Is anyone else over moto journalists going on about all the intel they have but can't share publicly? So many of them on their podcasts are like:
"That rider gave me some great insights, but I'll tell you after the show."
"Someone deep, deep, deep at Yamaha told me something super interesting but I can't share it."
"People are saying X about Chase Sexton, but if they only knew what I know..."
"I'm in a group chat with these riders and they told me some things that would really surprise your average fan."
"There's more to that story but I'll text you the details."
I find this embarrassing more than anything. It's high school level bullshit. I remember kids at school doing this shit to make themselves sound like they're in with the popular kids. Like, find a way to report on it or just don't mention it.
Moto journalism is absolute garbage.
The side effect is now anyone with a wifi connection and an iPhone thinks they can slot right into the journalism sphere of influence. so you get all the youtube slop we have now.
Feld controls the whole thing now anyway.
Most sports coverage is nowadays, watch what espn puts out now. It’s all a balance of being friends with them and getting real details or being outside it and making stuff up on rumors 4th hand
There is one media that doesn't shy away from the news....
No hiding what he heard
No group chat talk
Gives as much of the story as he knows
Haters say noone takes him serious but somehow he keeps getting the scoop and making the "buddy/buddy" journalists look silly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvZ0KD2N9k8
These days, revealing too much ruins the gambling odds. I think that's going to be the biggest tangible factor going forward in the next 3-5 years.
The Shop
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
Free shipping: VITALMX
I wanna hear the holly stories pulp always mentions. Tell the stories or stfu. He seems to be willing to tell them
I like all the different Pulp pods but I have noticed this a lot lately too. It’s annoying. If they can’t talk about something then don’t bring it up. It’s frustrating for the listener and makes the person withholding the information look like an asshole. I get that everything can’t be shared, just don’t flaunt it like you’re some sort of moto wizard who holds all the secrets.
First off, there’s a difference between a “Journalist” and a “Content Creator”. Very few journalists and too many content creators.
I was going to say the same thing. The journalism in all sports is trash. ESPN is a clown show. It's mostly retired athletes now doing the reporting. These aren't real journalist's and I'm being nice when I say they aren't that bright. They became professionals because of their athletic ability not because they're mensa candidates.
Jt did this on the review show. I honestly wonder why I even listen anymore. Jt is insufferable with the Lawrence brothers. Steve said if the Lawrence brothers are crashing a lot and JT goes on this rant that makes 0 sense. Like dude you were the one who said if Austin Forker doesn’t quit crashing he would get hurt, and he did. Now that the Lawrence brothers are crashing it’s ok?
I remember when they tried to get magic Johnson in the announcer's booth after he retired.
They soon realized that was a huge mistake.
It's actually embarrassing when former athletes try announcing, or even television commercials.
And these days I just don't have the time to devote to post moto content, podcasts, etc...
Joe Montana too.
Joe is the coolest guy ever, one of my all time favorites, but he was terrible in the booth.
I love Zach Osbourne on Pulpmx. He is a great co-host, not afraid to give an opinion or flip Steve some shit...but he was a terrible track side reporter.
Haha
“Yeah I got a super hot girlfriend…you wouldn’t know her though, she goes to a different school” ad infinitum
Social Scoop
Lewis' Take: Impressive. As I see it, Justin has three 'good' options for 2027. Let's see...
Isn't part of the job to report on those things? Why not just say it.
-HEP/PMG Suzuki
-TLD if they get rid of Ferrandis, but looks like he'll be staying put.
-???
It's moto "journalism".
It's a small sport full of guys reporting on it who barely graduated high school. Staying on the good side of the bro show is far more important than doing their jobs with integrity.
One of the best journalists in the sport, Rupert X. Pellett, is actually a volunteer.
Steve isn’t the worst offender of it. Dan Truman and JT are. Zacho can do it at times. Steve does it occasionally but I think he makes an effort to not bring up stuff he can’t share details on. Almost like when Steve does it, it was an accident and he has to back track. When Dan and JT do it, it comes off like a weird flex or high school drama someone else brought up earlier.
Pit Row
The problem is that most journalists have some type of “friendship” with the riders and industry people. Because of that, they don’t want to hurt their friends’ feelings, so they keep things to themselves.
James Stewart, in my opinion, seems to be the best out there. And he’s just a review guy! He gives honest takes, good or bad, and doesn’t hold back. Obviously, he doesn’t report like a journalist, but at least he doesn’t say things like those mentioned above. Even if he knows something, he doesn’t try to be the cool guy with all the information who won’t share it. Wedge is pretty good about it as well.
Lewis’ stuff has become one of my favorite listens. When Barica said we change some stuff on the bike Lewis actually asks what did you change.
He finally got Barica to reluctantly say they slid the forks down in the clamps. I don’t know why Barica had to act so weird about it.
I’m not hating on him, I listen to all of those guys lol The thought of Steve being cast in some ridiculous situation as a moto wizard holding all the secrets just seemed funny in my head 😂
(Edit typo)
I get you! I just didn’t want Steve singled out when in my opinion he isn’t the worst offender of it.
I think you may have revealed what the Mandarin looks like though!
Well said. But just one correction: it's moto 'journalists'.
Some of them could do with sleeping indoors sometimes as well...
Yes, but there are some notable exceptions. In boxing for instance, with Andre Ward and Timothy Bradley.
First off, despite the number of journalism schools willing to take people’s hard earned money, journalism as we boomers used to understand it, has long been dead, killed by consolidation and monopolization by a few mega corporations. The internet once held promise for the supposed “democratization” of the media, but the corporations got that on lock too.
As for our absolutely tiny sport, the “media” has always played a lapdog role to the companies that make the races happen. Anger any of these companies and your access to events and athletes will be denied.
Who’s reporting on the purse payout situation?
Being a journalist for 25 years now, including a few years as a full-time moto journalist, I'd have to agree that mainstream journalism is pretty pathetic right now. Just nakedly biased and ridiculous.
The moto industry can be pretty cut-throat, and I would say that journalism in moto is a special world. You need access and advertisers, and that colors things. That said, there are some great journalists working at RacerX and Vital. The We Went Fast Guy is great and there are a lot of solid podcasters. Maybe I am not as critical since I know what it's like to operate in the journalism world and how much work it can be. But there has always been a web of secrecy among the insiders in MX/SX. And a lot of hyper-sensitive riders and industry people that think journalism is the same as PR and should only reflect good things.
It's shocking, but I don't look at Social Scoop as journalism nor do I think of 'insight' that I can put there. It's a bunch of Insta posts.
I'm writing an article where I detail where Justin could go, but it's Ducati, PMG or Kawasaki (if they run three) from my viewpoint.
It's no great secret or big deal. I just, again, don't think it's relevant in a feature that's just embedded Insta posts.
Well if its just embedded insta posts and any insight would "not be relevant" there maybe its the wrong place to put such vague "insight" out there. But then again, me personally, idc
I agree that it's not journalism, but there's a whole thread dedicated to the 2027 Silly Season. Every once in awhile ML chimes in and answers member questions.
Why not participate in it when you have relevant information? No one is asking you to reveal your sources.
The OP has a valid point.
https://www.vitalmx.com/forums/moto-related/2027-silly-season?page=0
You're correct. Once again, I've learned my lesson the hard way.
Post a reply to: Moto Journalists