 was realized from the SA, 23 football
"r
. o0
gene programs cold.

A combination of championship individue i and team

performances, an eXpanding student body and association
with othorr e‘or univere ties substantially increased the
amount of news coverage alloted USU. These factors are

reflected in Sports editors' comments in this study.

The 1931 Notre Tone football gone drew rtensive
coverofe end reﬁistered press core numbering A28. Four
national radio networko—--the Rational, Arerican, ﬂutual
and delugbia-~—tere auo n; the 12 or‘Liineting outlets for
the gene. ;no Hicnljin networis, along with JJR, Detroit;
HBlﬁ and Kind of Chicago also originated a gene broadcast.61

Four emplacements for television cameras were

utilized by the Rational Broadcasting Company's "Game of

the Heck” crew. Acre than 600 radio stations in the
United Jtates carried tne game while short-wave radio
sent tee broadcast beyond the borders. Every major news-

reel--—Z‘ox Movie tone Paths, Paramount, Universal Telenews

and the notional ,roadc etin: Jonoeny television newsree1--

A
'— vv *— V—

5’91?

Li
r i
I

chiﬁon StatewFootQ ﬁll (333;: 19h? (East Lansing:
Iago, like; 7

, O

fa
w; u - . , .
"Rootoell Pro-Ira m Recoroe ," (in too files of the
Sports Information Office, HSU‘.

I
61- _ _ H 1 * (_ 1
lress Box nietorv notes, .in the fi-.e e of w. Lowell
Ixeester , reportnento - Iniornation services, nJJ}.

37

had representatives at Mscklin Field.62

Stanley said the concept of his Job changed markedly
by 1951. no summarized:

When I began in 19h3, most sports editors did
not consider Michigan State the cane 'nens value'
as the University of Kicnigsn. Consequently, we were
very promotion conscious. Gften I would make trips
to different sports departments, particularly those
in ?etroit. with pictures, stories or ideas. then.
our football success, coupled with our association
with the Big Ten and our growing stucent body, made
us newsworthy. Since that time, we find our Job on
one of filling requests. Instead of promoting, we
now must spend most of our energies supplying infor-
mation.”

In June of 1952, Erickson resigned as assistant Sports
information director to accept a position as a broadcaster
with the Detroit Tigers. He was succeeded by Theodore
Emery who, in turn, resigned in August of 1954.64

Kioholas Vista, who earned a bachelor of arts degree
at MSU in 1953. Joined the 310 as the third full-time
assistant in June. 19§4.65 Vista worked as a student aide
in the SIG from 1951 to 1953.

In the summer of 1953. Vista worked as a general
assignment reporter for the United Prese's Fetroit bureau.
He Joined the information services as assistant news

editor in the fall of that year.
The first full-tine secretory was added to the sports

_ M A. A;

52222.4-

631nterview with Fred w. Stanley, June 5, 1957.
5h
Itiﬁ.

55’siograohical Data of Rick Vista.” (in the files
of Sports Information Office, n33), p. 1. (nimeogrephed)

33

information staff in 1953. A second secretary has been
borrowed from the news bureau's processinz unit during the
r" /'
football season Since 1963.”)

deU ranked fifth among the nation's top major college
football teams in won-loo t percentage during the 25-year
period, 1940 to 1955. Euring that period the Spartans
compiled a 152-59-9 record for a .7LO winiin percentage

to trail the universities of Oklahoma, Texas, Hotro Home

In 1355, EST won the Big Ten all-Sports trephy for
overall athletic excelle once. The football, indoor track,
ares elin” and OWIoio or trook tchs won conference titles
while the crown countr;;, thnastics, tennis, bnskctlcll
and ice hockey teams finished second in the Fig Ten and
the golf, fencing, swimming and basetall teens were third
in the conference.

Again the Spartans won the all-sports trooby in 1967.
The football, baske aball, ice hockey, wrestling and tennis
teams won league championships while the indoor track,
outdoor track, cross countr; to ms were second and the
gymnastics, golf, swimming and fencing teens place third
in the 3i, Ten.

Prior to lQhB, HSU had three foctbsll ell-America
selections. From lgha to 1967, ﬁSU has had 31 football

All-Americas, 9 in soccer; 5 in nocrey; 2 in basketball

A A

 

.._._v V...— _. ~— ‘—

1 . - Q I ‘ I" t! f “’ "“n A o A .P -
on toe televisio: Detwur{ NJAA ;aue oi uuu use, So

times. Elites; of the telecaete were on the nation;l

I
‘- ‘J' ‘ " ‘. "1 1, ‘Gﬂ "aB‘ ‘ .r‘A - - 3 ‘JS;
lchv‘:3l‘:xo ;-.1LG 1.0 ”'11? 2;":Jt tr: I'.‘f-31’Jffl «'1.'l~..1.’3‘7C.?€.

In 1335, the majority of too 33 Boilioh language
hicoiban daily newspapers had a repres ntative et eaco MeU

football gate playeﬁ in Lost Lansing. The btite Journel,

Detroit Eree Press, ﬁetroit here, and Associate Erase

 

sent a retorter to each Spartan football gare atoy from
home.

Representatives of 1: daily menopapere from 2& states,
excluding Lichigan and the District of Columbia, attended
at least one Spartan home football game. At least one

newsgaper located in each of the 11 largest cities in the

.'
“i

. , l
nation were representeo.

To keep pace with the growing athletic program and
he increased media interest in the success of the HSU
teams, the 510 eXpanded its staff, facilities and services.
Theee elements of the 1953 sports information function will

be examined in the followinc chapters

U

A
I

”d"NSU All-Americas,“ (in the files of the Sports
Information Office, RﬁU).

it
,4-
w
3
.23
{I
d-
{‘7
6+
n.
O
O
J
\J
1,.)
5...!
i
(J
—+
u’)

Puff; - (fit
1. . “ ‘1 , .l). J . .

 

‘1’»- 5- " “new-‘4. ‘8-9 a“ A

 

1’) ,. l - 3 I l
7“"uorsing Preeo Footosll Ticket BOOK," (in the
files of the Sports Information Office, FBU‘.

I

711313 .

CHAPTER III
OFFICE FUHCTIOH

Chapter Elan
The purpose of this chapter is to explain the

function of the BIO at M38 as it existed in the fall of
1966. in understanding of the 810 work is necessary
before an evaluation can be made of its effectiveness.
Areas discussed in this chapter include the organ-
izational structure, budget, facilities. publications and

services.

0 a za 10 a Struct

The HSU central administration is organized in 12
subdivisions. The Department of Information Services and
the Hichigan State Press is under the authority of James
H. Denison. Assistant to the President and Director of
university Relations.1

W. Lowell Treester is director of the Department of
Information Services, which includes seven subdivisions.
The Sports Information Office, the News Bureau, the uni-
versity Editor's Office and the Photographic Laboratory

are among the departments under Treaetsr's direction.2

 

lﬂggu ltz an a §§gf§ Directogz (East Lansing: MSU,
1966). pp. 155-57-

2
£13.14.
40

41
is sports information director, Fred Stabley is
immediately responsible to Ireaster. However, decisions
of policy and daily operation of the 310 are nearly exclu-

sively determined by the sports information director.3

Division 9: Eabor

In addition to administrative duties, Stabley is the
predominate liaison between the $10 and the public. He
handles all office correspondence, acts as host for office
visitors and edits all office material sent from the 310
to the mass media.A .

Vista handles Stabley's duties when the director is
unavailable. In addition. Vista supervises the office
athletic records and prepares the bulk of editorial cepy
for office publications.

The two student sides are responsible for maintaining
records, preparing nimeographed booklets and writing
releases for each minor sport. At least one side is
present at every home athletic event to service reporter's
requests.

During the football season. one secretary is respon-
sible mainly for receiving guests, processing correspondence
and releases and answering the telephone.

A second secretary concentrates on processing con-
tractual relations with radio and television station per-

sonnel during the football season. She also organises and

A; A._

~r—w

3Interview with Fred W. Stabley, June 5, 1967.
‘Ibig.

42
distributes working press passes and parking credentials
to members of the media, complimentary football tickets,
makes hotel reservations for members of the media and
travel arrangements for the BIO staff.

Additional personnel is recruited for specific tasks
throughout the year. Jerry Fischer of the University
Editor's Office, a former 310 student side, handles the
economics and printer relations for the 810 publications.

Barbara Brown, director of Artist-Design Service in
the University Editor's Office. handles the layout and
designs the covers of all football game pregrams.

Gene Rietfors. associate editor of the News Bureau,
contributes articles in the football game program and
edits all news concerning the MSU marching band. Rietfors
also sends articles on MSU to other sports information
directors for use in their football game programs.

in eight-member Photographic Laboratory cameraman
staff is available for assignment by the SIG upon reser-
vation. A minimum of two photographers works each home
football game.

Jack Ostrander, assistant manager of the MSU Student
Union, supervises 28 workers in the football press box who
prepare and serve the pro-game lunch and distribute
refreshments.5

For each home football game, 24 press box workers

m

5Interview with Jack Ostrander, assistant manager.
Student Union, MSU, July 5. 1967.

43
are employed, including statisticians, spotters, typists,
public address announcers, press box announcer. elevator
Operator, telephone switchboard operator, sideline repor-

ters, picture caption writers and door guards.6

11 set

Funds for operating the SIG are drawn from various
accounts. Subsequently, it is nearly impossible to
determine the exact figure spent in operating the 810
program.

Stabley draws his salary from the university's scau
demic payroll while Vista is paid from the sdministrative~
professional payroll of the university. Both secretaries
are paid from the clerical-technical payroll. None of
the four are paid with funds from the BIO budget.

Expenditures for 810 printing will be examined with
greater detail under “publications” in this chapter. How-
ever, the University Editor's Office administers funds for
the football game programs and printed material for each
individual sport. None of this printing, which represents
the bulk of 310 publications, is a part of the $10 budget.7

Office supplies are absorbed from the Department of
Information Service supply room. This expenditure is not

a part of the SIG budget.

_..____. M A _._ A A-

._,_ v... _r_

6”1966 Football Press Box Pa all,” (in the files of
the Sports Information Office, MSUgf

7Interview with Jerry Fischer, managing editor of
athletic publications, MSU, June 8, 1967.

#4
ss Bo oun

The basic fund of the $10 is the press box account,
which includes revenue from radio and television rights
sold for home athletic contests. However, this fund is
controlled by the Vice President for Business and Finance
of the university, not by the sports information director.

Since the major interest of this study is focused
on the fall of 1966, the following budget figures pertain
to the period of July 1, 1966 to February 28, 1967 inclu-
sive. Lawrence A. Jennings, university staff auditor,
certified the report on April 12, 1967.8

As of July 1, 1956, the press box account had a
$163,794.38 balance. During the next eight months,
358A,137.20 was added in receipts. The income included
$437,500 from the American Dréadcasting Company for tele-
vision rights to two footballggames and $19,970 in radio
privilege fees. 5 g . 7

Of the $747,931.58 balance, $t27,1ll.63 was disbursed
for contract services including 34,083.20 payment to the
Big Ten. Another $50,000 was transferred to the Athletic
Department and 320,000 was transferred to the Sports
Publicity Account.

Money spent for food totaled $12,594.87, including

811, 36.50 for the pro-game lunch and refreshments in the

football press box. Physical plant services, including a

W

8Auditor Report: July 1, 1966 to February 28, 1967,
(in the files of the Sports Information Office, MSU).

45
$4,441.23 bill for press box repairs and maintenance,
amounted to $9,176.27.

Other disbursements included: $9,176.27, personal
services; 32,280.50, refunds; $1,622.02, supplies and
materials; $1,073.50, telephone, postage and telegraph;
$266.89, printing; and 326, rentals. The February 28,
1967 balance was $219,125.25.

Under the university classification system, personal
services includes wages and salaries: travel includes
transportation, lodging and subsistence: postage, telephone
and telegraph includes the installation of western Union
stations in the football press box; contractual services
includes repair of equipment, photography and prints, and
mimeoEraphing; supplies and materials includes press
clippings and entertainment; equipment includes desks,

tables, chairs and typewriters.9

§pgzts Publicity Agggunt

The Sports Publicity account is supported by an
apprOpriation from the Press Box account each year. The
bulk of daily Operational funds, including salaries of the
student sides, are drawn from the Sports Publicity account.

As of July 1, 1966, the Sports Publicity account had
a 319,563.34 balance.10 This amount included the 320,000

allocation from the Press Box account, minus a $436.66

m ______ ____

9? 3b-;ae S a A ’n.'-,:m ' Hav-a; #6 3 ~.:.;»
grogggurgs, East Lens ngx HS’, .u y , ' , pp. 01 1-5.

loAuditor Report: July 1, 1966 to February 28, 1967.

46
deficit from the preceding year.

In the eight month span, $14,796.84 was spent,
leaving a balance of 34,766.50. The disbursements included:
$2,632.12, personal services; 31,283.88, travel; $.55,
freight; $2,969.46, postage, telephone and telegraph;
$156.90, printing; $64.80, printing (not published)! 8276,
physical plant services; $6,726.57, contractual services;
8258.96, supplies and materials: $210.38, intangibles and
$162.22, books, magazines and subscriptions.

Including salaries, Press Box funds spent on BIO
services, publications edited by the $10, materials
absorbed from the Department of Information Services
and funds of the sports publicity account, the total
expenditure of operating the are for the year was around

$100,000.

gubligations

The 810 is responsible for all editorial and pic-
torial content in athletic brochures and game programs.
Printed brochures, handled in 1966 by the Hartley Printing
00., Lansing, are prepared for the major sports: football,
basketball and baseball.11

Mimeographed brochures are assembled in the SIG for
cross country, soccer, fencing, gymnastics, ice hockey,
swimming, wrestling, golf, track and tennis. Student
aides design and write all material in the minor sport

brochures.

__‘n

11Interview with Jerry Fischer, June 8, 1967.

1.7
More time and money are spent on producing football

publications than on any other sport.12

Although the
football facts books and game programs are the major items,
other productions designed primarily for football include
flip cards, team schedules, Spartan Huddle, parking and
game passes and special mailing envelOpes.

§2§££§2.33i1l2n a four-page ticket promotion issue,
is the first completed publication for the upcoming school
year. Hartley Printing 00., Lansing printed 90,000 copies
in 1966 at a cost of 812,000.13 These are mailed in early
summer to alumni and football season ticket holders. I

The Eichigan State Eggshell; 1266, also printed by
Hartley, was ready for distribution in late August. Etactly
3,500 copies of the 6 x 9 inch book was printed at a cost
of 3950.14 nearly half, 1,500 copies, was allotted for
contributors to the Ralph Young Scholarship Fund.

This 72-page facts book was designed with a two-
color fold out cover. Overprinted 0n the solid green
front was a negative print positive dropout halftone of
M30 football team co—captain Clint Jones.

The MSU total number of football game programs sold
15

exceeded any other Big Ten school. About 123,000 00pies

were sold for an estimated profit of 832,000. In 1948,

r..— w w—w—v—

12:11:.

13Sports Information Publications Report: 1966-67
(in the files of University Editor's Office, MSU).

“ini-
15Interview with Jerry Fischer, June 8, 1967.

v“. w

A8
the 54,125 programs sold profited $3,050.12.16
Speaker-Hines & Thomas Inc., Lansing, printed 131,000
football game programs in 1966 for MSU. For the six home
games, 4,450 were distributed in the press box, 1,200
were distributed among members of the competing teams and
2,332 were distributed complimentary to non-press per-
sonnel.17
Cost of printing the game programs was $20,000. Two
railroad cars of No. 2 offset paper were purchased for an
additional $12,000 for program use. This included 52,000
pounds of text and 18,000 pounds of cover paper.13
The 60-page game program, which sold for fifty cents,
had a four-color cover designed by Barbara Brown. Twenty-
five and a half pages in each issue were devoted to local
and national advertising.19
Sixteen signatures were standard in each program.
Fresh material could be inserted until Wednesday before
the Saturday game.
The 2,500 basketball facts books, 48-pages, cost
3850 while the 1,000 baseball facts books, 32-pages, were

printed for $750.20

A—L‘ *4 _._A

16Football Program Records (in files of Sports
Information Office, MSU).

17Sports Information Publications Report: 1966-67.
lalhiis
1922219
201911.

49

Other major publications in 1966 of the SIG were
16,500 basketball game pregrams, 10,000 hockey game programs,
and 3,000 baseball game programs. Special event publica~
tions in 1966 included a 22-page MSU Relays track program
and a 16-page program for both the Big Ten and the NJAA
swimming championships which were held at HSU.21

Logan Brothers Printing, Lansing handled 15,000
football, 10,000 basketball and 10,000 winter and spring
sports schedule cards.22

Jerry Fischer, managing editor of athletic publica-
tions, estimates he helps develop 50 to 65 different

publications for the 310 a year.

Easilitieg

Football Press Bo

   

Located under the second deck of the west stands,
the football press box was completed in 1957 with the
enlargement of Spartan Stadium to 75,000 seats.

The largest physical press box in the Big Ten, the
three deck facility extends 94 yards; from one three-yard
line to the other.23

A central feature of the press box communication

system is a telephone switchboard, which a $10 mimeographed

M __Al __._.‘ l .L.

—v"— w , v—w

2llb13°
22111:.
23The HSU press box was judged the largest physical

structure of its type in the Big Ten by all seven sports
writers interviewed in this study.

50

statement asserts is the only such system in existence.2h
Press box telephones enable communication between radio
booths, photo areas, press deck, dressing rooms, side-
lines, press entrance, stadium business office, press box

0
on headquarters and the outside.‘5

H

administrat
Beneath the stadium stands are six three-room suites
for photo processing and wire transmitting. The first
picture ever sent directly from a sports site over the
national Associated Press wire photo network was trans-
mitted in 1953 from Spartan Stadium.26
The tOp level of the press box houses 19 separate
booths. In addition to stations for the field public
address team, film crews for game movies, coaches, scouts
and guests of the athletic director, 13 radio booths are
located on the top leveleg7
In addition to 140 fixed seats for the working press,
the middle deck contains 30 wired Western Union positions,
two snack bars, toilets and the operational headquarters
for the press box. The telephone switchboard, press box
public address team, statisticians, play-by-play crew and
mimeograph Operator are stationed in the headquarters area.

The bottom level of the press box can accommodate

100 movie, television, newsreel or newspaper cameraman

 

2&10 Our Bress_Box Guests, (in the files of the
Sports Information Office, haul, p. l. (Mimeographed)

51
during a game. iBU's official guest booth, with a capacity
for 40 people, is on this deck.

Parking spaces for the press are reserved in the lot
behind the west stands of Spartan Stadium, adjacent to the
press ticket window. A hydra-lift elevator transports
press and eguiprent to the photo darkroom complex, the

press lounge and any press box deck.

Kobilg Pzggg 20x

A mobile press box is used to accommodate newsmen at
football practice sessions and soccer games. Located
beside a fence which separatee the football practice and
soccer fields during the fall. the 35 x 8 root aluminum
converted house trailer with a covered deck on tap pro-
vides working space for 20 reportere.23

Purchased in 1961 from MSU campus television station
WKAR-TV, the trailer was bought and renovated for less
than t4,000.29 A press conference area, counters for type-
writers and teletype machines, a sound proofed combination
radio and telephone booth and storage cabinets are inside
the trailer.

An interior stair lift connects the enclosed area
with the roof viewing platform. Canvas draped over three

sides and an aluminum sheeting roof partially encloses the

viewing deck.

‘7 w

R)

°"M1chigan state's Unique Press Box” (in the files
Sports Information Office, 183), p. l. (nimeographed)

:big e

of the

R)
\

an RV?

of the
coache

direct

l

l

l

52
Furing the 1966 fall pro-season football practice.

raﬁe of 10 people a day used the facilityo30

i

I;

The SIG provides services not only to representatives
press, radio and television, but also to athletes.
3, fans, parents and other sports information

are. These services include these items:

1) Prenare and distribute to press, radio, television
and other outlets an annual brochure prior to each
nee season.

2) State an extensive pro-season pictureetnting
session, shooting squad, small group, feature,
hometown and individual photos.

3) Send to the hometown paper of each varsity athlete
at least once each year a picture with caption or
story.

A) Send to the general news media at least one story
prior to every event at hose or away.
5) Prepare printed prosrass as desired.
6) Prenare schedule cards and folders and ticket
pplioation force as needed.
7) Send brochures, special releases, pictures and

other materials to sports information directors
and press outlets at sites of away events.

e To sane service to Eichisan outlets with opponents'
materials prior to our home events.

9) Kaintain up-to-date records on all events and

individual athletes as the current season pregreseee.

0) serve as host to the visiting press and staff press
box at all home events. This press box service
includes providing brochures, program and summary
box. Post meet telephone calls are made to wire
service, newspaper, radio and television cutlets
if they have not covered directly, and mimeOgraphed
results are sent to his Ten headquarters, NSAA,
Opponents and other outlets as required.

1) Handle contractual relations and provide facilities
for radio and television. See that working press
and parking credentials are extended then and the
sorting newsman.

E) handle extensive correspondence, on average of
better than two dozen letters a day, relating to
all sports.

3) inerer voluminous special requests for materials
:Jioh cone daily by letter, wire and telephone.

 

3Outer-view s th ?red W. Stabley. June 5, 1957.

53

14) Haintain separate file on every past athlete for
whom pictures, clippings, biographical sketches
and other materials are available. These files
are virtually 100 per cent complete back to
world ear II.

15) Maintain separate file on every current varsity
athlete of consequence.

16) Maintain separate files on all present and past
coaches, complete with biOgraphical sketches,
pictures, news clippings and team records.

17) maintain files of past athletic events resulte,
statistics, clippings, pictures, etc. i

Releases

The $10 utilized two main types of press releases in
1966, the weekly newsletter and a spot sports release.
The newsletter was mailed Tuesday afternoon to every
Eichigan daily newspaper. The spot sports release, mailed
usually at least two days in advance of a minor sports
competition involving 3 M80 team, was distributed to the
§§§52,Jougng1, both Detroit dailies and the grand'Rspigg
Bags; of the newspapers in the content analysis. The
Lansing bureaus of the Associated Press and the United
Press International were also on the spot sports mailing
113t.32

Eewslgttgr - During the content analysis, 41 different
mimeographed pages of newsletter capy were mailed by the
$10. The number of pages in any one newsletter ranged
from five to nine. There were more pages in the newsletter
before every home than any from home football games. For

an example of a newsletter, see Appendices C,D,E,F,G and H.

