On The Air
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
February 9, 2007

You can’t get a Reid on Eagles’ Web site

The legal problems of Andy Reid’s sons continue to top headlines everywhere in Philadelphia except on the team’s official Web site, www.philadelphiaeagles.com.
  
If not for postings on the message board, visitors to the site never would know that Reid’s sons were involved in separate traffic incidents involving road rage, guns, and drugs last week.
  
While Internet users can watch video of the latest Reid legal news on the local television station Web sites, on www.philadelphiaeagles.com, the latest cheerleader profiles are on the home page.
  
Should the team be penalized by not reporting on this story?
  
Robert Strauss, who teaches journalism at the University of Delaware and English at the University of Pennsylvania, is not second-guessing the Eagles.
  
"The Eagles’ Web site is no different from that of Wal-Mart," he wrote in an e-mail "It is advertising. Journalists wouldn’t expect Wal-Mart to use its space to tell you about all the lawsuits and protests against it. To the extent that the Eagles ‘cover’ themselves, no one can expect something revealing.
  
"The Reid situation, too, has nothing to do with football, which is what the Eagles are selling. Short of maybe a ‘We are not commenting on the situation,’ I wouldn’t expect any mention of it on the Web site.
  
"Further, the Internet has confused what is journalism and what is not. Though they are reachable the same way, the Courier Times’ Web site and the Eagles’ Web site are not equivalent. The shame is that people may now think they are."
  
WIP 610-AM host Glen Macnow, who teaches journalism at Saint Joseph’s University, also did not criticize the Eagles.
  
"I don’t have a problem with the Eagles’ decision here," Macnow wrote in an e-mail. "Until and unless Andy Reid steps down  - even temporarily  - as coach, it’s not an issue that their Web site would want to wander into. People don’t go to the Eagles’ Web site for
impartial coverage of societal issues; they go to read about Eagles football, and know they’re getting it with green and white pompons."
  
Dave Spadaro, director of new media for the team, had "no comment" on why the Web site has not reported on the Reid sons’ situations.

Graham on the move?   

Scott Graham confirmed a report in the Courier Post that he is a contender for an announcer’s job with the San Diego Padres.
  
Graham’s contract was not renewed by the Phillies this season. Though spring training is approaching, there is still no word on who will do the pre- and post-game shows on the radio for the Phillies this season.

Channel flipping   

Catch Howard Eskin’s amusing surprise call from Cowboy Terrell Owens on www.610wip.com. … Bryant Gumbel interviews Phillies star Ryan Howard on "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" Monday at 10 p.m. on HBO. … Greg Gumbel, who was not part of Sunday’s Super Bowl coverage, will get to go to Hawaii to announce the Pro Bowl at 6 p.m. Saturday on CBS.

E-mail lauranachman@verizon.net