Upon hearing about ESPN's decision to publish a "skin issue" of ESPN The Magazine, I can't help but feel a certain disappointment. ESPN has done a pretty good job of staying well above the line of classiness set by sort-of-competitor FoxSportsNet.
Here is a link to the USA Today article announcing the plans for the edition of the magazine...
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2009-06-10-ESPN_N.htm
I can't help but think of the number of young boys and girls that flip through each edition, either after eagerly awaiting for it to hit their mailbox, or sneaking a peek of their favorite athletes in line at a checkout, or at the favorite local bookstore, and will now be subjected to even more nudity and sexual imagery than they need.
ESPN has lowered its standards, and I cannot understand why. They have created a near monopoly for major sports coverage, and when you throw in parent company ABC, as well as the other ESPN networks (ESPN 2, News, Classic, Deportes, U, and 360, and others I am probably forgetting) it is such a large audience, that one wonders why there is a need to set lower standards for their programming, and to hope that this is not a ploy to increase readership of their magazine, or exposure of their company. I think that is will only tarnish what is otherwise, an upstanding, cutting edge, sports information monster that usually handles itself with class and care. Not this time though.... Not this time...
See another response to ESPN's move, and the inspiration for my thoughts... An article by Ted Kluck in Christianity Today. As a former writer for ESPN.com, and other selected sports articles, Ted offers his opinion on this topic...
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/julyweb-only/130-21.0.html?start=1