31"5ssic Services" (in the files of the Sports
Information Office, MSU), pp. 1-2. (MimeOgraphed)

32Interview with Margaret Wilson, staff secretary,
Sports Information Office, M30, Juno 7, 1967.

5A

Over a fourth or the newsletter pages during the
content analysis, ll pages, was a preview story on MSU's
next football game. These articles contain a brief history
of the series between the schools and the performance and
conditions of the teams. See Appendix E.

A page of five sports shorts and a football advance
along with individual and team statistics were included
in each newsletter. A sport short is a ”timeless. unusual
and newsworthy fact about the HSU athletic program which
can be expressed in one or two sentences.‘33 See Appendix
C for an example of sport shorts. '

The football advance story, marked for release on
the following Sunday, previewed a football game nearly
two weeks in advance of the writing. See Appendix G for
an example of a football advance.

The nine pages of football statistics issued during
the content analysis took more newsletter pages than any
item except the game preview stories. See Appendix H for
an example of a statistic page.

In the newsletter prior to each home football game
there was a page containing the offensive and defensive
starting lineups for each team, the starting time, the
estimated attendance figure and a list of the radio and
television stations covering the game. See Appendix D
for an example of the lineup page.

A page of game notes, a list or 10 or 12 unusual

 

”Interview with Fred w. Stabley, June 5. 1967.

55
facts about the game, was included in the newsletter for
the week of the UN and the Purdue University games. ‘For
an example of game notes, see Appendix F.

Four one-page feature stories appeared in the news-
letter during the content analysis. The first. on October
11, described the defensive efforts of three MSU football
players. On October 18, there was a preview of the first
basketball practice and a team roster. This was the only
page in the newsletter during the six weeks of the content
analysis which did not pertain to football.

A third feature, October 25, promoted Charles Thorn-
hill as the "unsung hero” of the football team and the
fourth feature, November 1. reviewed the individual records
set by MSU football players during 1966. Each of the four
features appeared in full or in par , in at least one of
the dailies examined in the content analysis.

ot'Su - Ten one-page spot sports releases
were mailed during the six weeks. One pro-meet report was
mailed prior to each of the four cross country meets run
during the content analysis.

Six pro-game stories were mailed before the MSU
soccer games. Releases prior to the Calvin College and
the Denison University games on October 5 and October 8
respectively, were missed when one student aide handling
soccer deveIOped mononucleosis.34

See Appendix I for an example of a spot sports

release.

 

342bgg.

56
Mondaz Press Luncheon

in oral invitation is extended at the beginning of
each football season to interested newsman to attend a
luncheon each Honday noon at the Crossroads Cafeteria in
the International Center on the MSU campus. in informal
press conference with football coach Daugherty follows
the meal.

An average of 15 radio and television broadcasters
and newspaper reporters attended the Monday luncheon during
the six weeks of the content analysis.35 A representative
of the gggtg gouzpal, both Detroit dailies, the Associated
Press and the united Press International were present at
all six meetings. No one from the other four dailies
considered in the content analysis was present at any of

the six meetings.

Was
it each home football game, the 810 has a MSU staff

photographer take game action pictures during the first

half of the game. Pour prints. in either 5 x 7 inch or

8 x 10 inch sizes. are processed. given captions, and dis-

tributed among the press at the conclusion of the game.
None of the newspapers in the content analysis used

the game action photo service. However. 15 other Michigan

daily newspapers requested the service for each of the

—_..— _ “—

35Interview with Nick Vista, assistant sports
information director, MSU. June 7, 1967.

57

MSU 1966 home football games.35

Every Monday during the content analysis period,
Vista and an NSU photographer held a feature photo session.
Two to four different feature ideas were photographed each
week, all involved members of the football'team.37

Prints and/or negatives were supplied to the Associ~
ated Press, United Press International and the giatg'lgggnal,
Feature photOgraphs were supplied to any newspaper on

request.

0t e Se e

Each Tuesday. prior to an away from home football
game, Stabley travels to the opponent's campus to supply
information on the MSU team to news media in that area.
In his traveling kit, Stabley carries 25 facts books,
numerical, alphabetical and three-deep roster sheets; 12
flip cards; 6 copies of the Spartan sheet music and three
phonOgraph records: 4 sets of slides on football players:
binoculars; photographs of players, coaches and MSU ath-
letic officials: feature pictures and story material;
statistics; pro-season feature movie and script: film
clips of top individual players; Big Ten and NCAA record
books; football game programs and play‘by-play results of
last year‘s game with the Opponent and all games or the

current season; and token gifts for the press such as

3"9"Game Photo Request List" (in the files of the
Sports Information Office, MSU).-

37Interview with Nick Vista, June 7, 1967.

58
leather wallets and ball-point pens.38

Vista travels to the away from home football games
with the MSU team, usually on the Friday before the game.

On the Friday night before each home football game,
Stabley and Vista act as host to a pro-game press recep-
tion. The football coaching staff and other MSU athletic
officials are present at these receptions and are available
for interviews.

Most of the mass distributed materials sent from the
SIG office are reproduced by mimeograph process. Two
office machines are used to reproduce the spot sports
releases.

The weekly newsletters are mimeographed at Central
Services. the campus duplicating center. Newspaper
clippings are reproduced on the office Kodak Verifax and
the Therm-Fax copying machines and sent to sports editors

who might use the information.

38"‘5'3'oothall Trip Materials for Brief Case” (in the
files of the Sports Information Office, HSU).

CH PTER IT

SEXUAY ETITICH CCETETT AEALYSIJ
O? FIVE KIJHIGAN DAILIES

 

Using economics and attendance as criteria, foot-
ball is the major sport at ESQ. An expenditure of
$h02,757.95 is listed for football in the Athletic
Department budget for the year ending June 30, 1955.
nearly half of the $335,932.55 spent on all teams.
Basketball, the second most expensive team, spent
3104,293.09.1

Receipts for football totaled $1,031,054.32 of the
$1,235,739.67 collected from all sports. Basketball,
again second, shows receipts of $53,161.85.2

Not included in the above figures is $13,623.73
spent for repairing the Spartan Stadium seats.3

If one’s criteria is the number of athletes partic-
ipating. there were 68 members on the 1965 varsity foot-
ball roster compared to runnerup baseball with #2 on its

roster. There were seven fullutime varsity football

  

1Financi . 'Sre" (East Lansing: MSU.
November. 19:; , loo-‘ .

2;p;p.

3mm.

59

60
coaches compared to three for second place basketball.

Jerry Fischer, managing editor of athletic publi-
cations, said he directs more football publications at
more expense, time and profit than all other sports
combined.A

Stablcy said he and his staff spend considerably
more hours in servicing football requests than any other
sport.5

Quite obviously, the football game is the major
underwriting factor of the entire athletic program.
Revenues from the games sustain the football program at
its present level. Income from television and radio
rights to thetoctball game form the bulk of the press
box account income.

Not only are the games the economic Justification
of the football program at its present level, but they
are the primary news events of the football season. For
this reason, the manner in which newspapers reported the
specific football games in this content analysis is pre~
sented separately from the newspaper coverage of the

Tuesday through Monday MSU news.

Dailies Covering Eocthail Gages

An all-time press box attendance record was set in

1966 when 3,008 working press passes were turned in at

 

4Interview with Jerry Fischer, June 8, 1967.
5Interviewwith Fred H. Stabley, June 7, 1967.

61

the Stadium press box gate for the six home football
games. In 1965, press passes were issued to 2,030 for
the five home games.6 These passes included all media
representatives and press box guests.

The 1955 press box high was 46? passes for the Ohio
State game. In 1956, this was surpassed three times: 523
for Purdue, 553 for Michigan and 7&5 for Hotre Dame.

Representatives of 32 daily nee deaapere outside of
Hichigan attended at least one home football game. The
iistrict of Columbia, 24 states, excluding Hichigen, and
the 11 most pogulated cities were represented.7

Treaty-six out-of-H-ic linen dailies attended more
than one football game in East Lansing. The Toledo (Ohio)
Elaﬁe, the

a reporter to all six home games.

,_
HM inn 0-
th \ t_.,.

Tribune and the Chicegp gen-Timee sent

   

Of Michigan's 53 daily newspapers. 27 sent a reporter
to all six nest Lansing football games. The Associated
Press, the §§;1g_£ourn%;, the Qgtgoit Eggg,£;§§§, and the
ﬁetroit giggleent a reporter to each away from home game-8

or the 26 Eiohigan daily newepapere not sending a
reporter to all home games, two dailies covered four games;

three dailies covered three games; four dailies covered

 

6”?reee Box Attendance” (1n the files of Rick Vista,
Sports Information Office, MS"),

7
£1193 OI. .41}
8

 
   

orte Information Office, .oJ .

Interview with Fred H. Stabley, June 7. 1967.

62
two games and two dailies covered one game.9

All eleven ﬂichigan newspapers which have dunday
editions covered every E33 home game. 0f the 18 dailies
which have over 20,000 circulation, all but the gag
gaggg’gggg sent a reporter to all MLU hone football
games.

or the 15 dailies which failed to send a reporter
to any xsu hone football games, 10 are located in towns
north of a line from Red Axe to Ludington. Seven of
these dailies are in the Upper Peninsula.

No daily south of that geographical line with a

circulation of 10,030 or above failed to send a reporter

to at least one HSU home football game in 1956.

 

 

ﬁenkeround

 

Entering this weekend, MSU and UK had identical 2-0
football records. HSU had defeated Horth Carolina State
University, 28-10, and Pennsylvania State University,
42-8. UM had defeated Oregon State University, 41‘s, and
the University of California, 17-7.

ES? defeated the University of Illinois, 26~10. at
Chamoaign, 111.. on October 1. This was the first Big
Ten football game of the 1965 season for each school.

The University of Illinois entered the game with a 0-2

record.

 

63
Uh lost, 21-7, to the University of Earth Carolina
at Ann Arbor. The winners entered the game with a 1-1
record.
Another major competing Sports news event was the
winning of the ﬁctional League baseball championship by

the Los Angeles hodgere on Saturday.

; ‘roit Fess“.

   

The 23L;gi§,ﬂgag,equally divided an eightacolumn
banner on the two football games. Directly beneath the
banner was a five-inch by eigbtocolnmn picture or the
UM game.10 See Table l.

The Setrgig Eg3§,gave us 222 inches in total cover-
age and ESU 142 inches. The major difference was picture
coverage where UH bad a 155 to 53 inch advantage.

The Detroit Eggs 235§§,ueed baseball for the lead
story and gave a four-column head to each football game.
Total picture coverage was less extensive and about
equally divided; Uh, 29 inches and hSU, 20 inches.11

MSU received 40 total first page12 inches and 86
inches of total coverage. Us received 47 first page

inches and 83 inches of total coverage.

10% geeg, October 2, 1966, p. 3-1.
llmmw. October 2. 1966. p. 2-1.
l2351‘irst page in this study refers to the first

Sports pace. front page will be used for the front news
page of the newspaper.

611

m n w 1
$ 4“. Im' L

$332.25.? 3?. COLUT-"N INJ'MS OF "TS-’1 MD UE‘.’
F0. GAKES CF Deltnn 1,19Cv

 

 

tea or? car JCP SJ T1.

 

lst Pace Storyb
add......... 33 2 11 34 23 131
haU3.......... 13 28 27 35 11 114
let e Bicture
L‘ujooooeooeo 3 2'0 17 21 53 11‘].
U3 .......... 44 19 40 20 12 135
lst Page Total
nah......... 41 to 23 SS 31 2&5
{1:70.00000000 57 47‘ 67 55 23 247
20:39.]. dtory‘
iﬂoUoIocooooo 89 65 41 ’ 39 77 312
Ujoeoooeoeeo '7 54 60 47 A“ 272

Total Picture

-5}U...o..o.. 53 20 30 21 73 197

Ulla-cocci... 155 29 64 32 44 324
Total coverage

H3anoooeooo 142 86 71 60 150 509

{Eleonooooeeo 222 33 124 79 258 596

wﬂ .w—w —

aabbreviations for all tables in this chapter in~
CIUGe’ 33’ §§££2l1.“8383 PEP: 2&322l:.7”ee Press; GRP,
Grand :nrtis frees; Jo P, Jackscg Jitizen I«atriot' SJ: ﬁieie
T urnnlz 31., combined total of the five newspapers.

   

bStory inches are used for all non-pictorial inches
including headlines and statistical material.

Each newspaper sent a reporter to both football
games, each sent a photographer to Ann Arbor and each used

wire service photographs of the HSU game.

G_rnnih‘irzm1~ena

 

 

Ehe Grand Rapids Press split equally an eight-column
banner on the football games, but ran a two-column, staff-
writtcn bA game report down the right side of the page.

Beneath the banner was an Associated Press wirephoto of

65
the UH game five columns by seven and a half inches deep.13
The MSU game story was an Associated Press report.
placed down the extreme left column. UM received 67
first page inches compared to KSU'e 23 inches.
UM received 19 more story inches and 3h more picture

inches to lead KSU 12Aa7l inches in total coverage.

 

Like the ﬁganj_§gpid§ Ere r. the ggckgog gigigga.
Entriot split an eight column banner equally, staff wrote
the UM game and carried an Associated Press story on the
MSU game. However, the first page was equally divided;
55 total inches for each game.14

*M received 11 more picture inches and tapped HSU

in total coverage, 79 to 60 inches.

Sat unm

The ggatg,iggggg; gave MSU a seven-column banner and
81 total first page inches. Beneath the banner wee e
five-column, six and a half inch Associated Prose vire-
photo or the ace game.15

UH received a six-column banner beneath the MSU
game photo and 23 total first page inches. Staff reports
and wire service photOgraphe were used for both games.

MSU received 150 inches of total coverage to UM'I

 

Wﬁ ._—__

13W! OCtObCr 2: 1956: 9' 23o
”WW. October 2. 1966. p. 47.
15§£3£g_123;n§;, October 2, 1955. p. 3-1.

66
83 inches.

 

Excluding the §£g§3_qurnal, total coverage was
weighed slightly in favor of UM, mainly because of the
picture usage. UM had 508 total inches to ESU's 3‘9 and
290 picture inches to MSU's 124 inches. UM had 224 first
page inches to MSU'S 154 inches, due mainly to the com.

bined 64 inch UH advantage in the Qgtggit,§gwg and the
Crand Phagzlﬁg 1’; ﬁgs.

 

 

E33 defeated UK, 20-7, in the 59th football meeting
between the two schools. A Spartan Stadium record attend~
ence crowd or 78,833 watched the game in East Lansing.

The major competing sports news event was the
third game of baseball's World Series, won by the American
League's Baltimore Orioles.

Hewspaper coverage of this game was awarded equally
to MSU and UM in this study. To suggest any report was
predominately slanted in favor of one of the schools is

a Judgement too subjective for this study.

 

8‘33.

The Qgtrgig ﬁgs; gave the football game an eight-

column banner and 109 total inches on the first page.15

See Table 2.

A ___._..__

lspetrgit sgeg, October 9. 1955. p. D-l.

67
TABLE 2

EBWSPAPER CCLUKN 133333 0? MSU A33 UK
rs ‘. r I y - re. n, ’
F01 GAﬂE 0? OJ? 3nd 8, 1960

—_ _, #uw ”NA- 4

DH "DP? GR? J3}? SJ T1.

let Page Story
RJUQOOQOOOOO 43 32 47 42 6g 233
U110. 00000009 A} 32 2‘7 £2 69 233
let Page rioture
M33......o.. 65 52 53 56 55 283

UEOOOOOOOCOQ 65 52 53 56 56 283
let Page Total

.7133. e o 0.690. 109 3 100 93 125 515

Uﬁooeeoeeeee 109 84 100 98 125 516
Total Story

sev......... 111 114 83 63 113 439

UMo-oeeeeeee 111 ll# 88 63 113 489

Total Picture
ESUoooeeeeoe 157 73 90 94 1&3 577
UE’IOOQOO. C... 167 78 % 94 148 577
Total Coverage
MSUeeoeeoeee 273 192 173 157 261 1065
UMceoeeoeoee 278 192 173 157 251 1055

Just 12 inches of a staff-written world Series re-
port appeared in the bottom left quarter of the first page.

The W 33:; used four staff photograph and one
wire service photcgraph for 157 picture inches, the most
or any of the five newspapers. They also carried the most
total coverage with 278 inches.

The Qgtzgit,z;gg,£;g§§_skylinedl7 e staff-written

World Series game report and gave the football game a

 

17Skyline is a newspaper term defined by George C.
Bastian! Leland D. Case and Floyd K. Baskette in hdit
The he ﬂew , (hen York: The Macmillan Company, 1950
p. 339, as headline across top of news over nameplate.
A single story set in eight columns of type across the
top of a page under the headline is also considered a
skyline in this study.

 
 
         
     

  
 

68

six-column headline beneath.18

ﬂammw
started three MSU-Uh game reports on the first page,
the most of any paper in the content analysis.

Of the 192 total inches appearing on the football
game in the Estroit {reg Bragg, 84 inches appeared on
the first page. The Qgtrgit gage P ess used Just 78

picture inches, fewest of any paper in the content

analysis.

grand Rapids gzggg

The Q;gpd,§gpi1§,£;g§§,used an eightacolumn banner
and began two staff-written game reports on the first
page. Occupying most of the upper right quarter of the
first page was a five column, nine-inch deep Associated

Press wirephoto of the game.19

The granﬁ,ﬁgpi1§,£;§§§_ran 100 total inches on the
first page to 45 inches for the World Series. They ran
three staff and two wire service photOgraphs for a total

of 90 picture inches.

80 Z ar

Like the £2229. mm Erase. the W sum

293;;25 ran an eight-column banner on the football game

and 98 total inches on the first page.20

The 1a£§§23,9;1;§gg_2atrig§ ran 56 staff-taken

8etroit Fr Pres , October 9. 1966, p. 0-1,

19Gra d Rs 1 a Press, October 9, 1956, p. 37.

QOJa has 0 tiZ' t, October 9. 1966, p. 35.

 

1

69
photograph inches on the first page. the most of any
paper except the 3 t $233, Total coverage of the
game was 157 inches compared to a 51-inch total for the

World Series.

(‘5
.U(

-ate Journal

In addition to an eight-column banner, the gggpg,
gourngi gave the football game 125 of a possible 176 first.
page inches.21 A wire service report of the world Series
occupied an additional 27 first page inches.
The gggtg,ggpgpel ran nine staff pictures for a

total of 148 inches. Total coverage was 261 inches or

Just OVer two full payee.

 

All papers in this chapter devoted at least half
of their first sports page to coverage of the MSUgUM
game.

The yctroit 3233, again with a heavy emphasis on
space devoted to pictures, led all papers to total cover.
age.

All papers of the content analysis except the
Egggcit E;3§.zgi§g_used an eight-column banner for the
story. Of the 28 pictures which appeared in the papers,
all but three were taken by staff photographers of the
newspaper.

The combined total of 516 first page inches was the

a—v—W

A .
“leﬁata EQHZQRl' October 9. 1955. P- 6'1.

70
largest of any in the six-week study and more than the
combined total of both U3 and MSU in the first week of

the study.

 

geckoround

MSU scored in the last seven minutes of the game
to defeat Ohio State Lniversity, 11-8, at Columbus, Ohio.
The decision gave HSU a d-O record and Chic State Univer-
sity a 1-3 record.

UM lost 22-21 to Purdue University at Ann Arbor.
The loss gave Uh an O~2 record in the Big Ten and a 2-3
record overall. Purdue University's victory gave them
a 2-0 record in the conference and 4-1 overall.

Other college football games were the major sports

news competing for newspaper Space.

Estroit Newspapers

The Egpggit,ggggbgave MSU six columns and UM two of

the eight-column banner.22

Again large pictures were
prominent on the first page; a four-column. eight-endea-
half inch Associated Press wirephoto of the UH game
blanketed the upper right quarter of the page while a
three-column. sevenoand-a-half inch Associated Press wire.
photo of the HSU game occupied the lower left corner.

The Detroit Egg; gave UM 221 total inches to HSU's

166, but the first page was more evenly balanced at UM,

_..._._ M

22zgﬁggit Yes , October 16, 1965. p. D-l.

74 inches and 59 inches.

127 to 81, than MSU.

See

71
UM had more picture inches,

Table 3e

men?“
ingub 3

:svesarse cosurv Issues on MSU App UM
roe class or OCTOBER 15, 1966

 

*—

 

DN DFP . GRP ‘ JCP ‘- SJ T1.

lst Page Story

MSU......... 33 33 2O 25 50 161

UK.......... 36 2A 38 33 18 149
let Page Picture

MSU......... 26 22 21 27 60 156

Uﬁeeeeeeeeee 38 .51 54 28 O 171
let Page Total

MSU......... 59 55 41 52 110 317

Uﬂeeeeeeeeee 74 75 92 61 13 320
Total Story

E5U......... 85 74 84 4O 74 357

UHeeeeeeeeee 94 94 67 48 40 353
Total Picture

MSUeeeeeeeee 81 22 21 46 60 230

UMeeeeeeeeee 127 68 57 #4 18 314
Total Coverage

MSU......... 166 96 105 86 134 587

UH.......... 221 162 124 92 58 657

column head.

received 55 inches. almost identical to the proportion

The Detroit Free
UM received 75 first page inches and MSU

in the Detroit Fiews.23

MSU again suffered in picture coverage. receiving

W

only 22 picture inches in the 96-inch total coverage.

Ezesg gave both HSU and UM a tour-

UM

had 68 inches of picture in the 162-inch total coverage.

Grand

Rapids Press

The Grand gapids grass equally split an eight-column

 

23g§trpit Free Press, October 16, 1955. Pa C“1~

72
banner between the games, but the most noticeable
feature of the first page was an eight-and-e-hal! inch
picture of the Uh game in the middle six columns below
the banner.24
A staff—written report on each game was broken off

the end columns of the banner. The gran§,g§p;dg,£;g§g
gave UK 92 first-page inches, more than twice MSU'e 41

inches.

K o z
The gaggpgg,gisiggn‘z§1;1g3 carried e eteft-written

report of the UH game and an Aseeciated Preee dispatch
of the MSU gene under a shared eightecelumn banner.25
The first page use nearly balanced with HSU receiving 52

inches and UM getting 61 inchee.

The W 9.111.221 W carried 46 inchee at
MSU game pictures, surpassed only by the §£§£1.£232321
and the mm M.

W

The State Journal had the greatest imbalance on the
first page of any or the five papere with 110 inchee to
MSU and 18 inches to UN. The §tate,igggna1,wae the only
paper to give MSU a full eight-column banner.26

—-— ‘u _‘_‘ A..__A._. A

24mm min: 21331. October 16. 1966. p. 37.
25.12am mm Raisin. October 16. 1956. p. 49.
26§131§,lgn;nal, October 16, 1966, p. 6-1.

73
The §3g§g,1gpgnal,vas the only paper to give MSU

sore total coverage than UM in this game. MSU received
lBt inches to Uh's 58 inches. Both games had a staff-

written report.

Sunnggz
Excluding the State ggggpal_trom the survey, UM

received a combined total of 302 first page inches to HSU's

207 inches. Us led H33 in picture inches 296 to 170 and
in total coverage 59? to 453.

The major factor or the imbalance this week was the
coverage of the Detroit newspapers. The 933331;,Egzg,
which gave Uh 80 core inches than HSU on October 1, gave
UH 55 more inches of total coverage than HSU this week.

The petrol; zrggugzggg, which gave MSU three more
inches than UM on October 1, this time gave UM 66 more
total inches.

 

The winner of the MSU 1966 homecoming game would
occupy first place in the Big Ten standings. nee and
Purdue university were the only undefeated teams in the
conference on the day they met. Purdue University had
won four of five games during the season, losing only to
Hotre Dame university which had replaced M80 as the top
college football team in the Associated Press and the

United Press International poll the previous Monday.

72.

M33 defeated Purdue University, 41-20.

homecoming game,'defeated the Univereity of Minneeota,

49-0. The decision gave UM its first conference victory

and an overall 3-3 record.

record dropped to 2-3ul.

The University of Minnesota's

Hotre Dane University's 33-0 football victory over

the university of Oklahoma was the major sports news

competing for newspaper space.

Detroitwﬁewcpaogrg

 

Again the first page of the Qgtgois ngg gave un-

equal coverage of the two football games, giving MSU the

advantage for the first time in the content analysis.

See Table 4.

TABLE A

em "v v

NEESPAPER COLUEH qunnh

or HSU any on
FOR GAMES or oorooha 22. 1966

 

 

DH DFP GR? JGP SJ Tl.

let Page Story _

hso......... 38 45 49 A5 41 218

U3.......... 18 19 #5 19 25 127
let Page Picture

ﬁSU......... 50 23 39 23 80 215

UMe-eeeeeeee 25 32 8 17 O 82
let Page Total

MSUeeeeeeeee 83 63 8 68 121 433

m'iﬂOOOQIOOOC [3'3 51 54 36 25 209
Total Story

M3U......... 121 124 94 61 95 496

Urge e e e e e e e e e 78 52 64 38 #9 2'3].
Total Picture

MSU......... 85 71 43 53 154 406

UM.......... 89 32 12 36 11 180
Total Coverage

h3h......... 206 195 137 114 250 902

UM.......... 167 8d 76 74 60 461

75

The Detroit Egg; gave MSU an eight-column banner,
three pictures and 88 inchee of total first page coverage.
UM received a five-column heed. one picture and A} total
inches.27

The Detroit Eggg_etill gave UM more total picture
inches, 89 to 85, but MSU was given more total coverage
for the first time in the content analysis, 206 to 157
inches. .‘ ..

The Bgtzoit E;gg,£gg§g gave men a eixecolumn seni-
henner in 72 point type. A panel, containing college
football scores prevented a full banner. UH received e
two-column head below the MSU story.28

The Detroit Eggg_2;ggg,geve MSU 63 inches on the
first page to 51 for UM. MSU received more than double
UM'e total picture inches. 71 to 32 and total coverage,

195 to 8A inches.

Pres

All but eight inches of the Grnng Ragggg Eggee’ﬁ

first page was given to the two football gamee.29 MSU

 

received 88 first page inches beneath a six-column head.
UH received 54 firet page inches beneath a fouruoolumn

head.

The gzggg,gepig§ 22g§§,gave MSG 49 firet page story
inches, the most or any paper in the content enelyeie.

._.-_.
“A

w v..— _,.

27Dgtgoit Ngwg, October 23, 1955. p. Dol.

eanetggit Ezeg 222230 October 23. 1965: Do 0’1!
29 Paoi . cc, October 23. 1955. P0 37-

    

Gran.

 

76
MSU received 137 inches of total coverage to UM's 76.

Jacks n C 2 Pat

The {ackeon gitizgn Patriot gave MSU an eight-

column banner with a four-inch deep, skylined, staff—

30

written game report. A five-column head was placed

over an Associated Press game story from Ann Arbor.

The Jackson Qtttzgn gatrtot gave MSU 68 first page
inches, same as the Detrgit Ereg Egesg. UM received 36

first page inches, 15 less than the 22.2221}. E223. m.
MSU led in total coverage, 114 to 74 inches.

at u a

Including a six-inch deep picture skyline. the
m gougg; gave MSU 121 first page inches.31 UM
received 25 first page inches, nearly l/Sth of MSU'I
total.

The ﬁtgtg,123;ng;,gave MSU 154 picture inches, 80
of which were on the first page. UM received only 11
total picture inches and trailed in total coverage 250
to 60 inches.

Summagz
For the first time in the content analysis, MSU

received more than UN in first page inches, 312 to 184
in picture inches, 252 to 169 and in total coverage, 652
to 401 inches. This is excluding the Stat; itggngl_from

 

3Oggcksog gtttzgg Patrtot, October 23, 1966, p. 47.
31W. October 23. 1966. p- 6-1.

77
the comparison.

Excluding the coverage of the MSU-UM game, a week
when the two schools were not competing for column space,
hSU received its tOp coverage this week of the entire
survey. Totaling all five papers, and comparing from the
preceding week, MSU gained 116 more first page inches
and 315 more inches of total coverage.

Each newspaper increased MSU'e first page and total
coverage considerably from the preceding week, while
every paper except the §t§tg,ggggpg;,decrsased the amount
of UM first page and total coverage inches considerably.

It would appear the past 1966 performances of both
teams was beginning to affect coverage for the first
time this week. Both MSU and UM played their homecoming
games and both won by substantial margins. But MSU,
with a 4-0 record, was the only undefeated team in the
Big Ten and had defeated the next two teams in the
league's standings. on was 1-2 and along with Ohio State
University and the University of Iowa had the worst
record in the league.

The winning record of MSU apparently switched the

balance of coverage in these five newspapers.

Sande Covera * of MSU
for O obe 29 0
ac round
MSU defeated Northwestern University, 22-0, in the

homecoming game at Evanston, Illinois. Northwestern

University entered the game with a 2-3el record, but was

78
one of three Big Ten team's with only one conference
loss.

Uh defeated the University of Wisconsin, 23-17, at
Madison, Wisconsin and moved into a fourth place tie with
the University of Illinois in the Big Ten standings with
a 2-2 record. The decision dropped the University of
visconsin's record to 2-4-1.

Other competing major sports news stories included
hotre Dane University's sixth straight victory and Purdue
University's 25-21 victory over the University of Illinois.
The decision gave Purdue University second place in the
Big Ten and two more victories would give them e trip to

the Rose howl.

  

The Egtrgi1_ﬁg§§ included the HSU, UH and Notre
Dame University game decisions in an eight-column banner.32
See Table 5. Beneath the banner on the upper right
quarter of the first page was a three-column, eight-inch
game photOgraph of the HSU game.

Nevertheless, UH received 12 more inches or pic-
tures and 14 more inches of total coverage on the first
page of the :gtggit E5:

of total coverage, mainly on 33 more inches of story

    

a":

. HSU received nine more inches

coverage. The rgtggit hgwg used wire service pictures of

both games, but gave U3 as more picture inches.

4.: _... t _.
__ ‘A __.‘

3222i£2l£.§2ﬂ§s October 30. 1965, p. D~l.

79
TABLE 5

333333333 convrts 133333 03 333 are U3
302 33233 03 0330333 29, 1965

DR DFP GR? J0? SJ T19

~——— .‘v Tr .7

let Page Story

MSUeseesseee 14 21 38 55 29 157

UEsesOOOOesC 15 16 36 2Q 19 111
lst Page Picture

HSUoooeeseee 25 45 21 30 77 200

Uﬁe e s O s s s e s s 33 O 26 20 0 84

let P339 Total
I‘iSU-esseeeee 40 67 5.9 85 106 357
W .......... 54 16 62 he 19 195
Total Story
H3Us seseeese 88 82 39 56 61 325

UK.......... 55 35 72 36 54 252
Total Picture

E3U......... 50 45 21 45 77 239

W‘Eeseeeseese 7A 18 25 -AB 32 193
Total Coverage

MSUe e s s e s e s e 138 123 60 101 138 565

UEOQOOOOOOO. 129 53 98 8g 86 450

w w— W v...

The petrol: ﬁrgghzgggg,bannered MSU's game story and

ran a fivenoolumn, five-inch deep H33 picture beneath an
eight~column head.33 They gave MSU #6 first page inches
and U3 no first page pictures which boosted MSU'e first
page advantage to 51 total inches.

Uh received a two-column head and 16 inches of the
game story in the lower left quarter of the first page
while Retro Dame University received a two-column head
above the fold in the upper right quarter of the first
page and 13 first page inches in the Egtgpit 2333,23135.

From the preceding week, the 23332i3'_g_1 decreased

”W. October so. 1966. ,. c-1.

80
333's first page coverage from the preceding week, but
decreased Ux'e same covera3e by 35 inches.
The Estroit,:§3§ gave both HSU and UK their least
total coverage in the survey. The Eetrgig E;gg,2;ggg
gave U3 the lowest total coverage of any paper, any week

of the survey except one week of the State Journal.

has d Pr 3

The gm m m; bennered the me game and
carried a staffawritten game story from Maiison, Wiscona
34

 

sin. The U3 report was carried in four columns or twou
column wide type screen the top or the page and a tour:
column, six-inch UH picture appeared.

An Associated Press game report from Evaneton,
Illinois was carried on the 333 game beneath a four.
column head. The‘ggggg ﬁapidg Exaggpgave UH more first
pages inches this week than M33, the only paper in the
content analysis to do so. . .

The ﬁgggi,ﬁapigg Zgggg,gave H30 60 inches of total
coverage, fewest of any paper in the content analysis
this week and hi inches less than the gaggggn,gitiggg
Eetrigt which was fifth. The gggnglggpig§,2;g§g,gave UK
more total coverage than any paper except the Eetrgit Eggg.

 

Except for a six-column head on the U3 game story

Just above the fold, the tap half or the gachsog Citizen

34W. October 30. 1966. p. 25.

81

Eetriot'g first page was filled with a HBU report. Two
Associated Press stories appeared on the :88 game, one
a three-inch deep skyline beneath an eight-column banner.35

hire service photographs and stories were used for
both games, and a five~column, five-inch picture on the
KSU game appeared in the upper half of the first page.
223LEER,P%I£2EI gave MSU 55 more first page
story inches than Uh.

The ﬂecksog gigizgg gatriot was second only to the
Eﬁg£§,gg3§agl,in total first page coverage given to ESU

The

 

and gave more than twice the first page coverage than the

pgtroi; hers.

gtets Journz;

For the fourth straight week, the §j§§g,ﬂ:mu;§QL
gave MSU more than 100 inches or first page coverage.35
The gtazg,igurns; used 77 inches of first page wire
service pictures, sore than double any other paper except
the 22%: 21; m gregg’g A6 inches. Neither the mm

W or the LEM Mme; used a U?! photograph on
the first page.

Hotre Dame University received a five-column head
and 14 inches of wire service copy placed above Uh'e
fourvcolumn head and 19 inches of staff-written story.
Hotre Dame University also received a fiveninch, three-

ooiumn wirephoto on the first page.

 

ssggcgggg Citigeg £3t;igt, October 30. 1966, p. 45.

 

82
The State Journal gave UN 54 inches or story which
was one behind the Detroit sees and 13 behind the Grand

panic; Press. The gtate Journal's coverage of UK was
surpassed only by the Betrgit Hess and the Spend gapids

 

1rr~

moU received more total coverage than UH in every
paper of the survey except the 2&231.Eﬁ£$££.221§i0
Excluding the £333; Journal, MSU received #27 inches of
total coverage to 364 for on.

UH received its fewest first page story inches,
picture inches and total coverage or the entire content
analysis. Except for the picture coverage in the 235:2;1,
Eggs, UM would have received its lowest total coverage of
the content analysis.

Uh's decline in first page news coverage appears
to be the result or at least three factors. has is
approaching the Big Ten championship: Notre Dame univer-
sity's winning streak is focusing attention of the show-
down with £33 on novenher 19 and UK played its only game
during this content analysis outside the state of Hichigan.

 

 

ESU needed a victory over the University of Iowa,
the last place team in the Big Ten at that time, to

clinch at least a tie for the conference championship.

33
MGU recorded a 56-7 triumph in East Lansing, the nest
lopsided margin of victory for N33 since 1952.

U3 lost to the University of Illinois, 23—21, in Ann
Arbor to drOp to a fifth place tie in the Big Ten with
Ohio State University with a 2-3 record. The victory put
the University of Illinois' conference record at 3~2.

Other major competing sports news was Notre'Dame
University's seventh straight victory, a eO-O rout of the

University of Pittsburgh.

 

The yetrgit gene gave MSU an eight-column banner and

UK a six-column sub—banner beneath.37 See Table 6.

TABLE 5

NEHSPAPER COLUKN Inches or men Ase UH
roe Genes cs sovsrsrn 5, i966

A..__l ._ A —-

DH ‘DFP GR? JCP SJ T1.

A__.‘ ‘4

. W —~——w __ —__,_ “——

lst Page Story

Z'iSU-veee'eeeee 19 3:4 17 3a 50 154

Utf'iceeeoeeeee 23 14 17 27 13 99
let Page Picture

MSU......... 23 5O 75 22 53 228

m'foeeeeeeeee 55 0 24 13 0 97
1st Page Total

HSUeCOeeelee 42 8A- 92 56 108 382

Uf’ioeoeeeeceo 83 14 41 1+5 13 196

Total Story
2-: SU- e e e e e e e e 77 77 6‘0 49 7a 337

UH.......¢.. 100 he 97 #6 #2 334
Total Picture

2333- eeeeoeee 73 68 117 #2 104 409

Uﬁ.........o 121 18 31 13 0 133

Total Goversge
M3U..o...¢¢u 155 145 177 91 178 745
Uh......o..o 221 67 128 64 42 522

 

hovember 6, 1966, p. D-l.

83
Predominate on t11e first p333 was a siz-colunm
six-inch deep stz1f f phot03raph of th UK game. The
_;EESAZ.Z£;2 31va U3 8} first p336 inches, nea“ly double

the 42 inches alloted to 3:3. The

 

only paper in the content analysis to give 33 more first
pa;e oovorace than 333.

Th Egtroit ;;;§_3a' U3 31 inches of total cover-
age, 55 inches more than 33J. 3o otner pa er in the

content 1111"~‘ s, exceyt the ﬁrnnﬂ 311143 P3933, gave 33

 

 

more than 57 inches of total coverage.

The Entroig 2:33 3:333 hammered the 33’ story in
72 point type, ran four, two-colum wide type unﬂer the
banner and ran a five-column, fiveninoh staff photograph

38 U3 received a two-

on the 333 game above tha fold.
column head below the fold and for the second straight
week, no first page pictures.

The 31+r11t 2:2; Erq91 gave 331 84 first page inches,

ouble that of the Yetroit £213,3nd alloted only 1& first

page 120333 to U3, the lowest of any paper in the content
anal; sis excep t the Wt ggm 1 ;.

The Setyait 3233 Freeq gave 33 only 13 total picture
inoheg, 60 less than it gave 333 and about 1/7th of what
the TEtTCi

gave UK. The 3:99 3re§§ gave U3

     

67 inches of total coverage; 15% in ohes less than the

1‘ ' 716.
strait Fe

 

3’Tetr93t Prqe 3rﬁsr, Eovember 6, 1956, p. 0-1.

   

513.5331:

in)

3%
xcept for the TJU~’. game, when the school's were

Prqwe gave

each school its highest total coverage this week.39 333

not competing for Space, the Crwﬂr

   

   
 

Grln-

wae given 173 inc’ es by th Raniﬂe Frees, the most

of any paper except the Statg J 3:361. UI received 123

 

ﬁg. § '5 Q
to - ‘1 J. Kl 4.

   

inches, the moot of any paper except the
The Frwnﬂ ?nci_de 23333 Split 3 banner between the

football games and gave MSU a 92-hl first page advantage.

The diff er rence was KSU'e 51 additional picture inches.

‘1 n 73 4 ,1 .-

The 7“*%3
M

.5.

Frees used three staff and two

   

sire service pictures of F2' game on the first pa e.

Overall, the

ﬁrﬁr

.—- - -

   

Wniis Frees gave £33 85 more picture
inches tact UK and did not send e staff photographer to
Ann Arbor.

1 staff renorter attended each gene, with sports

editor Slenk Stoppeis going to Ara Arbor. UH received

37 more story inches.

 

Patric; ekylined the staff-

 

. Urn~ ‘ V A’)
written ch game report beneatn an eignt-column banner.
An associated Pres e dispatch was used for the UH game
under a four-column head. The J3 m133 Lit1333P o:

need :ire service phot03r1§ce of both games.

W

2T)
J/ﬂmm ';u‘?3u,?

\, ,;_..‘ av..c ..

Erczs, Eovember 5, 1955, p. 27.

N

0,.
c5

FdU received 11 more first page total inches and

27 total inches than UH.

State Jourgll

Everything above the fold of the first sports page
of the §§3§3.§ournal concerned the HSU game.Al UH was
given a three-column head above a staff-written story and
13 first page inches; the lowest in the content analysis
by the §§3£2.Qourna .

ISU received 108 first page inches. the most of any
paper in the content analysis. For the fourth straight
week. UH was not given a first page picture and for the
first time the 33313 Journal did not carry any pictures
on the UH games.

The 22333 Journa; gave HSU 173 total inches. the
most of any paper in the content analysis. UH received
42 total inches, the fewest of any paper in the content

analysis.

summagz

Excluding the £3333 Jouiial, KSU averaged 22 inches
more total coverage per paper than UK. H33 received 568
total coverage to UI's #80 inches.

Every paper in the content analysis except the

Detroit How gave ES? more total coverage. HSU received

 

its most combined total first page picture coverage of

any week in the content analysis except the MSU-UH game.

Algtatg Journal. November 6, 1956, p. p-1,

 

Both HF and F3" bed 2-D records at the start of
this survey. In the intervening six weeks, FSU won all
six games atzd clinched at least a tie -or tee Big Ten
champicns.ip. U? son 2, lost h during this period and
were tied fo r fifth in the LL: .en with Ohio State Univer-
sity with 2~3 records.

F33 played three of the names in this survey at
Fast Lansing ani three outside of Fichigan. U3 played
five of its six cases in Fichiﬁan.

F33 received h.375 inches of coverage in the survey
period or about 142 column inches per paper per Sunday.
This represents an averare of about 33 per cent to! a full
pass of covers pie each Sunday.

Excluding the :mt to £2; . 1 from the comparison,

F33 received 3,26A inches of total coverasc; 137 more
than BF. F33 received 1,5J9 of first page coverage or
37 more inches than ”F.

FJJ'e first page and total coverage sXpanded through-
out the survey, peaking at the UK and Purdue University
games. Ux's first page and total coverage dropped sharply
the last half of the survey cocoared to the first three

WGBKSO

”ii duel “are: n;r 1r“1:1,

 

chs was the only newspaper in the
center t analysis to give UK more to al coveraje than FfJ

and one of tee newspapers to give UK more total first

33
page coverage. See Table 7. The difference was largely
due to the usage of pictures. The £g152;§,§gﬁg,gave UK
219 more picture inches and 72 more first page picture

inches than MSU.

TABLE 7

TOTAL W"’“PAPV1 COLIII IIeI SCI I33 AND UI
I02 GuIs 03 T0333 1 T0 EO’3EL-ZBER 5, 1956

 

 

DE DFP GNP - J3? SJ T1.

A‘— #4

let Page Story

EJereeeeeee 135 195 132 235 257 105‘

U:-:.......... 154 133 211 80 155 833
let Page Picture

2:53......... 19A 213 226 179 384 1196

UXQOOQeeeeee 265 154 205 159 68 852
lst Page Total

ISU......... 379 398 403 414 651 2250

Ufgeeeeeeeee 420 287 416 339 223 1635
Total Story

KSUeeeeeeeee 571 537 406 308 A95 2317
Total Picture

M33......... 51A 305 322 301 616 2053

UH.......... 733 2&3 230 272 253 1781
Total Coverage

I3U......... 1085 8A2 72% 609 1111 4375

3 641 723 530 595 3752

Ugeoeoeeeeee 123

 

The Betroit xeve gave UK 220 inches of total
coverage four of the six weeks. The only time the Eetroit
E§:§,gave IZSU more than 220 inches of total coverage was
the week of the UH game.

Io newspaper gave YSU less first page inches than
the ?etroit gage. Eevertheleee, the: etroit Rem 3 total

coverage of MTU ranked second only to the Stat: longga .

The Tetreit Free Press shifted its emphasis from UM

89

to MSU at the midway point of the content analysis.
After three weeks, the Egtrpit E;§g_2§g§§,had given UK
#37 inches of total coverage and 206 first page inches
to HSU'e 374 total coverage and 179 first page inches.

Over the last half of the content analysis, the
Detroit §£§2,£;g§g|did not give UH over 84 inches of
total coverage. During the last two weeks, the Betroit
£2§g_£;g§§,did not give UM a first page picture.

As a result, for the content analysis, the hgtrgit

Free Press gave KSU 201 more inches of total coverage

 

and 111 additional first page inches than UK. The
getroit £ggg_2;g§g gave Um less total picture inches
than any paper in the survey.

The ﬁzggg,ﬁaoi§s 233;; gave exactly the same total
coverage to £30 and UK but along with the ggtrgig £333
was the only paper to give UK more total first page inches.

The £3331 Rapigg 223g; gave ESU one full banner.
the fewest of the five papers. They began two MSU game
reports and two KSU game photOgraphs in the upper right
quarter of the first page: both the fewest of the five
papers.

The gaggg,ﬁapiﬁ§ Egggg‘began three UH game reports
and four U3 photographs in the upper right quarter of
the first page, the most of any of the five papers.

The ﬁggn1_nﬁoid§ Egggg was the only paper to give
more first page story inches and more editorial column

inches to UM than MSU.

90
The grang,Rapid§ ggggslgave the most UM total
coverage of any paper except the Qgtroit ﬁggg and the
least MSU coverage of any paper except the geckson

Citizen gatrio .
,The Jackson Citizen gatriot, which has less than

 

half the circulation of any other paper in the content
analysis, gave MSU coverage advantage in all sixcate-
gories. They gave the most closely balanced coverage
each week of any paper. Although MSU received 59 more
inches in total coverage during the content analysis,
neither school received more than to total coverage than
the other any week.

The Jackson Citizen Patriot did give MSU the upper
right quarter story position all six weeks and four full
banners. MSU received nine first page pictures above
the fold, more than any paper except the ﬁlgtg,ggurna .

The §2a33_gournal, as might be eXpected, heavily
slanted the balance in favor of MSU. The gtgtngourna;
gave MSU nearly double Um's total coverage and almost
tripled the first page coverage. The gtgtg Journal gave
the most MSU coverage in five of the six areas measured
(first page story, first page picture, first page total,
total picture and total coverage). The exception was
total story inches.

Eevertheless, the §£§£2 Journal's UM total cover-
age was comparable with any paper in the content analysis

except the Detroit News and the Grand Rapids Prgs .

91
Qonglusions

The results of this content analysis indicates the
Qgtroit Eggg,and the ggagg'napigs Egggg'favored UK in its
coverage, the {ackson Citizen Patriot was fairly balanced
in its coverage, the Detroit Eggs Erg§g_f1uctuated in its
coverage and the gtaggligggngl,was heavilybalanced
coverage in MSU's favor.

In view of the teams' respective records during
this survey, it would appear there is a bias for UM
within the Detroit Eg3§_and angg,Rapid§ Egg§§.sports
department. Each paper, both in quality and quantity,
favored UH in its coverage.

The ﬁtgtg Jgurnal, which obviously favored MSU
gave them 113 more story inches than UM, but 363 more
picture inches. 0n the first page, the ﬁtatg gougga; gave
MSU 112 more story inches, but 316 more picture inches.

The Estroit Eggs gave UM 31 less first page story
inches but 72 more first page picture inches, and 66 less
story inches overall and 219 more picture inches. The
grang’Rgpigs ﬁreﬁghgave UH 42 less inches of pictures and
42 more inches of story. However, this difference was
largely due to 86 additional MSU picture inches given the
last week of the survey.

The Jackson Citizen gatriot presented a fairly
even balance on the first page and total coverage. MSU
received the bulk of coverage from the paper, but this

could be explained as a result of the game performance

92
of each team. It could be expected that in reverse
circumstances, the Jackson gittzeg Patriot would balance
its coverage in favor of UM by about the same margin.

The Detroit Eggg_2§g§§ apparently had an initial
bias for A but was willing to shift its coverage accord-
ing to how well the teams perform. Whether UM's losing
record was the reason, UM was nearly eliminated from the
first page of the pgtroit Eggg,££§§§,during the last
three weeks of the content analysis.

The gtgtg Journal was mainly concerned with covering
MSU. We could assume this would be true deepite the
team's record although obviously this content analysis
could not provide such evidence as proof.

However, the ﬁtgtg.Journa1 did not entirely
neglect U3, providing staff coverage of each game.

Considering the circulation of the papers involved
in this content analysis, and the amount of coverage
each paper gave to MSU, considerable information on the
MSU football game was available to the majority of people

living in central western and southern Michigan.

CHAPTER V

DAILY EDITION CONTENT ANALYSIS
OF SEVEN'MICHIGAH NEWSPAPERS

W

This chapter is designed to examine the amount,
character and source of HSU news appearing in seven
Michigan daily newspapers.

The period examined includes Tuesday, September 27
to November 7, 1966. Excluding the Sunday editions, which
were considered in the preceding chapter, 36 issues of
each of the seven newspapers in this content analysis
are examined.

A week, in this chapter, is considered the six-day
period from Tuesday to the following Monday, excluding
Sunday. Six of these periods are included in the content
analysis.

This span is used because the bulk of material
which appeared in the Monday sports pages of the seven
dailies about MSU athletics reflected on events which
occurred the preceding week.

In addition to the five newspapers considered in
Chapter Iv, this chapter includes an examination of the

Me. eats: Em and the has assassin Tana Sports vases-
Neither the Ann Arbor or the Iron Mountain daily has a

93

94
Sunday edition or regularly sends staff reporters to the
MSU football games. The gpn_£;pgg_nggg,sent a represent-
ative to the 1966 MSUoUM football game. Otherwise, both

1 from a wire

dailies used a Monday weekend review story
service as their coverage of the MSU games..

Each newspaper in the content analysis is evaluated
individually in the first part of this chapter. Results
show how much and what kind of MSU coverage appeared
each week in each of the seven newspapers and how the
coverage varied between weeks of the content analysis.

Individual articles and pictures are enumerated
which can be traced to an activity of the 810. .This group
includes stories written about topics discussed at the
MSU Monday press luncheon; profile stories on individual
MSU athletes and coaches; feature pictures and stories
originated by the $10 and material issued in $10 releases
prior to publication in the newspapers.,

Editorialized sports columns of comment are discussed
in order to evaluate the written attitudes of the news-
papers towards the MSU athletic program.

The purpose of this chapter is to evaluate how much
MSU news appeared, what kind of news appeared, how the

newspapers treated the news and what role the 810 had in

supplying the news. Again, coverage of UM's athletic

 

_7_

1Hereinafter referred to as weekend review. Each
Monday during the content analysis the Associated Press
transmitted a story which recapitulated the results of
the football game played the previous Saturday.

95
news is used for comparison.

D l C v a e 0 MS w
Se tember 2 ~November

Detroit Eews

Unlike its Sunday coverage which gave MSU and UM
more total picture inches than any daily in the content
analysis, the Qgtrgit Eggg_did not run any pictures on
MSU or UM during the first two weeks of the daily survey.

For the entire six weeks, the petrol; ﬁggg,gave UM
29 total picture inches; less column inches than the one
UM-Purdue University game picture which occupied the

first sports page on October 16, 1966.2 See Table 8.

TABLE 8
COLUMN INCHES 0? MSU AND UM IN DETEOIT Eﬂlﬁ

FROM DAILY EDITIONS, EXCLUDING SUNDAY,
more SE?TEI-‘iBER 27 to HO‘J’EI—EBER 7. 1966

 

lst 2nd 3rd hth 5th 6th Tl.
week week week week week week

 

W

Total Story Inches
HSU.;......... 65 116 99 119 144 138 681
UHeeeeeeeeeees 65 90 80 7O 85 98 488

Total Picture Inches

KSUeeeeeeeeeee 0 O 28 30 28 36 122
UM............ 0 O 8 6 9 6 29

Total Coverage
MSU........... 65 116 127 149 172 174 803
UMeeeeeeeeeeee 65 90 88 76 94 104 517

A , A A.— _‘—A_. b A. A...

‘— ——.— w

._ -- A -_

aggtrcit m. October 16, 1966, 1). 13-1.

96

Eirst seek - From September 27 to October 3, the
23;;2i1_gggg ran a total of five stories about MSU on
four different days. Of the seven dailies in the content
analysis, only the Jackson, Ann Arbor and Iron Mountain
newspapers carried less MSU total coverage this week than
the getgoit ggﬂg.

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, preview stories
on the MSU-University of Illinois football game appeared.
The three stories, written by staff writer Ben Dunn,
occupied 53 of the 65 total inches allotted HSU this week
and concerned tepics discussed at the Monday press luncheon
in East Lansing.

Second Ngek - From October 4 to October 10, the
Detrgip ﬁggg carried a total of six stories on four days.
The MSU coverage was nearly double the previous week, but
still ranked fourth among the seven dailies in the content
analysis.

Larry Middelmas, staff writer, wrote a 30-inch column
of comment for the Wednesday issue comparing MSU's and
Gene Washington with UM's and Jack Clancy.3 Articles
concerning tepics discussed at the MSU Monday press
luncheon appeared Tuesday and Wednesday.

Th week - From October 11 to October 17, the
2332311,Eg1g carried eight total stories of five different
days. For the remaining three weeks of the content analysis,
a MSU article appeared five of the six days, excluding

Saturdays.

 

32etroi§ News, October 5, 1966, p. D-l.

97

Although it decreased the total MSU story inches
from the previous week, the pp;;2i3,ﬂggg,carried three
articles, representing 76 inches, on tepics discussed at
the ESU Honday press luncheon.

On Tuesday, the first MSU picture of the content
analysis in this newspaper appeared. It was a four-column,
seven-inch photograph of MSU halfback Clint Jones, taken
by a getpgit 333§_cameraman.&

Fourth Wgek - From October 18 to October 24, the
Detroig Egg; carried six HSU articles. However, MSU total
coverage was increased to 149 inches, nearly double that
given to UK. Uh‘s total coverage in the newspaper decreased
for the third consecutive week, yet remained second only
to the petroit £222,23ggg among dailies of the content
analysis.

On Wednesday, the petrol; gaggpran a 38-inch profile
on MSU roverback George Webster and accompanied the article
with a three-column, nine-inch picture of him on the
first sports page.5 Biographical material of Webster
which appeared in the article was partially supplied by
810 files at MSU.

Eifth Week - During the week of October 25 to October
31, the petrol} ﬂggg_carried nine stories on MSU for 144
inches. Both figures were the highest totals this paper

registered during the content analysis.

AQgtrgit ngs, October 11, 1966, p. 0-1.
SDgtrgit nggs, October 19, 1966, p. 0-1.

98

Sports editor Pete Waldmeir wrote a laudatcry
column of comment, 35 inches, titled ”Coach Keeps '65
Champions Up" on Tuesday.6 A 22-inch article on a tepic
discussed at the nSL Monday press luncheon appeared in
the same issue. Other articles based on discussions at
the Monday press luncheon appeared hednesday, Thursday
and Friday in this newspaper.

313th has; - During November 1 to November 7, MSU
total coverage in the Detroit H vs increased for the sixth
consecutive week.

M33 coach Daugherty preposed at the Monday press
luncheon the NCAA should hold a post season playoff among
the 16 top collegiate teams to determine the national
collegiate football champion. The Detrgit Eggs carried
a combined three articles and 34 inches in the Tuesday
and Thursday issues on the Daugherty playoff idea.

Evalugtiog - The Detroit {egg increased MSU's total
coverage as its winning streak continued while Uﬁ's total
coverage remained at relatively the same level throughout
the period. Neither in consistency or total inches did
the paper match HSU's coverage in the Detroit gzgglzgggg
or the gtape gougpa .

0f the 41 articles which appeared about MSJ, 1h
were staff-written by the newspaper. Dunn, who attended
each Monday press luncheon during the content analysis,

wrote 19 articles on subjects discussed at those sessions,

 

_— .ﬁ.

6Detroit News, October 25, 1966, p. 0—1.

99
accounting for 351 of the 681 story inches allotted to
MSU by his newspaper.

The Detroig Eggs ran seven pictures of MSU athletes
during the content analysis, one-third as many as appeared
in the Qatrgit {peg gasps. Only the Jackson, Iron Mountain
and Ann Arbor dailies, of newspapers in the content analy-
sis, ran fewer pictures on HSU than the Detrgit Eggs.

Supplying background information for the newspaper's
staff writers was the 310's chief role in its interaction
with the Detroit Eggs, The MSU office's major service
was sponsoring the Monday press luncheons and providing

biographical data on the MSU football players.

 

The Detro t Erec Press was the only daily in the
content analysis to run an article on WSU each of the 36

days examined. See Table 9.

TABLE 9
COLUMN INCHES OF MSU AND UM IN DETROIT FREE PRESS

“1» -.- _ _m n,” W‘_ . :7: .....1 ..~-~-t-- ‘ Info—-
bROn BAIL! acITIOhs, nnOLunIau gunner,

FROM SEPTEMBER 27 TO seven as 7, 1966

L. A. _. , L» L__

lst 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Tl.
week week week week week week

V - ‘ w ‘w 1,— w

Total Story Inches ‘
{SUeeeeeeeeeoe 115 142 133 120 182 253 9&5

UM............ 75 102 81 77 70 122 527
Total Picture Inches

n3u........... 45 42 33 54 35 36 245

UH............ O 11 13 17 O 29 70

Total Coverage
MSU........... 160 184 166 174 217 289 1190
WOQOOQOODOOOO 75 113 94 9h ?0 151 597

A._ i __J___i

100

3i;g§_ggg§,c From September 27 to October 3. the
29519.13. mg m carried eight HSU stories and three
pictures for 160 inches of total coverage. The newspaper
gave HSU over twice the total coverage this week as the
WM and was second only to the £519.51 3.221231
among the seven dailies in the content analysis. UM
received 75 total inches, less than half or HSU'I coverage

in the semi; Em m.

In addition to four articles on topics discussed at
the ISU Monday press luncheon, the 233:211,2;33,£12§1
carried a profile on Spartan quarterback Jim Raye. The
profile and a picture of Raye occupied 45 inches in the

Wednesday issue.7

ﬁgggpd_ﬂg§§,- During October 4 to October 10, the
Egp;gi1p£zgg,§;g§§,gave HSU 68 more inches of total
coverage than the‘ggprgi1,§ggg, Although the 139 staff-
sritten story inches were the nest of any paper of the
content analysis, the Qgtzgiﬁ,zzgg,zrgg§,dropped to third
in total coverage of HSU behind the Lansing and Ann Arbor
dailies.

In addition to four articles written around e those
discussed at the HSU Monday press luncheon, the 2313211
Ergg,zrg§plcarried a story and picture about the H30
marching band on Wednesday.8 Both the picture end the
substance of the article was supplied to the newspaper's

reporter upon his request.

T23322L1.E£22_222§§, September 28, 1966, p. 9.1,
8W. OCtOber 5. 1966, De D'le

101

Zhlzé has; . During October ll to October 17, the
2352pi1,2;gg_§;g§§ carried its lowest MSU picture coverage
“of the content analysis, 33 inches. Yet it ranked ahead
of all other newspapers of the content analysis for this
week except the §§g§g,icuggal.

Again the bulk of the week's total MSU story inches
was represented by four articles occupying 90 inches
dealing with topics discussed at the Monday luncheon.

A brief story on the MSU basketball teas appeared in
Thursday and Friday issues.

Eguztp Week - During October 18 to October 24, the
Detroit Eggg,2;g§g,used 54 M33 picture inches, the scat
it ran any week of the content analysis.

On Friday, the 233;§;§,§;§3,22g§§,ran a feature
article with a picture on the MSU soccer teas and a $10
cross country spot sports release verbatim. Information
for the soccer article and the accompanying picture were
supplied by the $10.9 The soccer story and picture, which
occupied 28 inches, was the only feature on that HSU sport
which appeared in any or the newspapers during the content
analysis.

3111h_ﬂgg§,- From October 25 to October 31, the
ngtggit,zzgg grass carried 182 story inches on MSU to
rank second only to the §£g33_goggpal among papers of the
content analysis during the week.

A wire service soccer story was used in the Tuesday

9235;911_£;gg_2;gg§, October 21, 1966, p. 9-4.

102
and Friday issues while a Bheinch combination feature
and picture of MSU cross country runner Dick Sharkey

appeared Thursday.1°

Both information and the picture
for the cross country article was supplied by the $10
and was the only feature on that MSU sport to appear in
any of the content analysis' dailies during the survey.

girth ngg - During November 1 to November 7, the
23152i§,§;gg,2§g§g carried 114 more inches of total
coverage than the 12.93.122.31 Em and 17 more inches than
the §§23e_ggg;pal during the week. The 253 story inches
which appeared was the most on MSU for any use! of any
newspaper in the content analysis.

Daugherty's NCAA football playoff idea was broken
by the 2g3;211,2;gg,2;g§§ with a 38~inch staff-written
story on Tuesday.11 in additional 22-inch article on
other items discussed at the MSU Monday press luncheon
was carried in the same issue.

Background information for MSU football players
was supplied to reporter Hal McCoy by the SIG and appeared
in profile articles on Thursday and Friday.

W - The Eogtgcit m m carried 887
staff-written story inches on HSU during the content
analysis, the most of any newspaper examined. The total

MSU story inches was 221 more than what appeared in the
ﬁgggg 12333;}, which ranked second among the newspapers

W W“

10W. October 27. 1966. p. 9-1.
112W. sovember 1. 1966. p. 12-1.

103
during the content analysis. Only the §£g13,1222221_pre-
vided acre MSU total coverage during the content analysis.
The ?§t£°1§ nge’ggg 3 carried more MSG total inches
every week than the Eggzpit,ﬁgﬁg,and 387 more inches of

‘0“

noU total coverage during the content analysis. Yet, for

the same period, the m m; m edged the Petr-gig
here by only 80 inches of UM total coverage.

K")

.1 D
ran» lipid; Press

Over half of the pictures and stories on ESU which

 

appeared in the g3; d gagidg gregg_during the content
analysis was transmitted by the wire services. Wire
service participation in 333 coverage for this period is
examined later in this chapter.

The ﬁgggghgggggg,£;gg§ ranked fourth among news-
papers of the content analysis in total 338 daily coverage.

See Table 10.

TABLE 10
COLUMN IECHES 0F MSU AND UK IN §3A38 RAngg 2&333

PROM BAILY E?ITICHS, EXCLUSINS BUHDAY,

PROM enormous 27 T0 NOVEMBER 7, 1966

w ﬂ

let 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Tl.
week week week week week week

WW—

Total Story Inches
hSU........... 78 73 113 100 73 100 537
70

Uleseeeseeeeee 60 95 47 60 73 410
Total Picture Inches

ESUOOOOOOOOOOO 23 25 13 38 32 59 191

UM............ 9 O 13 22 28 24 96

Total Coverage
M3U........... 101 99 125 138 105 159 728
UM............ 69 70 103 69 88 102 506

 

104
we - During September 27 to October 3. the

Eggng,nggid§,§;g§§,carried a total of seven MSU stories
on five different days. Its MSU total inches of coverage

ranked only behind the §§gtg,123§ggl_and the Detroit 22;;
gross during the week.

On Hednesday, the ﬁzagg,3§2i§s Eggs; carried 52 of
its 78 story inches allotted to MSU for the social2

Sports
editor Olank Stoppels previewed the University Illinoiee
MSG football game in a sports column of comment entitled
”Illinois Gould be Tough.”

gegong Wee; . From October 4 to October 10, the
ggagd_ﬁgnidg,zgggg_vas the only newspaper of the content
analysis to decrease MSU'e total coverage from the prea
vious week.

On Wednesday the grand,ﬁggid§_2;ggg ran a staff-
vritten preview story of the HSU~UM football game, I re.
port of the MSU-Oalvin Oollege soccer game and e picture
of EEO end Al Brenner holding his infant son.13 The
picture of Brenner. transmitted by the Associated Press,
was taken by the 810 feature service.

T. has . From October 11 to October 17, the
Q33g1_ﬂaglﬁg,ﬁzg§§’gavs UM 95 story inches and 108 inches
of total coverage. This was the cost inches UH received

for the week from any daily in the content analysis except
the ggn,ggbg;_£gﬁg. MSU received 18 more total inches.

__...n

12W. September 28. 1965. p. 73.
13W. October 5. 1966. p. 57.

105
the same amount of total coverage this week as appeared
in the gaohsog Citizen Fatgig .

Stoppels took his only road trip with the HSU foot-
ball team during the content analysis this week. From
Columbus. Ohio, Stoppels wrote a 25-inch pre~gaue news
story which appeared Hedneeday and a 31-inch sports column
of comment entitled "Watch Out for Woody,” on Thursday.

The column suggested that Ohio State University football

coach hoody Hayes could have his team in a spirit to
14

defeat I133.

H_ek - During October 18 to October 24, the
‘22§§3,332;§§_2§gg3,increased HSH's total coverage by 12

inches, but remained fourth among dailies or the content

 

analysis in HBU total inches for the week.

On Wednesday, Stoppels wrote a 33-inch sports column
of comment which previewed the H SU-Purdue University foot-
ball game. Ehe theme of the column was Purdue University's
incentive of a Rose Bowl trip it they defeated H3'.15 On
Thursday, the grgng_ﬁapid§ Ezg§§_ran an Associated Press

16

feature and picture on the H30 defensive backfield. The

information and picture was supplied by the SIG.

 

s eh - During October 25 to October 31, the
HSU total coverage in the Grand ﬁaplﬁﬁ.2§§§§ decreased 33
inches. UH'e total coverage increased 19 inches during

the same period.

An. ~____A_.#

::gm gag Rg21g§ngsg, October 12,1966. PI 350

’Ggapd Rapids grass, October 19. 19 56, p. 85.
. October 20, 1966. p. 43.

 

105
On Friday, a $10 release on HBO football player
Charles Thornhill was used verbatim along with an $10
picture.17 The article was the feature included in the
K30 newsletter of October 25. In the same issue, a
United Press International wirephcto of HSU tackle Jerry
west and family, supplied by the SIG, occupied 17 inches.

Sixth We h - From November 1 to Hovember 7, the 159

   

inches of total coverage was the most space the ﬁggnd,

Han . Eggs; gave to HSU during any week of the content
analysis. Nevertheless, for the week the MSU coverage
ranked fourth to the Detroit dailies and the §2§§Q,QQQ§QQL
among papers examined.

On Tuesday, a 30¢inch Associated Press report on the
Daugherty ECAA football playoff idea was carried, and on
Friday the announcement the HSU-University of Iowa cross
country aeet had been canceled due to snow appeared. Both
wire services were notified by telephone by the 810 of the
cross country meet cancellation.

Evaluation - Only the Jackson and the Iron Hountain
dailies gave HSU fewer story inches than the dread.haziia
zrggg,during the content analysis. Although the ggagd,
gapids Ezg§§,had over three times the circulation of the
Jackson Citizen gaggigt, it gave MSU only 34 more story
inches than the Jackson daily.

The Grand Rapids daily ranked third in the use of

HSU picture and picture inches in the content analysis.

17W. October 28. 1965. p. .3,

107

gpate ggggggg
Th9 £3313 TG?‘“
age of any daily in the content analysis, 331 total inches

gave MSU the most complete cover-

 

more than the second ranking Dgtroit Frgg Press. See
Table 11 0

TABLE 11

(:0me moses or? MSU we use IN 3351'?“ 191.13%
3303 DAILY EEITIOES, EXCLUDIIG earner,
more geese-3m 27 T0 Rommel 7, 1966

 

13; 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th r1.
week week week week week week

 

Total Story Inches
M3U........... 135 135 222 183 182 191 1048

In":eooooeoooeol 31 83 69 31 61 A6 321
Total Picture Inches

:‘ZSU03000000l00 71 100 75 73 74 so 473

UH............ 0 62 12 O 25 9 103

Total Coverage
HSU.....-..... 205 235 297 255 256 271 1521
UE............ 31 145 81 31 85 55 429

The §3333,£332g3; gave HSU an average of over 42
inches a day for the six weeks or about two full newspaper
columns daily.

first Weg§,- From September 27 to October 3, the
§§g£g_§ougga1 gave MSG more than twice the total inches
for the week as any other daily in the content analysis
except the m Egg-1 ﬁrm.

or the five HSU pictures used during the week. three
were products of the $10. In addition, a spot sports

soccer release was revised and used Friday.13

HEW. September 30. 1965. p. 9-1.

108

Second Seeg,- During October A to October 10, the
gtgtgbgournsl gave DE 145 inches or total coverage, 59
more inches than it gave UH for any other week of the
content analysis. €33 coverage remained at about the
some level as the previous week.

During the week the gtgtg,gournsl used verbatim e
310 spot sports soccer release on Tuesday, a cross country
release on Thursday and two $10 feature pictures including
the picture or Brenner and his son.

On Friday, the gist; iournal used the starting line-'
ups for the MSU-UM football game as a part of a montage '
with each school's pennants over the top half of the first

19 -The lineups were released in the October

sports page.
A newsletter by the SIG.

. From October 11 to October 17. the

 

c total H3O coverage. 295 inches, use the

 

highest of any week in the content analysis for any week.
This coverage was 130 more inches than the second ranking
Estroit Egg§,§;;g§,gnve ESU this week.

Four of the five Pictures used this week were issued
by the SIG, including a feature picture on tackle Jerry
West. Player profile articles were carried on HBO toot-
bsll players Charles Smith, rednesdey; Kitch Pruitt.
Thursday and west, Friday.

On Friday, the §3g32,193§ngl used a spot sports

19§3;33_£2u;3§l, October 7. 1966, p. 3-1.

109

soccer release verbatim for the Akron University-MSU gane.20
Sports editor Bob Hoerner wrote a sports column of comment
cemmending KZU center Keith Redd in the same’issus.

Epurth hash - From October 13 to October 24, MSU':
total coverage in the gtgtg,ggg§n§;,dr0pped 39 inches from
the previous week. »Uh's coverage during the cane span
decreased more than in half. The §§s§g_£pgrggl,geve HBO
256 inches of total coverage for the week, almost eight
times the amount accorded to UK.

Three of the six pictures used by the ﬁtgtg,iggzn§l_
during the week were supplied by the SIG. Thursday’s
issue carried a cross country meet spot sports release
and a box of ESE football statistics, both released by
the BIO.21 A verbatim soccer release and the football
starting lineups appeared Friday and the results of the
KEV-Notre Dame University-Eastern Michigan University
cross country nest appeared Saturday. The results of the
cross country meet was telephoned to the g3a§g,£ourna; by
the SIG.

Fift heck - From October 25 to October 31, the

   

ﬁtgtg,gourn3; carried the exact same total MSU coverage
as the previous week. Uh's total coverage sent to 86
inches. the most of any week in the §§33§,igugnal_tor the
survey except the week of the HSU-Uh football game.

A 310 spot sports soccer release was revised and

used on Wednesday and Friday while a cross country release

A _L

2OStatekJ-ournal, October 14, 1965, p. 0-1.

21

State Ton nal, October 20, 1956, p. F-l.

   

110
appeared verbatim Friday. Results of the croee country

meet, telephoned to the newspaper by the SIG, appeared

ionday.

. xtu_fceg - During November 1 to November 7, the

 
 

boosted MSU's total coverage to 271 inches.
Only during the third week of the content analysis did the
Loosing daily give M30 more story and picture inches.

The gtg§g_ggugggl carried two wire service stories
on Uaugherty's NGAA football playoff idea, but did not
comment editorially on the subject during the week. For
the third week of the content analysis, the ﬁtg;g,igngg§1,
used an Associated Press report on a topic discussed at
the MSU Nondey press luncheon in the Tuesday issue cVen
though a staff reporter had attended the same luncheon.22

A verbatim spot eporte soccer release and the root»
ball game starting lineups, released by the 310, appeared
Friday.23

Evaluation - The §3333,gourna; carried the most
stories, 78, and the most pictures, 32, of MSU during the
six weeks of any newspaper examined. An article or pic-
ture of MB? appeared 33 of the 36 days.

The £3333 gournal did not depend on the 310's Konday
luncheon as a source of news as much as the Detroit
dailies. Rather, the services of the BIO used most were

the feature pictures and the minor sports releases.

w w W"

22w ,
Pgatg gogggel. Hovembcr l, 1906. p. 3-1.

23;:333 Journal, Hovemher A, 1955: Pi D‘l‘

111

{ackgcn Citizen ggtriog
The Jacksog giggzen Patric; ran an article on M30

24 of the 35 days of the survey, fewest of any newspaper
examined, but carried more total HSU stories. 44, than

the Eeggcig Eggg. For the six week period. the Jackson
daily carried only 32 lace HSU story inches than the £5331_

£§1;¢§_£ress. See Table 12.

TABLE 12

CCLUIZJ 13-33128 0:7 ITZU A37"; TIT-“f IN J:‘z"?3"7¥ TITIZTT PiTIZICTI
ROM DAILY EBITIONS, EXCLUDING SUNDAY,
~- \ r- I -'~ vn-w ‘ -'v" vv. 9 “-- y _, I.
I‘JUL‘; 05.81 .14-");531 27 T0 1:0? 5..i:\;'-R 7. 19653

let 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Tl.
week week week went week week

__._.—.. M A

Total Story Inches
M33........... 63 79 125 92 46 99 505
“4.0.0.0000... 37 59 55 31 32 25 240
Total Picture Inches
KSU........... 0 19 0 13 O O 37
UHIOOOOOOOOOOQ o 0 O O o 0 0
Total Coverage
MSUocogoeeooqo 63 93 126 110 1+6 99 542
1131...... 000-00 37 59 55 31 32 25 240

 

The ﬂacksgg mm W picture coverage of

MSU was the second lowest total of any daily examined.
Only three HSU pictures were used for 37 picture inches
while UH did not have a single picture appear during the
content analysis.

9 3 We - From September 27 to October 3. the
Jackson daily ran a total of five MSU articles Which
appeared on three different days. Five Associated Press

articles made up the MSU story budget for the week.

112
On Tuesday, a 23-inch article on topics discussed
at the KsU Eondey press luncheon and an 18¢inch report

about the University of Illinois losing injured halfback
24

Cyril Finder appeared.

gccood rage - ruring October A to October 10, the

1'

geckos, gitizen “at 10* gave UH 59 total inches, the most
coverage it gave Uh any week or the survey. M33 received
its first picture of the content analysis from this news-
paper, a SIG photOgraph of M3? end Gene Hashington.

A 19-inoh staff-written football game preview article

25

aopeared Thursday. in Associated Press profile feature

on Tody Smith, freshman brother of HSU and Charles Smith,
appeared :Tiday.25

Third ”och ~ From October ll to October 17, the

 

Jackson daily gave H3? 126 story inches, the most for
the paper an; week of the survey. The total ranked the

paper third among dailies examined this week behind the

O+~+p T's-4mm".
2U-QJH ‘-.~J¢‘.J-.o---4—

+§~n3 4- “ye Thane-v
U-L L} -U ': '

fr
nd ;. .;.cc ,en .g,

".1

ﬂ)

 

 

 

 

Sports editor Al Cotton wrote a column of comment
Wednesday which supported Daugherty's claim that MSU bed
a strong offense and a column Thursday which or mined the
pressure on the YOU football team. I ~

-: - Euring October 13 to October 24. the

 

Pstriot gave KSU 110 inches of total

ggckson ﬁiticcn Patriot, September 27, 1955, p. 15.
25

ggckson ﬁitizen Fatriot, October 6, 1965, p. 23.

06 I ﬂ
“ chrson vitizgn Patriot, October 7, 1955. P- 19-

11}
coverage, which use over three times the total UM received.
An 18-inch Associated Press virophoto of the MSU
football defensive backfield appeared Thursday.27 The

photograph, which was originally supplied as a BIO feature,

was accompanied by a 25-inch sire service article.

On Saturday. tho slam Ellison mum carried a

United Press International report on MSU'e cross country
28

victories.

- From October 25 to October 31, cover-

 

age of EEO dropped to 46 total inches, the lowest of any
week in this analysis for the isotope gijiggn,ggtzigl.

A 23-inch Associated Press article on topics dis-
cussed at the Monday HSU press luncheon appeared Tuesday
and a 16-inch wire service pre‘gane story of the MSUc
Northwestern University game was used Thursday.

girth see; - During November 1 to November 7, the
ggpggp3_Ci§izep ggtript‘g MSU total coverage rose to 99
inches while Uh's coverage tell to 25 inches. its lowest
of the content analysis in the Jackson daily.

Associated Press reports were used for the Daugherty

3AA football playoff idea and an article about topics

discussed at the HSU press luncheon in the Tuesday issue.29

Evaluatign - The gacgggn Qitizen Patriot ran only

two staff-written stories on MSU during the six weeks, yet

h“ ..A A.‘

27EECK§QE cgtzzgg 2332123! October 20, 1955. p. 270
QBIEEEEQE CQIJEEQ ggtgggs, October 22. 19550 PO 10'
”WW. November 1. 1965- v- 1‘“

ilk

averaged only seven inches a day less story coverage than
the 2mm Essa

KSU received over twice the total coverage in the
Jackson daily during the content analysis as UK. Only the
liga,xountaig Eggs gave UH lees total inches during the
content analysis than the Jackson daily.

The distinction in the coverage of both school's was

the lack of pictures.

 

Table summaries for the Q3. £12191 ﬂog-g and the 1121

fans cannot be accurately compared to other

 

dailies in this content analysis. Both the Ann Arbor and
Iron mountain dailies ran H33 and U3 football game stories
in the Monday issues. This game coverage was considered
separately in the other five dailies of the content
analysis in the previous chapter.

Ann, “be; £243. coverage of USE was not computed
because that school is not the central concern of this
study. Figures of UM coverage are used to make the MSU
data more meaningful and to possibly uncover a bias among
the newspapers involved. As the ggatg’ggg;g§;,favored
HSU, the Ann Arbor daily favored UK.

when comparison of coverage between MSU and UK are
made in this study. the newspapers with obvious bias will
be excluded. Thus, the gtaggigguggai'g E33 coverage and
the gan,g;§g§_§g3§f UH coverage will not be included in

comparing total coverage of all newspapers examined.

115
- From September 27 to October 3. the
Agg,gzg2;,§g3§,ran six MSU articles on five days. See
Table 13.

 

TABLE 13

COLUHN INCHES 0F MSU IN THE AVE $43“
F203 DAILY EBIT IONS, EiGLUf I33 uLduAI,
FROIH 3.?be: 331i. 271:0 HOVBJL 2.333 7, 1966

 

lot 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th T1.
week week week week week week

fetal Story Inches-... 60 174 112 82 66 70 564
Total Picture Inches.. 0 93 O 0 ll . O 89
Total Coverage........ 60 252 112 82 77 70 653

 

W

The App 5.12.9.2 3333.1 used four wire service MSU pre-
game stories during the week and one Associated Press
article of a MSU football practice session. An Associated
Press weekend review article, unaccompanied by any MSU
game pictures, occupied 11 inches.30

geccnd Heg§,~ During October A to October 10, over
a third of} iSU's total coverage in the Ann A;ng,£g_§_
for the six weeks appeared. All but 8 inchee or the staff-
written M“U articles during the content analysis appeared
this week, including a 15 and 36 inch pro-game story on
Thursday and Friday respectively.

Six MSU pictures, three issued by the SIG, appeared
in the g; m 3?

On ﬁcnday, the 4:3 QFVQE News carried a hd-inch

us this week.

 

staff-written report or the MSU-UH football game, 16 inches

305mg Arbor news, October 3. 1965. p. 23.

115
of statistics on the game and an 13uinch sidebar.31 Two
.game pictures, occupying 34 inches, boosted the total
sports page game coverage to 112 inches.)2 This was the
only ESU football game during the content analysis which
the £23 ggpgg,gg§g,covered with a staff reporter.

"7?? 1%.
.ﬁ v.‘ ‘

tee? - During October 11 to October 17. HSU'I

   

total coverage in the gn;_g;3g;,ﬁgzg_was 155 inchee less
than the previous week. However, the 112 total inches
was the second most epace MSU received from the Ann Arbor
daily during the six weeks.

In addition to five HSU preview football game
stories, the Ann Arbor newspaper ran an eight-inch wire
service story on the opening of M33 basketball practice.
An 13-inch wire service report the h3U~Ohio State Univerw
sity football game, unaccompanied by a picture. nee need
Monday.33

:purth Wee: - During October 13 to October 24. the
£33,;gbg;,§ggg total coverage of MSU drapped 20 inches from
the previous week.

The Ann Arbor daily carried an Associated Press pre-
game football story on MSU, Tuesday through Friday, in.

eluding Thursday's feature on HSU'e defensive backfield.

__._ u

7

”Isidebar is a Journalistic term defined by Curtis
D. MacDougall, interpretative Veocrtins (4th ed.: New
York: The Macmillan 30., 1963), p. 5f37'as "A complete
article on one phase of a longer story, run separately.”

Saw-Lana ArbOT ‘39;ng OOtOber 10, 1966, p. 23.

33123 Arhgr News, October 17. 1955. De 23-

117
Eiith Fee; a From October 25 to October 31, the MSU
total coverage drooped to 77 inches in the 5313 mg; M.
An Associated Press wirephoto of H°U football player

34

Mike Bradley occupied 11 inches chnesday. The picture,

-the last on MS? to appear in the gen Argo; 3 during the

 

content analysis, was supplied to the wire service by the
SIG.

Eco? . During November 1 to Eovember 7. the

 

£33 Arbor Pree' total coverage at MSU, including a 13-
inch football game review article on Honday, was the
fewest inches or any paper examined except the Lrgg

fees. The Ann Arbor daily was the only newspaper

 

 

1n the content analysis which gave E3? less total coverage
this week than last week.

A SIG soccer release was used verbatim Friday and
a newsletter sport shorts appeared Monday. For the fourth
consecutive week, MSU's total coverage in the AEQIAEQQZ
£333 decreased.

Egaluegigg.- Unless two factors are considered. the
MSU total coverage. as it is represented in Table 13. may
be deceiving. Of the 653 inches of total coverage
allotted £33, 257 inches appeared during he week of the
M3U~Uﬁ football game and 185 of those inches were used as
game coverage.

The tables indicate the Ann Arbor daily gave MSU 111

more inches of total coverage during the six weeks of the

 

34W. October 26. 1966. p. 24.

113

content analysis than the Jackson Citizen Pctwiot, a daily

 

of about the cane circulation. However, the Jackson newe-
papcr gave 333 539 inches of football game coverage in its
Sunday issues.

ﬁcverage presented as KS? news during the week of

Song could have

October A to October 10 in the ﬁg; Arbor
been counted as U? news. The atypical H33 volume that

week indicates the paper's chief consideration of KSU in
that coverage was as an opponent of UK. The 523.Arbor
3333’sas the only newspaper examined whose total MBU cover-

age decreased each week following the U3 some.

Iron Hogptain Song
Of the dailies included in the content analysis, the

 

EggQDTountain 3233 was geOgraphically the farthest away
from both schools, had the smallest circulation and had
only one page for sports usage daily. Subsequently, the
total inches devoted to MSU and UK none were considerably
fewer than the other dailies studied.

nevertheless, the Iron Mountain daily carried an
MSU story 27 of the 35 days and only nine less HSU total
stories than the Petgoit Eggs. See Table 14.

7.eh - Boring September 27 to October 3. the

 

Egns carried six stories on ESU, none of

 

which were longer than 10 inches.
A staff-written report on M33 halfback Dick
Berlinch , based on information supplied in the BIO news-

letter, was used on Xcdnesday and Saturday. Berlinshi

119
played high school football at Kingsford, which is two

miles from Iron Nountain.

TABLE 14

COLUHN INCHES or P'°U AND In IN I gg_ng TiIH yE'ﬁ
N OZTHJLf’ I ICTZ, I’cmra: Ln 2"
szL: eLPILLItt 27 T0 NOVL .‘33 z 7, 1966

 

h- ___‘.

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th T1.
week week week week week week

 

Total Story Inches

#3 55 1 31 210

I:U........... 28 36 7

Uk............ 13 16 11 19 o 13 72
Total Picture Inches

I‘ESUooocooooouo O 0 0 15 O 0 15

LYT:OODCOOUCOOOI 0 o o O o o 0
Total Coverage

33*........... 23 36 43 7O 17 31 225

BIZJIOOOOOOOOCO 13 15 11 19 0 13 72

w—vr W— " —f *7

fenced ”sen ~ Boring October 4 and October 10, the
£333} o*nte n Eggg,used a total of four MSU articles on
four different days.

A “3U football practice report, filed by a campus
string ger, appeared on Tuesday and Thursday.

”bir been - During October 11 to October 17, the

   

L;gn_i cunt sin glgis gave 26' SU nearly four times the total
coverage it accorded UH.
On Friday, a sevenoincb Associated Press article on

"3U'B Opening basketball practice and a Staff article on

Berlinski appeared. JJ The Berlinski article was based

on information released by the 310.

A A ...-—

lelon ?onntein;ﬂenﬁ. October 14. 1955! p. 8'

120
r - During October 15 to October 24, the

 

 

Egg§,gave HSU its most total coverage for
any seek in the content analysis. The 70 inches or total
coverage was only 12 inches less than what appeared in the
Eoth of the two H80 pictures which the Iron Mountain
paper used during the survey appeared this week. A.nevs-
paper staff photograph of Berlinski was used Wednesday and
a BIG feature picture or ESU football player George Hebster
appeared Thursday. The hebeter photograph was transmitted
by the Associated Press and received 11 inches of space.36
An article on Berlinski appeared Wednesday and
Friday. The longest HSU story of the week was a 15-inch
Associated Press feature on the MSU defensive backfield

which appeared Thursday.37

rgrgg wgeg ~ From October 25 to October 31, the
L;23_§gg§$gin_ﬁgg§_gave MSU its lowest total coverage
of the content analysis, 17 inches. UK did not receive
a picture or article during this period.

An HSU football practice story, filed by the campus
wire service stringer, was used Wednesday, a sport short
from the newsletter was used Friday and a two~inch week-
end review by the Associated rrese appeared Monday.

gigth peas - During November 1 to Hovember 7, the
[.1311 total coverage in the I323 W m; nearly doubled

  

: W , October 20, 1966. De 15o

121
from the previous week.
As Associated Press report appeared wedneedsy on
MSU's upcoming basketball clinic along vith a football
practice story featuring Berlineki'e promotion to first
string halfback and a preview article on the HSU-St. Louis

University soccer game.33

Evaluation - The I;gp,§gggtain,§ggg,eppeared most
interested in their local boy on the MSU football team.
Five of the articles and one of the two pictures used
concerning MSU during the six weeks was primarily about
Berlinshi.

Although both schools received aparce coverage. the
Eggn,rgqp§gig ﬂgzg,was the only paper examined, beside
the §§g§g,igprna; which gave HSU at least twice the total

coverage as UK every week.

 

 

For the six weeks, ESU received 5.662 inches of
total coverage. This averaged for each of the seven
dailies, about 135 inches a week or 22% inches s day.

Every daily in the content analysis gave HSU more

total inches of coverage than UK for the six weeks, except

the Ang,drbor ﬂees. The §§gtg gougpal, Qgtggit.£;gg
meaeeamaenmseammmwm
gave MSU at least twice the total inches as each gave UK.

T—

38W November 2. 1966. p. a.

122

Excluding the ﬁtatg,ggugnallg’M3U coverage and the
§;3,§;ggz’ a ' UH coverage, HSU received 4,141 total
inches to 2,361 for Us. MSU received 1,780 acre inches
than UM in the six dailies during the six weeks or an
average of 50 additional inches a newspaper a week.

A ESU article appeared, on the average, about five
of every six days for all seven dailies. Saturday, the
day of a football game, was the most frequent time when

a MSU article did not appear.

 

For the six week daily survey, a significant amount
of coverage afforded H33 was moved by the wire services.
See Table 15.

At least one Associated Press article appeared in
one of the dailies 30 of the 35 days surveyed, A united
Press International diapatch appeared in at least one
newspaper on 15 different days, about half the frequency
of the Associated Press.

The 13.29. W W was the only newspaper of the
content analysis which did not have the United Press Inter-
'national service. Although it was available. the Qgtggiﬁ
Egg; did not use any united Press International copy at
MSU during the six weeks.

In the dailies examined. five times as many stories

and pictures by the Associated Press of H36 were carried

as the United Press International. Over 87 per cent of

123
the total wire service inch coverage of E33 for the six
waeks in the dailies examined was transmitted by the

Associated Press.

..T .
TiBJE 15

‘ gJJE III in, BAIL” ”3J31A73
TI ‘;‘ 1'7 Ma f»? .5' -..:.:PAFE.- .3
27‘JQV": E? 7. 1966

 

333 app GR? J3? 83 153 IMH T1.
Daya Tunnln3 Story
if... 0 0 Q o E.- 7 19 19 11 25 23 3'3
J1. A... 0 2 2 7 a 5 0. 1‘5
Total Storiea
59.... 6 8 27 23 15 34 29 143
UFI O 3 2 8 5 6 .. 2h
Total Ilcturea
A? 0.90 1 3 5 1 2 3 1 17
3:1... 0 0 3 l 0 0 so a
Total Story Inches
AP...¢ 39 36 23k 39 209 335 199 15A9
u..Iooo Q 1% 11 70 SO 53 o. 203
Picture Inches
AP.... 35 2? 7? 1% 51 33 11 262
U31... 0 O 3 15 0 0 o. 53
Total Inverage
APoQoo 73 63 353 41* 250 hzﬁ 210 1311
PI... 0 14 43 35 5) 3 o. 256

a‘Q-R ‘ u. _ Q
aware viationa fur tqe table h»e gain 33 include: BB,
lggrcit Wars; 7333?. ;,;:Z;Lf. .1111} .._'”.,;‘.“; 31?", 334211 ”H.133
’ I . - i'?‘ ‘ 1'

 
    

a; L)!.

    
 

T10. Total

 

aﬂkrr’ lug“ 1‘7“"V‘ 3.3.7:: I "’

”.6

of all news9naer3.

Senerally. the smaller the dailies' circulation in
this content analysis. the higher preportion of wire-to-
ataff coverage was uﬂea. Ugly the G93nﬂ 339163 Ezggg
among the large circulation dailies carried a high percen-
tage of wire copy on Kin. Cf that newsyaper's total 333

GOVeraqe for the six weeks, nearly half was supplied by

124
the Associated Press and over half was supplied by both
wire services.

Jackson Citizen Eatrigt need 499 inches of wire
service copy among its 542 inches of total M33 coverage.
Despite the 91 inches of staff-written copy during the
"f

week of the ESU-UM football game. the A§3_A§ggg ¥cte

       

used #82 inches of wire service copy among its 653 inches
of tota H33 coverage.

.All but five of the 3A HSU sports stories appearing
in the L;;g_?o§gtcig zg:§,wcrc transmitted by the Associ—
ated rresa. Of the 225 HSU total inches during the six
weeks, 210 inches were taken from the Associated Pros: wire.

The combined inch usage of wire service copy about
HSU in the seven dailies examined increased markedly from
216 and 197 inch coverage for the first two weeks of the
content analyaia respectively. Every other neck. more
than 250 inches were used from the wire services with
peaks of 415 inches for October 11 to October 17 and 373
inches for Eovember 1 to November 7. [A

For the six weeks, the following totaie indicate the
amount of wire service coverage compared to overall total
inches: 172 of 330 stories; 21 of GA pictures: 315 of 1235
picture inches and 1,752 of 4,461 story inches. Except
for the number or stories, which is about half of the
total, wire service material represents about a fourth of

the MSU total coverage.

125
A stringer,39 usually a MSU undergraduate student.
is recommended by the SIG upon request for the wire acr~
vices. The stringers are cchcted to file stories about
practice sessions during the football season and to tele-
phone results of the H33 hone minor sports contests. In
addition, each stringer is invited to the Honday press

luncheon.

 

In .'.'.'T_.7 E.‘->_i__l;,' ”Jove-he‘s

Curing the content analysis, the MS? soccer team
compiled a 7-0-1 record, winning all five gases played
at home. The cross country team compiled a 4-1 record
during the same period, winning all three home meets.

respite the winning records, the soccer and cross
country teens were virtually i gnored in the seven dailies
examined. See Table 16.

The total coverage of the USU soccer and cross
country tes.m includes m.eterial tr ion appeared in both the
daily and Sunday issues of the newspapers in the content_
analysis. The few inches on the ISU minor sports which
appeared in Sunday issues, were not counted with the total
MSU football coverage. Consequently, that data is

recorded in this chapter.

Ecither the Ann grbgr yegg or the 1:03 youngsia‘ﬂggg

 

3QStringer in n Journalistic term defined by Chilton
R. Bush, lesser tin? and Usoorti;e FUJI c c (New
York: Chilton Sock 60.. 9-5 , p. 55o as a part-time
correspondent for a newspaper or news agency."

 
  
 

    

126
carried an article on the MSU creel country team during
the nix weeks although cash used a two~inch 3330 report
of the USU-St. Louis University tic.
The §t§5§_ggnzg§1,provided over 60 per cent of the
total coverage of both HS? minor apartl. Of tho 237

inches which appeared on both sports during the six wackl.

the State igugngl,used a combined 144 inches on the two
Sports.
TABLE 16

Ho execs spears COVERAGE IR.
3svsn szoxxeis sswspnrecs
SEPTEMBER 27-novssssa 7. 1966

__._...__ __._‘__ .9

 

w W 1v

 

 

 

 

D

A.

Croc- Gountry Sooocr'
3‘11, Stories and Pictures Stories and Picture!
Inchel and Inches Minoncc , and Inch.-
sa‘ 8 31 o o 14 34 e 29
DP? 2 28 i 9 4 28 i 10
CUP 1 2 0 O 1 # 0 0
JO? 1 3 O 0 1 1 O 0
DH 1 3 O 0 1 1' 0 O
ALE O O O O 1 2 O 0
RN 0 O O O 1 2 O 0
Total.. 13 67 1 9 A 23 122 3 33
Source A‘ KM“
AP 1 2 O O 5 11 O 0
UP! 1 3 O 0 2 6 O 0
$10 5 20 1 9 8 39 2 25
Star: 6 42 o 0 8 66 1 it
Total.. 3 67 1 9 23 122 3 39

p

 

adbbreviations for this table include: so,m

: DFP. W3 esr,o
3 , c 0 U H,
Aghgz_ ; gggnfgin ,Aesociatcd Prone;
rnat anal;

UPI, En ted Press Into IO, AMichigan State
university Sports Information Office: Staff: a represent-
ative of each individual newspaper in the table.

127
About 33 per cent of the total inches which appeared
in the seven dailies examined on both MSU minor sports

were SIG releases, used verbatim or slightly revised by

"1
1 J

the newspaper. A photograph of the ho- eoceer team, taken

1‘
\.

by the ctat; was the only picture on either Sports

 

uring the six weeks that was not a product

C‘u

which appeared
Of the SICe

algae was the only daily examined

 

g'.~'v

which carried a feature story on both mo- minor sports
teams dur n; the 811 weeks. he feature wire service
stories on either ESU team appeared in the seven dailies
during th same period.

'57

All dailies examined except the ‘ have shared

 

C1.)

3 inches of ESU pre-eeaeon basketball cepy. Both the

   

7

  
 

."‘,..
Q l'

ggg;;§_:rg§§ gave the most

KSU basketball coverage with two articles for 16 inches

state goggrgl and the

and one picture for 13 inches. Of the 11 basketball
stories which appeared, 6, representing 42 inches, were
transmitted by the Associated ?reec.
Tmsz:

Including a three-inch State article on the

   

ﬁfeq

eeU fall intrasquad golf tournament, #3 total stories.
six pictures and a combined 323 inches of total coverage
appeared in the seven Zichigan dailies for the six weeks

on EJU athletics other than football.

CRAFT E3 VI

n CHIGAN DAILY SPORT EDITOR'S REACTIOH
TO 810 AND MSU ATHLETICS

Qggztg; Plgg

This chapter is designed to examine the personal
views of Michigan daily newspaper sports editors toward
HSU athletics and the $10. The presentation of the study
thus far has been a concentrated view of selected newe-
papers during a specific period. To evaluate the 810
fully, it is necessary to consider as many different
dailies in the state as possible.

Since a content analysis of the 5} English language
dailies in Hichigan over an extended period would be in-
practical. the author utilised s written questionnaire as
the basic measure device of those newspaper not examined.

As has been noted, a single page questionnaire and
a self-addressed, stamped envelope was mailed with an
orplanatory letter to the sports editor of the 53 news-
papers. See Appendices A and B.

The aim of the questionnaire was to obtain each
editor's subjective appraisal of the coverage his paper
gave HSU, his estimate of the services offered by the $10
and his evaluation of the SIG.

Quantitative and qualitative results of the returned

128

4‘

129
questionnaires is presented in three sections. For
clarity, each Michigan daily is grouped by circulation as
large, medium or small. These categories consist of large.
20,000 and above daily circulation; sodium, between 7,000
and 20,000 daily circulation and small. up to 7,000 daily
circulation.

In-depth interviews were conducted with represents-
tives of each newspaper considered in the content analysis
except the 1;2p_xoupt§i3 Eggs. The purpose of the inter-
views was to amplify results of the questionnaire and to

obtain suggestions for improvement of the 310.

 

Of the 13 daily newspapers in Michigan with circula-
tion over 20,000 daily. 14 sports editors replied to the
questionnaire. Included among the respondents were the
six largest circulated dailies in the state.

The dailies which participated include: 233:311_E§3§,
limo mmmmm.mm.
mwtzm quamia wmmmm
www.mmm.mm
Mmdmwm. Themgﬁmretumed
a partially completed questionnaire while others failed

to answer one or two questions.

Egactieg tg govgrage
or the 11 replies, seven editors reported his paper

regularly covered MSU athletics before the university

130
entered the Big Ten in 1948.

Each of the 13 sports editors who answered said his
paper's coverage of H30 sports has increased since he has
been sports editor. Unanimously, the sports editors said
"readership interest” was a cause or the increase. 0:
those who chose a combination of factors, seven editors
added “success of Spartan teams," five said "increased
page space," and four added ”local athletes on the KB'
team.”

During a typical year, all 13 sports editors who
answered said they write at least one sports column of
comment of H33 athletics. Five editors replied that each
writes at least 20 such columns during a typical year.

Each of the 13 who replied agreed his paper gave
football more complete coverage than any other X33 sport
because he said football was the major collegiate sports

interest of readers in his circulation area.

 

Except for the'gg;3_£2;§g_mine , the 13 respondents
said the 310 should not increase in number or frequency
the mimeographed releases. The Port Huron paper requested
more feature stories on MSU athletes from its area.

Asked if he thought he would use 810 features on
all athletes from his circulation area, 12 replied "yes.”
The Detroit £223. Eggs and M slap igg H223 replied that
their only interest is in those athletes who make a alga

nificant contribution to the team's success.

131

Only the Grand Rapids and Pontiac dailies said they
ever print the SIG releases verbatim. (The results of
the previous chapters indicate the releases are used
verbatim occasionally in other newspapers.) or the 12
remaining responses. three said they changed releases
slightly to agree with the paper's style while nine said
they use releases exclusively for background information.

The Wet ms: W 93112.12. Baum. Ellis.

.3315. W and 222:1 2222a uses "quested more infer-—
nation on the MSU minor sports teams. The remaining 10

editors said they did not want additional information on
those teams. Five qualified their answers with “except
if there is a local athlete on the team.“

Asked if they thought the SIG gave preferred treat-
ment to large dailies, eight said no; three said yes and
three said "no comment.”

Information on local athletes was listed by four of
the 12 respondents as to what is the 810's most helpful
service. Other items mentioned included: team brochures,
press her service, team statistics, column ideas and

baseball game reports filed during the spring southern

tour.

 

Asked how the see office ranked with others in
Hichigan, four said it is the best SID in the nation and
five others said it is the best in the state. or the five
who did not specifically rank hSU as the best in Kichigan,

132

the answers included: “tapflight." ”very high,” ”one of
the test," and ”tapnotch except in area of localized
features." 1

Half of the 14 respondents replied "nothingI when
asked how the 810 at MSU could be improved.

One of the satisfied sports editors was Doug Mintline.
glint surnal, :ho wrote:

The MSU sports information director has set a
pace second to none in the country. What isn't
offered quickly is taken care of on request. The
press box Operation is and always has been super.
It is true that MSU has been blessed with many
'news' personalities among its coaching staff and
it’s also true outstanding Spartan records make
news more useable. Still. the personalities and
records are enhanced by an 810 staff with imagine.
tion and initiative. Stabley and Vista in
particular have made my Job easy.

Bruno Kearne, sports editor of the gontiao es ,
said he could recommend no improvements for the $10 and
commented:

It has always been my Opinion that KSU'I
sports information department is the best to be
found locally, statewide or nationally. Every news-
paper or sports staffer, regardless of size of
paper, is treated fairly and any request for sports
information or assistance is given first class
consideration. Unlike many other institutions or
teams, Fred Stanley has made the entire state of
Michigan his 'circulation area' and not just given
locales such as Lansing or Detroit preference.

Of the seven editors who recommended changes. five
suggested changes in 310 releases and two suggested changes
in picture service.

The Bay City, Jackson, Royal Oak and Macomb newe-
papere said 810 should increase the number of lacalizod

individual athlete stories. dike Sturn, sports editor of

133
the ggz,gi§zH1iggg, euggeeted a notation should be included
at the top of all releaeee which include: information on an
athlete from hie area.

The Muekeeog Chronicle suggested the greatest im-
provement would be to reduce the number of SIC releaeee,
while the ﬁtgtgﬂlgggngl,enggeeted a different mailing
time for the releases. Bob Hoerner of the §33§g,igngn§l,
commented:

‘ Releases are now sent out in the afternoon
after we have gone to press. This means that all
radio, television and morning papers get first crack
at it. There in only one norning paper in the state.
This should be rotated, and, if not rotated. the
afternoon papers should get first shot at it.

The Bay City and Battle Creek dailiee recommended
an improved photograph service. The Battle Creek eporte
editor did not elaborate, but Sturn recommended an ”area-
pcrsonalized photo service.”

nggtionnaire ﬁgggltg
yodiun Taillﬂﬁ

Only four of the 17 Michigan newspapers with circuo
lotions between 7,000 and 20,000 daily, responded to the
questionnaire. The response represents only 11 per cent
of the papere in the category, which make knowledge of
this group less complete and the results lees valid.

Six of the dailies which did not respond are
published in the Upper Peninsula. 0f the 13 which did not
reply, eight of the dailies did not send a representative

to any of the H33 home football games during the 1966

888.5011.

134

These two factors suggest the Marquette, Hancock,
Iron Mountain. Escanaba, Sault St. Marie, Ironwood, and
Sturgis dailies have not demonstrated as much interest
in see sports as the other medium dailies.

The newspapers which responded to the questionnaire
include: gggzgrg3,g;31,§goorghasl , Owoesg argue-Eggse,
ngilsnti Erg§§,and §§§g§,g§1gp.fgihune.

Reno on "ore

Each of the four responses indicated his paper
began regular coverage of MSU athletics around 1952. ihie
was about three years after MSU entered the Big Ten.

The Epsilapti Epggg is the only reply in the currey
which indicated the hSU coverage decreased einoe the present
eporte editor began his duties. Basil Stevens, the

on 1 t Zappa sports editor, said this use e reeult of
decreased epace.

Success of the M33 teams is the only common factor
presented for increased coverage in the Owoeso, Traverse
City and Grand Haven dailies. Grand Haven and Owosso each
gave "local athletes on H33 teams“ and ”increased page
space” as combining factors for the increase. The Grand
Haven and Traverse City papers each added "readership
interest" as a factor.

done of the four sports editors said he wrote more
than three sports column of comments on K33 during a
typical year.

The four sports editors said they give football more

135

coverage than any other KSU sport because of ”readership
interest.” The Owosso sports editor added the most
influential factor in its coverage is the success of the
team, which in his judgement, reflects readership interest.

Four different answers were given to the question
whether the SIG gives special treatment to larger news—
Papers: "yes,” ”no.” ”sometimes," and "don't know." This
compares to the eight "no” responses of the larger papers

to the same question.

reactiors tgpdlo Service;

All four sports editors said the number of MSU
releases should not be increased although each said he
would use feature stories on all had athletes from his
circulation area.

Only the Greens daily said he uses the E83 releases
verbatim. The other three said he uses the releases for
background information.

Each sports editor reported a different attitude as
to the value of the SIG releases on minor sports. The
Traverse City sports editor said he wants more releases
while the Owcsso sports editor said he would "possibly“
use more. The other two sports editors said they do not
want additional releases. although the Ipsilanti,£;ggg
said he would use any story on a minor sport which features
a local athlete.

Asked which 510 service is most helpful, three

answered “information and pictures on local athletes." The

136
Geosso daily did not answer this question. Don Badoon,
Greng ?nvon Tribune sports editor, elaborated:

All are helpful in some way. Perhaps the
least helpful is the statistics when you don't have
any local athlete to follow on the team. fhe in~
formation ERU has sent me on the hometown boys or
my area coverage has been the most helpful.

The sports editor knows his limitations as to
space. The newspaper is paying for wire eervioeeec
they cover much the same ground as the snorts infer.
nation office of MSU. This I must use first. Then
I may glean a feature story---some detailed statistic
or information on a local athlete at MSU from the
weekly handouts-o-sonething that the wire service
will not give us. Information on the local athlete
I will use above all else--¢including the wire
service. A swell town never covers the local angle
to its utmost.

‘ ¢~rstionc for the SIG

 

Asked to rank the SIG at ESU with others within the
state, two Sports editors said it is the best while the
others replied "excellent," and "good."

All but one of the cports editors had no specific
recommendations to improve the SIG Operation.

.c, commented, "I feel

 

Lucky Gadd, Geossg
that the E33 office does an excellent 30h non---but, of
course, even the best can be improved. fhe treatment of
the press box meal, etc., is outstanding."

Beacon concluded:

In the 15 years we have covered HSU, the sports
information program has constantly been improved. I
am satisfied that they have been and are the best
sports information department in the United Staten.
The attitude is always 'what can we do for you; not
what can you do for us.’ The MSU attitude all down
the line is one of sincere helpfulness.

137
Ougstigggoirg Rgsqlggl
‘Vv- a“; {'a J! "‘

A third of the 18 daily newspapers in Elohigan with
circulations less than 7.000 ﬁaily replied to the question.
naire. Cf the 12 who did not respond, five-~ths Green-
-ville, Kanistee. Hencminee, ?*eyboygnn and Big Rapids
dailies-edid not send a representative to any of the XSU
home football games during the 1965 season.

The six newspapers whioo responded to the question-
Lueinogon 3311-
glbion EVening ﬁéccrggg and tho Eowooiac EELLI.E§E§0

  

naire include: E: veto" raw:

‘75”161’3,

 
 

   

Got 1 ol-Ptanﬂ

 

V‘ 9‘ ‘V ..
éﬁﬁﬁtggl to \cvorzgg

 

Generally, the large dailies began coverage of MSU

thlctico before the university entered the Big Ten while

p

the medium dailies began coverage inmodiately afterwards.
Reoults of the questionnaires indicate there was little
unity among the small dailies.

Sports editors of the ilEion frorinﬁ Teoorggr and

 

   

the TPhiﬁ
. nun m

PH! Vent‘rpl-C

W

(1’
f)

-n§:rd asserted their papers
began regular coverage of 333 Sports before 1940. The

Newou?cview began ESU

 

coverage, according to the sports editors, just after

ESU entered the Big Ten. The began

 

In no...

complete up” coverage in 195% while the sports editor of

tho Lugiggtog Qgigl’ﬁegs said his paper has not or does
not ccvur M33 sports regularly.

138

Of the four replies, all said coverage of MED in
his paper increased since he began. As combination
reasons for the increase, three said "readership interest,”
and two each said "local athletes on MSU team,” "success '
of M33 teams," and ”increased page space."

Asked how many sports columns of comment he wrote
during a typical year, two sports editors said ”none"
and two did not answer. The others, Eick Danes of the

; din~+ ; nail: Hess said he had written "three in my six

   

months on the Job" and Fred Lovelace of the Pstoskey
daily, estimated he writes 52 during a typical year.
Four Sports editors said they give football more
complete coverage than any other MSU sport because of
"readership interest.“ Only the Ionia and Ludington
sports editors, among the 2A respondents, listed a sport
other than football as tap MSU coverage. Fred Kidd.

coverage by season is about equal. Danes said basket-

Se.t nel-Standagd, said his paper's HSU

 

ball is given more coverage because of local athletes
involved.

Asked if he felt the 310 at MSU gave preferred
treatment to large newspapers, three sports editors said

"no,” two "yes.”

”IO "
s. :3

 

All six sports editors said the number of SID
releases should not be increased and that they would use

feature stories on all ESU athletes from their areas,

139

regardless of that athlete‘s contribution to the team.

Five of the sports editors said they never use
office releases verbatim. Lovelace, of the ﬁgtgsggz,ﬂggg;
he -s, said he does. Asked what is the most important
part of the weekly newsletter, three sports editors did
not answer, two said "none" and one said the "statistics.”

All but one or the six sports editors said they are
not interested in additional releases on minor sports.
The Alpion Evasion 32§°£Q9£ sports editor said he would
use no more than two paragraphs on he minor sports.

The most frequent requests of the MSU sports infor-
mation office by the four sports editors was for pictures
and stories on local athletes. Two editors said they

seldom made any requests.

Suns t on or h S 0

Sports editors of the six small dailies were more
restrained in comparing the MSU $10 with others in
Michigan. Only the Dosagiac daily ranked MSG office
the best in the state. The other replies included:
"equal to Michigan", “better than most except for Central
hichigan”. "among the best". "above average”, and ”about
on a par". A I

Only one or the six responding sports editors had
no recommendations for improving the $10 of '33. The

gagggggzlygEs-Rgzigg recommended a "Honday report on

Saturday gases and a general news package for Thursday or

140
Friday releases.” The other four editors recommended
improvement of local features.
hence, of the Ludington daily, wrote:

It is probably a monumental undertaking, but
since we have limited space, most of the news we
use from the sports information office would he on
area athletes-we would like to see pictures and
information on our athletes mailed to papers con“
cerned without requesting. Also, the freshman
teams are not well represented. ~

The sports editor of the “crac.ac

 

331;! ﬂaws wrote,

"as is the case with most dailies, we use wire service
reports for as? sports coverage. The only useful function
of the MSU sports information office to us is its handling
of news of area students involved in the MSU athletic

program.”

 

 

Estroit ﬂeets
Bob Sieger, sports editor of the Eetggit Eggs said

he and his staff make a constant effort to quantitan

14",“

tively and qualitatively balance sports coverage of mo
1

and UM.

"I do not think of the schools in terms of Ann
Arbor or East Lansing," said Sieger. "I consider both
as Eichigan schools, each of equal importance to our
readers.”

Singer said a winning or losing season is a minimum

factor in the volume or consistency of coverage. "we give

M‘. .4 .___i A

1Interview with Bob Sieger, Sports Editor, Eggggiﬁ
hens, June 19, 1967.

141
each school about the same coverage each year," said
Sieger, "no matter What record they have."

ESU’s total coverage in the Egtgoit ﬁggg|hae in-
creased steadily over the past quarter-century, according
to Sieger, "This is not primarily because of the winning
records,” he said, "but because of entrance into the Big
Ten and the increase in our page space.”

Recoemendetione - Sieger sees football. and to a
lesser degree basketball, as the only MSU sports which
interest a significant segment of the Detroit ggggf
readers. He thinks the $10 at MS? provides all the ser-
vices which his staff requires for these sports.

”Fred and tick are always dependable and available."
Sieger said. "Those are the most important qualities as 1
far as we are concerned. Our requests must be filled
promptly, and they have been.”

Sieger rates the mimeographed releases equal to
any other major university's and thinks the main value is
as background information for the writers. Asked if he
thought game notes could be substituted for the preview
story form, Sieger replied "yes." He added he is not
interested in the advance stories on the minor sports
except in ”very unusual circumstances."

This author asked Sieger if the Petrcit £§3§.would
use feature pictures or storiee on the minor sports should
they be presented to a staff writer at the HSU Monday

football press luncheon. He said a good feature picture

142
would definitely be used and this was probably the best
way he knew or promoting the minor sports. A story angle
and background information would stand a need chance of
being developed for a T.uredey or Friday edition. which

is usually open to college sports, he said.

D F e ass

The operating philosophy of the Qgtroi; Ezggrggggg
sports staff, as stated by executive sports editor
George Puscas, is opposite that of the ggtrgi5,§§§§.
Puscas said:

We never try to achieve any type of balance in
coverage between Eichizan State and Elohigan or any
other competing teams. A winning team will get more
coverage both in volume and consistency than the
loser. The success or failure of a team determines
in our eyes that team's news value. About the only
time you would see a balance between Michigan and
Vichizon State in the Free Press is when both schools
have about the same kind of year.2

The results or the content analysis indicated the
233;gi£,§ggg_§gg§g is guided by this philosoohy. HSU'e
coverage increased with each victory while UH's coverage
decreased with defeat.

Puscas said MSU‘s coverage in the 22152;},Ezgg.232§g
has increased since the university entered the Big Ten.
but "primarily because of the winning records.”

Eggsnmendatiggg_- Hal Ecdoy, who covered HSU for the

Betroit Frog areas in 1965, said the 810 at ESU is the most

 

2Interview with George ?uscas, Executive Sports

Editor, Detroit Ergo Press, July 6, 1967.

143
efficient he has had contact with.3 hoﬁoy said:
I have always had outstanding cooperation from
the sports information office. All my requests
have been filled promptly. The football press box
Operation is the best in the country. I have never
seen a larger press box or better services than at
Kichigan State.
hcﬂoy said the BIO releases are used as background
material or as ideas for feature stories. He thought
releases prepared in note form would be more valuable to
him than the present game story releases.

With winning records such as KSU produced, choy
said the minor sports were legitimate copy. He said
coverage of the minor sports could be increased with

feature pictures and article ideas delivered to the repor-

ter at the honday press luncheon.

Grand Rapids Press

Clans Stoppels, sports editor of the Grand EQRLRE
Press, said his paper attempts to give equal coverage to
o: and H33 consistently.A Stoppels said:

I feel an equal number of my readers are
interested in both Michigan State and hichigan.
In a sense, most of the people are interested in
both schools. Michigan people identify with the
universities much as they do with the professional
teams of Detroit. The Detroit Lions may loss, but
sports fans in Grand Rapids want to read about them.

Steppels said a winning record might give one school

primary space in his paper, but the quantity would be

3Interview with Hal McCoy, sports writer, Detroit

?hee ?re;:, July 6, 1?G7.

&.
interview with Clank Stonpels, Sports Editor,
:1." 1: 5. :5" Jilly 6, 1957.

   

 

. I'Hlﬁ‘lllliﬂi‘l .. .

12w,

pretty much the same.

r.“ , -
Jo‘O'Jl ls

ti" 7‘, \ Yr?
“9.13.4311: .0

&

 

7"cnr\-n~r~.¢4'e*1ﬁnn
n—Vva—L~J $-‘\-U "-‘Q

- Stoppels said the SIG releases

   

'33 are usually a "good succinct report of what is

" Xe added:

I do not believe in making changes for changes
sake. Most of the releases sent by the Richigan
State Sports information office are professional

in every respect. If the story is of interest to

my readers, I have no qualms of printing it ver-
batim. However, the bulk of our material on
Kichigau State will be taken from the wire services.

St ppols said he feels the KSU minor sports are

generally of little interest to his readers. The local

angle, he said, is about the only justification for cover-

age of the minor Sports. However, he aﬁded, "a good

Q

feature picture or story, no matter west the sport, would

probably be used.”

HAL-{all

said

fang.

cally

Jourpel

 

Bob Hoerner, sports editor of the State Jo!

I33 news is the major interest of Lansing soorts

5 ﬁoerner concludes:

People in Lansing are interested in Michigan
State even more than the Detroit Lions. The winning
treéition, the exceptional athletes and reputation
of the coaches have made HSU big news. K9 matter
what type of season the team has, peeple are
interested in knowing all the inside dope on the
university. Of course when they win, there is
more to write about._

Although the State Joorse;_uees 510 releases basi-

ror background materiel, Hoerner said an occasional

5Interview with Bob Hoerner, Sports Editor, Stgtg

gogrrel, July 9, 1967.

145

H 3U release is used verbatim, most often the material is
rewritten, he added.
_fPOQ_2ﬂ50t10V3 - Noerner said the SIG at H33 18
the best Operation he has ever seen and that he sees
little room for improvement. "Te do not use the 310
services as much as some other papers," eoid Hoerner.v
"but we can count on what we might need."

Hoerner said a feature picture or article idea on
a minor sport would be used. However, he eaid, during
th e football season there is not much space for much lore

than the Spot news coverage of the minor Sports.

Jackson Citizen Potriot

 

Al Cotton, sports editor of the Jo. ____g__.__.___ks:on gm
yetriot, said a winning record probably would influence
the amount of daily coverage, but generally his paper
attempts to give HM and MSU equal coverage.5 Cotton
said:

A winning team in an important factor and in
itself creates readership interest. -evertheleee,
our paper eervee readers who are interested in both
EUU enﬁ UR, no no tter ho: tze teens perforn- Both
schools are of about equal nerre value to me .and I
trv to give or ch a fair amount of Spice. But, with
limited manpoeer and space, there are timee when
you have an either-or choice. In that situation,
you have to go with the winner.

3 - Cotton said the "EU football press

 

box Operation is the most efficient in the Big Ten and

the general SIG services are the best he he s seen. He

...—— *h A.

I"
oInterview with Al Cotton, Ugorto Féitor,
Patriot, July 5, 1967.

     

145
said the SIG releases, although well written, have little
value to him except as background material.
Cotton said he believes the key to minor sports
coverage is the wire services. Ea said:

Test newspapers in the state do not have the
staff, time or money to cover a university daily with
a staff writer. The bulk of our football coverage is
wire service copy. If we do not use a staff writer
for daily football coverege, then it is less likely
we would use a staff writer for the minor sport
teeos. A winning team, however, creates c certain
amount of excites nt, no matter what the oscrt. If

he wire service transmitted a good cross country
or soccer picture or a feature story, so would
use it.

. Q ‘3 --
Ann “:30“ 'o s

a a i 8-.

chne Lcﬁeff, sports editor of the Ann ﬁrbor revs

 

Said he moses no effort to balance the LJU-JE coverage,
no matter soot success each team execrieocee.7

"Cur readers are basically interested in Kichigon's
athletic news,” said Deﬁeff. "Cur limited cease and
three-man staff is devoted to providing as much UH news
as possible. If Xichigan is winning, there is less eeace
available to KSU, no matter how successful they are."

According to Dereff, 233's coverage in his paper is
swayea greatly by the number and performance of Ann Arbor
area athletes at M33 and the effect HSU's performance may
have on a UK team.

The bulk of ESU news in the Ann Arbor daily is

supplied by the wire services, according to Feﬁeff. "so do

7Interview with revue Befeff, Sport Editor, Ann
-rbor Tess, June 13, 19:7.

   

1&7
not have enough otaffnon or space to Justify sending a
reporter to Rest Looting,” eeiﬂ BeUeff, "unleee the story
has on equal intereet to Fiohigan fans.

“noorror. tioua - Deﬁef! said his paper gives foot“

Mil more coverage than any other 331 sport. He said he
relies on the wire service for moot of the coverage during
he football season, but interjeote paragraphs of the SIG

ne*3 role goes into wire service reports as occasion
Genomes.

Fe :eff said be it not interested in the minor oporte
preview stories and would use feature stories or pictures
of U;:U minor sports teams only if there was a local angle.

Interaction of the 310 at USU and the ggg,grbgz Egg;
is limited. according to Deﬁefr, to requests for informa-
tion on local athletes and phoned reoults of a minor sports
contest between H33 and U1.

Beoaueo of the limited contact, DeUeff can offer no
recoomondotions to improve the 310. He said:

Fred and Eick have always been most helpful in
any reouest I he vo mode. As for as I am concerned,
they need not make any ct enoeo to satisfy me. They
have one of the boot ouch Operations I have had

contact with and I think it would serve as a good
model for other sports information offices.

 

 

{noetiooﬁﬁiro.

   

Of the 53 daily newspapers in Hichigan. 2t aperts
editors returned questionnaires. About #5 per cent or the

daily newspapers reoponded.

143

Of the 29 dailies which did not respond to the
questionnaire, 12 did not send a representative to any or
the 1956 HSU home football games. Eight of these dailies
are published on the Upper Peninsula.

Over half of the sports editors who responded, 14,
worked for the large hichigsn newspapers. Thus, results
obtained for this group are more representative than those
of the smaller papers.

Results of the questionnaire study tend to indicate:

1) Although a few of the larger dailies covered ESU
athletics regularly before Uorld Ear II, most newspapers
have increased their coverage significantly since the
university entered the Big Ten. All but two of the 24
sports editors said they give football more total coverage
than any other H33 sport because of "readership interest."

2) Host sports editors do not want additional news-
letter or minor Sports releases. They feel, as they have.
said, the main value in the releases is as background
information. All but two sports editors said they would
use feature articles and stories on all athletes from
their circulation area, not Just those who have contributed
significantly to a USU team's success.

3) All of the 24 Sports editors said the 310 at HFU
performed services responsive to most of their present
needs. Interestingly, the sports editors of the smaller
dailies were more restrained in their evaluation of the

SIG. The predominate criticism was of a lack of localized

149
feature pictures and articles on individual athletes.

A) The larger dailies appear to have more personal
contact with the 310 at 333. The dailies with smaller
circulation, staff and page space available, appear
affected indirectly by the SIG. To these papers, the 310's

major service is supplying the wire services with informa-

tion.

 

Generally, the sports editors said they felt the
SIG at MSU met all of their needs. Each said the 810 was
one of the most efficient and cosperative operations they
had seen. Some additional conclusions from the interviews
include:

1) Information on an upcoming event would be more
helpful and easier to use in note fora, rather than the
present story form.

2) The football advance story and the preview spot
sports stories on minor sports events are not, and in
most cases, would not be used.

3) The best method of promoting the minor Sports,
which most sports editors said they have little interest
in, is to provide feature pictures or article idea
saterial. This could be handed to reporters at the Monday

press luncheon or presented to a wire service reporter.

h 3
#4
C)

CCECLU:

Over a million and a half dollars was spent during
the year ending June 10, 1966 on the MSU athletic program.

Including sources from various budgets, the SIG at
HSU used over $100,000 for the year ending July 1, 1967
to Operate its complete program.

Almost a half million dollars was paid to M80 in
1355 for the television and radio rights to broadcast the
football games from East Lansing.

In less than a century, the MSU athletic department
and the SIG evolved from a rather frivolous diversion to
a substantial business. All evidence indicates each
Operation will continue to eXpand.

The concept of the 810 changed from one of service
to Lansing newspapers and radio stations, to interaction
with most daily and weekly Michigan newspapers and many
state and national radio and television networks and
magazines: fans and other 3103.

Although the staff, budget, facilities and services
have espanded from its embryo Operation, the basic phil-
os0phy and direction has remained a part of the public
relations structure. Only two other Big Ten SIOs operate

150

151

independently of their athletic departments.

Content Analysis

Results of the content analysis must be considered
a reflection of what appeared, not what always has or
Ialways will appear. It is not a predictive measurement
and only reflects the attitudes of the dailies involved
towards ECU athletic news at a defined period.

Thus, the conclusions of the survey, may only be
validly applied to each daily as it valued HSU athletic
news during the six weeks. The findings suggest:

1) K33 football games were a major news event in the
Sunday editions, receiving an average total coverage of
142 colunn inches in each newspaper, each week.

2) Football game coverage generally increased as
the winning streak was extended, but appeared to be
affected more by who the opponent was and where the game
was played. The decreased coverage of UK as its losing
streak continued possibly indicates the newspapers give
space priority to the more affirmative sports news of the
area.

3) A nearly equal total football game coverage
balance was achieved during the time examined between KSU
and Um. This indicates the newspapers regarded each foot-
ball game as about equal "news value" to its readers.

4) There is no evidence that the 810 was a signifi-
cant factor in determining the quantity of the Sunday

football game report of the preceding Saturday. The 810

152
can make the reporters Job easier in covering the event.
but the amount of coverage the game receives, appears
determined by how significant the sports editor feels the
game is to his newspaper's readers.

In most cases, it is not possible to show a cause-
effect ratio of the 310's role in placing stories of his
school in newspaper columns. Information provided by the
BIO often blends with the work of an enterprising reporter.
The E30 feature stories on the soccer and cross country

teams which appeared in the Estrci Free Press are an

 

example of such cooperation.

The good will and personal friendships between the
810 staff and sports writers is an inestimable quantity
in evaluating such an interaction. How can one measure
in terms of inches the esteem which sports editors have
exPressed towards the 310 at MSU.

However, results of the daily content analysis
indicate:

1) The Konday football press luncheon is one of the
most effective services off red by the SIG. Reporters of
the large dailies and both wire services obtain information
and ideas at the luncheon which are manifested in articles
which appear the rest of the week.

2) On the average for all dailies in the content
analysis, a n3 article appeared on five days of each six
day week. Overall, KSU received an average of over a

full newspaper column of coverage per day, per newspaper.

153
3) There was a significant difference between the
amount of MSU and Uﬁ total coverage during the daily
survey. All of the seven dailies except the petrgit Eggs,
grapg'gepids Eggs; and Agg,§rhor ﬂaws, gave MSU twice the
total inches during the survey as UK.

 

A) hire service articles and pictures represented
the majority of NSU material which appeared. except in the
Detroit dailies and the gtgtg,gourna . The Associated
Press copy was used much more often than the United Press
International oOpy among papers surveyed.

5) Cross country and soccer, despite winning seasons.
were virtually ignored by all papers of the survey except
the State Joum ; and the Yotroit Yr e§3§_§_. Total
coverage of the minor sports represented a fraction of
what appeared on the KSU football team. This finding might
suggest to sports information directors of smaller colleges
that some newspapers are not interested in the minor sports
and an effort to push these sports will no doubt prove
futile.

6) Occasionally a SI 0 release ap_peare1 verbatim in
the newspapers, particularly a minor sports preview story
in the ﬁgggg_£gpggg;, The 310 feature stories did appear.
However, basically the papers ezanined us ed the SIG
releases in a way which could not be traced directly in a
content analysis.

7) The difference in ESU-Uﬁ daily coverage and the

type of MSU news whicha app.a wd. su33es to the BIO played

154
a greater role in determining the amount of daily coverage
which appeared than was evidenced by football game coverage.
3) Economically, the BIO was a definite asset in the
USU athletic business Operation. For the survey, USU
received 10,037 inches of total coverage, about 1,434

inches per newspaper for six weeks. See Table 17.

T9333 17

TOTAL COLU W I"'”"; 0: ME? AN? UM SPORTS HESS
ITI SEVTH MI‘HIGA :DAILY REWSPAPERS
SEPTTKEEZ 27” HOVEMBEI 7. 1935

...—h. —-£—
~—

 

Newspaper Sunday Baily Total

State Journal

lJUooooOOI¢OOOOQQ 1111 1521 2632
1000000000090... 535 &29 IDEA

Detroit Free Press

:IS'IOOOOQIOIOUQOQI $1,“? 1190 2032

U.'loeooccecoeccoeo 641 597 1233
Detroit Uses

ESeroeoeooo-oooo 103 803 833

”Accooocotoooecoo 123 3 517 1755
Grand Rapids Press

“Tineeeeoeoeoeooo 723 723 1455

UleOOCIIOOOCOOIO 723 506 1234
Jackson Sitizen Patriot

l‘TSU.............. 60; 5A2 1151

Uﬁooooooooloocooo 5:3 2M0 790
Ann Arbor ers

Mtge-oeeoeoooooeo con 65} 653
Iron Mountain Eews

IESUOOOOOOOOOOOOOO coo 22‘: 225

Uﬁoocooceooeeoeoe 000 72 72

...A__ .4 A A Ah .__...‘ Lg

The State Journal

gave USU the most total inches,

100 more per week than the second ranting agggglg_§$gg

Press. Every daily in the content analysis save USU more

total inches durins the survey than U

The value of the publicity which appeared during

155

the six wee' s can in no way be accurately estinated. If
one considers the ESU athletic program a business, then
publicity would be worth at least the equivalent to the
same amount or advertising space.

I! a Michigan business man had purchased the some
number of column inches for advertising during the six
weeks in the seven dailies, he would have paid $108,238.43.1
The amount of space given to HSU's athletic program, if
transferred into dvertisin3 Space, was north about

$13,030 a week.

 

 

Generally, the sports editors or the Kichigen daily
newspapers who responded to the quest onneire or interview
considered the HSU athletic news of major interest to
their readers. Furthermore, the Sports editors appeared
satisfied with the current Operation of he SIG in supp1y~
ing them with needed services. The consensus of sports
editors reactions to the SIG indicated:

1) Coverage of ECU athletics, particularly football,
has increased since the university entered the Big Ten.

2) Articles on minor sports have little chance of
being used unless the material relates in some way to a
local athlete on the ESU team.

3) SIG releases are usually well written, but that

the sports editors use the material mostly as background

.._ A A L

lr'i‘ﬂ‘it-‘f or: TD"GY1QV\¢1~ “1 "ah‘f‘ﬁ'r'r nnﬁ O+ﬂﬁhh (T:
-

lensing: aLCuludn lress Association, 1,60), pp. 37

.v— v“

st

 

33.

155
information. Either the newspaper staff writer prepares
a story from the release or a wire service article is
used. Seldom does the release appear in print.

4) a basic reliance on the wire service coverage
among most daily newspapers for their entire budget of
M33 athletic news.

5) The predominate single criticism of the 810 at
KSU is the level of information distributed to newspapers
on its area athletes.

6) Editors said they feel the SIG at MSU is one of
the most efficient Operations of its type they have had
contact with.

7) The 810 attitude and services such as the pre-
football game lunch appears to have had an ingratiating

effect among many of the sports editors.

Beretscndetigga

The sports editors of the Michigan daily newspapers
who supplied data for this study appeared satisfied with
the $10 as it Operated at MSU during 1966. Recommendations
for improvement of the Operation relate to the areas about
which a significant total of sports editors returned
critical replies. This author recommends:

1) That more effort be concentrated on supplying the
home daily of each Eichigan athlete information on that
athlete's performance. it the beginning of each school

year, the 810 should group the Michigan athletes according

157
to geographical regions. For example, in the fall all
athletes of the football. cross country and soccer teams
who lived on the Upper Peninsula would be placed in one
category. One weekly statistical report would be sent to
all sports editors of the so designated gongraphical
region on all athletes from that area.

2) Recognization that spot sport news stories on
the minor sports are of little interest to almost all of
the Michigan daily sports editors. Efforts should be
concentrated on local athletes on the minor sports teams
with articles sent directly to individual papers. General
feature stories and pictures on the minor sports should be
presented to staff writers of the dailies and wire sern
vices who attend the Monday press luncheon. A wire
service feature. either article or picture. would appear
to be the best method of getting minor sports news in the
Michigan daily newspapers.

3) That the football preview releases should be
written in note rather than story form. See Appendices
E and F for an example of each. The majority of preview
football game articles used were either staff-written by
larger newspapers or sire service copy in the smaller
newspapers. There is no evidence any significant number
of dailies used the SIG preview release verbatim or roe
wrote the releases at the office as prengaee stories.
Editors used the releases mainly as background material,

for editorial columns or their own personal information.

153

Those who actually wrote the articles which appeared,
preferred the note to the story form.

4) That the staff or the SIG should work with
individual sports editors to solve particular problems.
For example, efforts should be made to improve, it possible
the photo transmitting facilities from Spartan Stadium.
Faulty transmission is the reason given by Detroit 2233
sports editor Bob Siegor why his newspaper carried far
more game picture inches on Uh than MSU.

It is the belief of this author that the above
suggestions be considered for immediate implementation.
If they are adapted, at least in part, he feels the results
will further improve the interaction between the $10 and

the Hichigan daily press.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Articles and Periodicals
Ann Arbor ﬂees. September 27 to November 7, 1966.
etr F es . September 27 to November 7. 1966.
ggtroit News. September 27 to November 7, 1966.
Gildner, Gary. "A Century of Athletics at State: MAC's
Babes Emerge From the Woods," Eh; Michigan §§§1g
Qgizgrsitx Magazine, V, No. 7 March. 9 0 .
. ”A Century of Athletics at State: The Awkward
Years,” he Mi h 03 Sta Un r it Maeaz , V.
No. 9 (May, 1960 .
. ”A Century of Athletics at State: Spartans Flex
Their Muscles," The Michigan State Universitz
ﬁagazing V, No. 0 June, 19 O .
Gran; Rapigg Press. September 27 to November 7. 1966.
Iron Mountain News. September 27 to November 7, 1966.
gacksog gitizen Patriot. September 27 to November 7, 1966.
State gournal. September 27 to Hovember 7. 1966.

Books
Bastian, George 0., Case, Leland D. and Baskette, Floyd K.
EditingThe Day's News. New York: The Macmillian
55mpany,71935.

Beal, William J. History of the Michigan Aoricultural
College. East Lansing, 1915.

Bush, Chilton R. Hewsyriting ang Regggting 229;;9 Agfairs.
New York: Chilton Book 00., 19 5.

 

Gelfand, Lou and Heath, Harry E. ﬂow to Cover to an
‘ it ' o t . Ames, Iowa: Iowa State College Press,
1951.

159

160

Kuhn, Madison. Mighican State: 122 First Hundred Years.
East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1955.

MacDougall, Curtis D. Interpretative ggpogting. 4th ed.
New York: The Macmillian Company, 19 3.

Birectories

 
 

Philadelphia: N.h. Ayer and Son, Inc., 19 7.

EigT en ”ecords Book: 1966-1067. Chicago: Big Ten Service
Bureau, 1966.

Pacult and taf Dir cto . East Lansing: Michigan State
University Press, 1566.

.an Fewsoap r Directory and Ratebook. East Lansing:

rich gan Press Association, 19 b.

Ifichigan State Basketball; 66-61. East Lansing: Sports
Information Office, Michigan State University, 1966.

  

 

Michivan Stat Football nformation: l 8. East Lansing:
Epogts Information Office, Michigan State University,
93 .

 

 

"Michigan Sta ootball F cts: 1 48. East Lansing: Sports
Informat on Office, M ch gan State University, 1948.

 

Michiean State Football Facts: 40. East Lansing: Sports
Informat on Office, Rich gan State University, 1949.

Iiichiqan State Football: 126 . East Lansing: Sports Infor—
mation Cl fice, Iiichigan State University, 1966.

Hichisan State ﬂnizgrgity Manual of Easiness Eggggggreg.
East Lansing: Michigan State University, July 1, 1966.

h s s Michi an St to Univers : 9 F ct ook. East
Lansing: Department of Information Services, Michigan
State University, 1966.

Interviews

Ann Arbor Eews. Personal interview with Wayne DeNeff,
Sports Editor, Ann Arbor, June 19, 1967.

petrol} Eros Press. Personal interview with Hal McCoy,
sportswriter, Detroit, July 6, 1967.

. Personal interview with Bob Sieger, Sports
Editor, Detroit, July 6, 1967.

 

”*1

a

 

a...\a, _' 1.4.9}.

161

Grand Rapids Press. Personal interview with Clank Stoppels,
Sports Editor, Grand Rapids, July 5, 1967.

Jackson Citizen Patriot. Personal interview with Al Cotton,
Sports Ed tor, Jackson, July 5, 1967.

Michigan State University. Personal interview with Jerry
Fischer, Managing Editor of Athletic Publications,
East Lansing, June 8, 1967.

. Personal interview with John Laetz, Athletic
Business Eanager, East Lansing, June 5, 1967.

 

______, Personal interview with Jack Cetrander, Assistant
Manager of Student Union, East Lansing, July 5, 1967.

. Personal interview with Merrill Pierson, Assistant
Treasurer, East Lansing, July 27, 1967.

 

. Personal interview with Fred W. Stabley, Sports
Information Director, East Lansing, June 5, 1967.

. Personal interview with Fred W. Stabley, Sports
Information Director, East Lansing, June 7, 1967.

. Personal interview with Hick Vista, Assistant,
Sports Information Director, East Lansing, June 7, 1967.

. Personal interview with Margaret Wilson, Sports
Information secretary, East Lansing, June 7, 1967.
Letters
Alderton, George 3. Personal letter to author, March 27, 1967.
Hasselman, James B. Personal letter to author, April 6, 1967.
. Letter to Earl 3. Richardson, May 14, 1959.

 

Kerbawy, W.N. Personal letter to author, March 29, 1967.
Smite, Theodore, Personal letter to author, March 27, 1967.

Stafford, Dale. Personal letter to author, March 25, 1967.

Public Documents

State of Michigan. Official Highway Map. Department of
State Highways, 1967.

162

Reports

Michigan State university. Financial Bepogt: 1265-66. A
report prepared by the Office of Comptroller, East
Lansing, November, 1966.

 
      

guns 30, 1343. A report prepared by the Off ce of
Comptroller, East Lansing, 1945.

Ralph E. Young Scholarship Fund. Annggl Rgport o; the
Ralph H. YoungScholarship Fund. A report prepared
by t? .e Department of Alumni Relations and DeveloP-
ment Fund, Michigan State University, East Lansing,
1907e

Sports Information Office. u to Re
to Febggazz 28, 1261. A report prepared by Michigan
Stgte University auditor, East Lansing, April 12,
19 7.

State Board of Agriculture. State Board of §gricultu§§
Annual Rgpogt. A report prepared by M chigan

r on turel College, East Lansing, 1885.

 

______. State Board 0 qriculture a to ort. A
report prepared by Michigan Agricultural College,
East Lansing, 1889.

Unpublished Material

Department of Information Services, Michigan State Univer-
sity. ”Statement of Policy. Issued by W. Lowell
Treaster, director, September 9, 1966.

. Press box History Notes. In the files of W.
Lowell Treaster.

Sports Information Office, Michigan State University.
”Basic Services." In the files of the office.
(Mimeographed.)

. "Biographical Data of Fred W. Stabley” In the
files of the office. (Mimeographed.) '

. ”Biographical Data of Dick Vista" In the files
of the office. (Mimeographed.)

. Football Program Records. In the files of the
office. (Typewritten.)

163

______. "Football Trip Materials for Brief Case” In the
files of the office. (Typewritten.)

. "MSU All-Americas” In the files of the office.
(Typewritten.)

______, "Michigan State's Unique Press Box" In the files
of the office. (himeographed.)

. 1966 Football Press Box Pa roll. In the files
of the office. (Typewritten.§

. "Press Box Attendance" In the files of Nick
Vista. (Typewritten.)

. "Significant Dates and Events in Michigan State
Sports History" In the files of the office.
(..lmeosraphed.) _

 

. "To Our Press Box Guests" In the files of the
office. (Bimeographed.)

. "forking Press Football Ticltet Book" In the
files of the office.

University Editor's Office, Michigan State Univereity.
Sports Information Publications Report: 1966-67. In
the files of Jerry Fischer. (Typewritten.)

 

 

- e, Y’I—ﬂelfﬂ -

APPENDIX A

1231 Wolf Court
East Lansing, Mich. 4882}
March 24, 1967

Dear Sports Editor:

I hope you will excuse me if this letter appears
impersonal, but think this is the most expedient method
of contacting all of the sports editors in the state. As
a part of my Masters thesis I would like to have your
reaction to the Hichigan State sports information office.

Enclosed you will find a one-page questionnaire
which can be answered, for the most part, in a few words.
The answers sought are purposely subjective so that you
will be able to complete the form within a few minutes.

The purpose of my study is to discover how a sports
information office - particularly Michigan State's ~ can
most efficiently help you in your work. It is generally
recognized by those within the field that many of the
releases which flood your desk daily often accomplish
nothing but to waste your time. I hepe this study will
be able to pinpoint what service you feel should be in-
creased and what is a waste of your time.

The data which you supply will be both quantitatively
and qualitatively considered in preparing recommendations.
For this reason and so the answers will be most candid I
will respect all confidential requests. If you do not want
an answer to be attributed to you just place an X over the
number of the question.

If you wish, you may make any additional comment
such as your appraisal of the Michigan State football press
box, the pro-game lunch or other press box services. The
results of this survey may influence sports information
directors at other colleges so do not fail to mention any
service which you have found helpful.

Since you and I both work within a tight time
schedule, I can appreciate your c00peration. Thank you
in advance.

Sincerely,

Don Stewart
EnOle
16h

2.

3.

6.

7.

9.

13.

17.

0
V.

APPEEDIX B
n Don Stewart
123 L01 Court

-37 m. Last Lansing, Rich.

TWMT
4QJgJ

Vow many years have you covered sichigan State
athletics regularly?

 

has the coverage increased or decreased during
W— n
tals period;

has this chance been, in your opinion, because of:
(a; readership interest (b) local athletes on team (0)
success or failure of Spartan teams (6) increased page
space (c) increased competition from other sports.

Should the number of releases of the a: rte infor-
mation office be increased?

___ 4__ “_dhat purpose do you feel the sports
in”crsation office ought to serve?

ﬁv p_?hich specific service of the KSU office
have you found most helpful?

 

_. which service least helpful?

_n _ p_ What do you feel has been the biasest
improvesent or the hippest backward step in the add
sports information program?

n__#_ no you ever print releases verbatim?
ghat type of changes do you usually make?

 

till you run stories on all athletes from your circulation
area or Just those who make a significant contribution to
the team?

w . _A.

how do you rank Kid's sports information program with
others in nichiaan?

_ A

3° you feel 333 gives special treatment to larger
newspapers?

 

Hould you use more news stories on the minor sports
soccer, golf, etc.)

rhat do you most often request from the
sports information office?

 

“ ﬁaw many columns a your 50 you usually write on
and sports?

A To you, what is the most inportant part
5? the measly newsletter?

Ihich R36 sport do you give the most complete coverage? why?

What would you recommend to improve the new sports inforo
motion office?
155

 

APPENDIX C

Spartan Sports Service Department or Information Services
Telephone: 355-2272 Michigan State University
(Area Code: 517) East Lansing

10/4/66

FOR USE ? WILL
SPARTAN SPORTS SHORTS

Michigan State sophomore Allen Brenner set a Big Ten
record When he returned a punt 95 Yards for a touchdown in
the Spartans' 26-10 victory over Illinois in 1966.

eye; ##ﬂﬂ

Michigan State sophomore Tony Keyes equalled an all-
time Spartan soccer record by getting five assists in his
initial collegiate game in 1966.

#§¥# #¥¥.

Michigan State's Duffy Daugherty has been a head
coach in four different post-season all-star football
games.

.§§$$ ###¥

Michigan State has met three Atlantic Coast Confer-
ence teams in football a dozen times over the years and
has won nine of the games.

egg; ¥§E#

ﬁds-nvﬂ

166

APPENDIX D

Spartan Sports Service Department or Inforuetien Services
Telephone! 355-2272 Michigan State university,
(Area Code: 511) Best Lansing

10/4/66

H CHIGAN STATE VS. MICHIGAN

OFFEHSE
MICHIGAN STATE MICHIGAN .
86 Allen Brenner 196, 80. LE 88 warren Si p (216, So.
77 Jerry West 214, Sr. LT 72 Ray Phill ps 228, Jr.
67 Tony Conti 219, Jr. LG 64 Henry Hanne (220, Sr.
52 Larry Smith _ 194, Jr., C 58 Joe Dayton 220, Jr.
68 Dave Techlin 201, Jr. RG 55 Don Bailey 2l#, Sr.
79 Joe Przybycki 239, Jr. RT 71 Jim Hribal (220, Sr.
84 Gene Uashington 219, Sr. RE 24 Jack Clancy (192, 8r.‘
15 Jimmy Raye 171, Jr. QB 27 Dick Vidmer 185, Jr.
3A Dwight Lee 192, Jr. LH 17 Ernie Sharpe 191, Jr.
26 Clinton Jones (201, Sr.) RH 19 Carl Ward E178, Br.
45 Bob Apisa (213, Jr.) FB 33 Dave Fisher 21o, or.

MICHIGAN STATE {ICHIGAN
95 Bubba Smith 283, Sr.) LE 8% Jon Kramer (213, So.
61 Charles Bailey 208, $0.; LT 75 Dick Williamson(275.Jr.
55 Pat Gallinagh 214, Sr.‘ LG/M 63 Bob Mielke 223, Sr.
62 Jeff Richardson 205,,Sr. RG/RT 70 Dave Porter *2)?. Jr.
72 Hick Jordan a 228, Jr. RT/RE 90 Tom Stincic 217, So.
36 Phil Hang (208, Sr. RE/LB 34 Dennis Morgan (230, Jr.
41 Charles Thornhill(201,3r.; LB/LB 59 Frank Nunley (218, Sr.
)

90 George Webster (212, Sr. RB/LH 43 John Rowser 183, Sr.
20 Jim Summers (172, Sr. Lh/RH 15 Mike Bass 180, Br.
29 Jerry Jones (155, Sr.‘ RH/LS 18 Rick Sygar 185, Sr.
38 Jesse Phillips (197, Jr. S/RS #9 Rick Volt 192, Sr.

LOCATION: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Mich;

DATE AED TIME: Saturday, October 8, 1:30 p.m. E.S.T.
ESTIMATED CROWD: 76,000 plus

RADIO COVERAGE: (The 310 includes here a total list of radio

stations by call letters and cities, and the names of
the game announcers if known.)

16?

APPENDIX E

East Lansing, Mich. ~- Round 59 in the nation's most
prestigious intra~state football battle will be fought in
Spartan Stadium this Saturday afternoon.

It's Michigan vs. Michigan State, and for the overflow
throng expected to jam the double-decked arena and for
college gridiron followers everywhere, no more need be said.

Game time is 1:30 p.m., EST. The stadium's listed
capacity of 76,000 is sure to be exceeded, and the all-time
record crowd of 78,234 which shoe-horned in for the 1964
contest between the same two teams, could be approached.

Kichigan won most of the early rounds, but State has
come on strong in the later ones. The Nolverines had
accumulated 33 of its current 36 Victories by 1950, while.
the Spartans have out-belted their favorite rivals 11 times
since then. They currently have 17 victories. Five games,
the last in 1963, have been ties. '

State brings a 3-0 season's mark and the Ho. 1 national
ranking into the game. Michigan had two straight victories
. and a top ten rating prior to last Saturday's upset at the

hands of North Carolina. I
’ Michigan's prime offensive thrust thus far has been the
quarterback Dick Vidmer to and Jack Clancy passing combina-
tion. Beauty six of Vidmer‘s 33 pass completions in three
games were to Clancy. They netted 331 yards for a flossy
average of 127 per game.

The Wolverines also have potent runners in halfback
Carl Hard and fullback Dave Fisher, and just last week
received a welcome lift from the return of ace halfback Jim
Detwiler. He seems ready to go again after knee surgery.
Defense is there, too, the 7olvcrincs having permitted Just
28 points in three games.

"Good pass, good run, lots of speed and good defense"
is the way Michigan State Coach Duffy Daugherty sums up the
Michigan team. "They have all the ingredients of a fine
team.”

168

APPENDIX F

Spartan Sports Service Department of Information Services
Telephone: 355-2272 Michigan State University
(Area Code: 517) East Lansing

10/4/66

FOR USE AT WILL
SPARTAN-WOLVERIEE GAME NOTES

East Lansing, Mich. -- Michigan State and Michigan battle
in football Saturday at Spartan Stadium in one of the nation’s
great intra~state rivalries. Following are game notes and
highlights.

... It'll be the 59th meeting in the series that started
in 1898. Michigan leads, 36-l7~5, over all games. Since
1950 State has held the upper hand, 11-3-2.

... A capacity house of 76,000-plue is assured, marking
the 19th straight sellout in the series.

... It will be the 13th time a Duffy Daugherty-coached
Spartan team will meet Michigan. Duffy’s mark in 12 games
is 7-3-2.

... Michigan's Bump Elliott will direct a team for the
eighth time against State. His record in seven games is 1-5-1.

... The two rivals have been Big Ten foes 13 times.

State leads in league victories with eight to three for
Michigan, and there have been two ties.

... The series has been a home-and-home affair since
1958. But prior to that time Michigan had appeared in East
Lansing only six times in the history of the rivalry.

... The Paul Bunyan-Governor of Michigan Traphy goes to
the winner efthe game. It has been a part of the rivalry

Since 1953.
169

 

I lllfllx .lllulll 1

APPENDIX G

Spartan Sports Service Department of Information Services
Telephone: 355-2272 Michigan State University
(Area Code: 517) East Lansing

10/4/65

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE, SUNDAY, OCT. 9
SPARTANS V. OHIO STATE

East Lansing, Mich. -- Michigan State and Ohio State, the
Big Ten'e two most successful teams over the past 15 years,
will lock horns Saturday (Oct. 15) before a sellout crowd
in Columbus.

The teams rank one-two for the past decade and a half in
the won-lost department of the conference. Since 1951, Woody
Hayes‘ chargers have won 70, drapped 21 and tied 6 for a .743
percentage. The Spartans have played at a .633 clip,
winning 49, losing 28 and tying 2, since Joining the league
in 1953.

In addition to the home-field advantage, Ohio State is
eXpeoted to utilize last season's defeat as an added incen-
tive. The 1965 Buckeye-Spartan battle resulted in a 32-7
Michigan State victory. It was Ohio State's only conference
loss. For the first time in Ohio State football history.
the Buckeyes were held to minus yardage rushing. The Spartans
limited the Chicano to -22 yards overland.

Directed by sephomore quarterback Bill Long, the Buckeyes
bring one of the loOp's most dangerous offenses into the fray.
Long tied an OSU record by completing 12 of 14 passes against
Texas Christian in his intercollegiate debut.

Prime receiver and see runner for the Buckeyes is senior

halfback Bo Rein.
170

APPEND

IX H

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

BUSHING

09 JOE'S. rh....
Raye, Qbeeeeeeee
Aplsa, fbeeeeeee
LOG. lheeeeeeeee
Wedemeyer, qb...
Marshall, Qbeeee
Cavender, fb....
Feraco, Qbeeeeee
MHllGn, Qbeeeeee
Waters, lheeeeee

PASSING

Raye, Qbeeeeeeee
Wedemoyer, qb...
Feraco, qb......
Apiea, fbeeeeeee

RECEIVING

Washington, 0...
Brenner, 0......
ApiBa, fbeeeeeee
Lee, lheeeeeeeee
Waters, lheeeeee
Ce Jones, rheeee

PUNTING
Kenney, keeeeeee

PUNT RETURNS

Brenner, .eoeeee
Ph1111p8, Beeeee
J. Jones, rheeee
Garrett, BeeOOIe

KICKOFF RETURNS
C. Jones, rh....
Berlinski, rh...
Haynes, Cece-e...

INTERCEPTION BET
Galllnagh, 3....
Phillips, e.....
J. Jones, rh....
Chatlos, Oeeoeee

SCORING

Apisa, fb.......
0. Jones, rheeee
washington, .eee
Raye, Qbeeeeeeee
Kenney, keeeeeee
Waters, lheeeeee
Cavender, fbeeee
L60, lheeeeeeeee
Brenner, Oeeeeee
Gallinagh, g....

TC YG IL
39 226 32
34 155 19
31 152 4
22 138 o

4 29 1

3 24 5

5 15 o

3 11 o

1 2 0

4 4 3

PA PC PI
27 15 3

7 3 o

2 1 O

1 O 0

PR YDS

5 211

3 39

3 15

3 11

2 11

2 3

TP YDS
14 472
PR YDS

7 151

1 14

1 9

2 -2

KB YES
4 72

1 23

1 12
URNS IR YES
1 4o

1 11

1 5

1 0

TD CK OP CR
3 0-0 0 O
2 0-0 0 O
2 0-0 0 O
2 0-0 0 O
0 12-13 0 o
1 0-0 0 0
1 0-0 0 O
1 0-0 0 O
1 0-0 0 O
1 0-0 0 O

SPARTAN YARDSTICK
(B-Game Totals)

NET
194
157
158
138
28
18
16
11

0
\ﬁ

<3 0 e e
G} \ﬂU10\

PHD \ﬁ
.Wng U» mmum

I O O

CDCMﬁG) '4

NHJKﬂOVQChUlephb
a ee e .04. .0 04d

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TEAM STATISTICS

BUSHING MSU
No. of Rushing P1ays.... 1A6
Net Yardage Rushing..... 733
Avg. Gain per P1ay...... 5.0
Avg. Gain per Game.....244.3

Touchdowns by Rushing... 10
PASSIHG

Passes Attempted........ 37
Passes Completed........ 19
Passes Had Intercepted.. 3

Net Yardage P8881ngeeeee 293

OPP
121
119
0.9
39.6
1

58
28
3
419

Avg. Gain per Compl.....15.4 14.9

Avg. Gain per Game......97.6 139.6
TOUCthWh Passes........ 2 2
TOTAL OFFENSE

No. of Offensive Plays.. 183 179
Total Net Yardage......1,026 533
Avg. Gain per P18Yeeeeee 5.6 3.0
Avg. Gain per Game...... 342 179.3
FIRST DOWNS

Total First downs....... 50 33
First Downs Rushing..... 41 12
First Downs Passing..... 8 21
First Downs Penalties... 1 O
RETURNS

Interception Ret./Yards h 57 3/1
Punt Returns/Yards.. 11 172 4/22
Kickoff Returns/Yards 6/107 18/31
PUNTS

NOe Of Punte........ 1‘ 25
Punting Average..... 33.7 35.2
FUMBLES

Tatal FuMbloseeeeeee 7 12
Ball Lost on Fumbles 3 7
PENALTIES

No. of Penalties/Yards 16/159 3/21
SCORING

TOUCthWﬂBeeoeeeeeee 1A 3
Conversions by Kick. 12 3
Field GOEISeeeeeeeee O 1
Total POintBeeeeeeee 96 28
GKME SCORES

MSU 28, No. Carolina State 10

use 42, Penn State 8

MSU 26, Illinois 10

Record -- 3-0-0
NEXT GAME:

Oct. 8, Michigan, home

APPENDIX I

Spartan Sports Service Department of Information Services
Telephone: 355-2272 Michigan State University
(Area Code: 517) East Lansing

10/19/66

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOCCERMEN FACE MARQUETTE

East Lansing, Mich. -- Michigan State's undefeated but
injury-riddled soccer team will face Marquette University
in a 2 p.m. game Saturday (Oct. 22) at Milwaukee.

The Spartans downed Akron 4-1 last Saturday without
AllnAmerican center forward Guy Busch and only the part-
time services of goalie Kevin O‘Connell. Forward Gary
McBrady injured his foot in the victory. None of the three
have been able to work at full speed during practice this
week, leaving their starting status in question.

Marquette battled Platteville State to a 3-3 tie last
week to bring the Warriors' record to 1-1-2. Marquette
owns a victory over Northern Illinois and dropped a 3-2
decision to Northwestern.

Heading the Warriors' attack is playmaker Dennis hard
and center forward Helmut Bolk. Bolk leads the squad in
scoring with four goals. Bolstering Marquette's defense
is center halfback Jim Clark.

Busch taps all Spartan scorers with 19 points on 11
goals and eight assists. Sophomore Tony Keyes also owns
11 goals and has added six assists. Each Spartan goalie--
O'Connell and Joe Baumo-has surrendered one goal during

the Spartan's first five victories.

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