Surprising Changes Signal NASCAR's New Media Direction

There was a time when official NASCAR publications were a lifeline for young fans like me. Before live races were regularly televised. Before cable TV existed. Before cell phones, the Internet and satellite radio.

NASCAR came alive through pictures we never would have seen and words we never would have heard without the photographers and reporters whose names became household words. One of those publications was called NASCAR Scene.

Originally called Grand National Scene when it was started back in 1977, it grew to become the nation’s largest weekly publication devoted exclusively to NASCAR’s top three touring series. It was a wonderful weekly update on what was going on at the top of the heap.

Three decades later, things have changed. Motorsports newspapers and magazines are defenseless against the relentless technology onslaught based around the Internet. Instead of pictures from last week's race, the iPhones of team PR reps send fans pictures of their favorite drivers while the race is still in progress.

Tweets from NASCAR itself, most of the teams and endless racing websites now scroll by in real time giving us sometimes too much information about the sport. Last season, drivers like Juan Pablo Montoya, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and others added to the technology mix with their candid comments made directly to fans on Twitter.

Like many, I no longer have any subscriptions to print publications about the sport. Technology has changed my expectations where NASCAR is concerned. When I look for information, I want it now.

Just as we have seen with other motorsports writers across the country, change came to Charlotte and the NASCAR Scene family on Tuesday.

Veteran editor Steve Waid was released along with reporters Jeff Gluck and Mike Hembree. Also, Lee Montgomery, Rea White, Jared Turner and David Exum were out. Finally, Ben White, Mark Sluder, and Shea Alexander were among those let go.

All in all, slightly less than 30 employees of NASCAR Scene and NASCAR Illustrated were released by the Street and Smith Sports Group. Jim Utter from the Charlotte Observer advised that one main website will emerge from the rubble, blending the content of scenedaily.com and NASCAR Illustrated. The actual publications are rumored to be ceasing operation.

Update: Told scenedaily.com will continue, along with the monthly magazine, NASCAR Illustrated. The NASCAR Scene weekly newspaper looks to be the casualty.

Still employed are familiar names like Bob Pockrass, Jeff Owens and Kenny Bruce. Expect their content to be shared across the various websites owned and operated by Street and Smith, including the Sporting News. A major revamp of the company, including the various sports properties, is sure to follow. A move like this was not preceded by a successful operating year. Things are tough and this is the result.

It seems ironic that many NASCAR fans had just discovered some of the now unemployed journalists through Twitter. Jeff Gluck hosted pre-race "tweet-ups," a meeting of race fans at almost every track. You may remember NASCAR Chairman Brian France attending one. Steve Waid chimed in with his veteran perspective and Mike Hembree put his sense of humor on display. What seemed to many as a golden opportunity to watch journalists talk about the sport is now gone.

Ultimately, paying the bills drives the bus. The challenge for Street and Smith is to determine the best Internet and social media strategy for 2010 NASCAR coverage and set about putting it into motion. Competing with the likes of ESPN, Fox and Turner is not going to make that an easy task.

While there are lots of bloggers out there like us, this situation did not occur as a result of interested fans or amateur reporters flooding the Internet with NASCAR opinions. This exact dynamic has affected print publications from the New York Times to Reader's Digest. The technology struggles of print publications have been well documented.

We have been fortunate enough to become friends with many of those who now join other motorsports journalism veterans in redefining their media careers. We will keep TDP readers up to date with the information on those involved in the Tuesday changes.

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Changes In NASCAR Media Happening Today

We are just going to start a post where readers can offer the info they may have about the termination of veteran NASCAR reporters and journalists today in Charlotte.

Steve Waid, Mike Hembree and Jeff Gluck are among those losing their jobs today. Mike Mulhern suggests on his website that Scene Daily might be closing down permanently.

Here are the Twitter messages from those as it happened:

Steve Waid (4PM): Hate to go out, but I had a helluva run at 30 years. I'll be around.

Jeff Gluck (10AM): Unfortunately, NASCAR Scene and SceneDaily.com were hit by huge cutbacks today and I was one of them. Kind of stunned at the moment.

Update: SportSlant - I believe also Rea White, David Exum, Jared Turner, David Griffin, Ben White, Mark Sluder and Shea Alexander were terminated.

This move was unexpected, but we all know the current economic struggles in today's business environment. I will be adding news to this post as it comes in.

Please feel free to add your comments on this topic below by clicking on the comment section.

Internet Radio Creeps Up On NASCAR And Sirius

The recent TDP columns on the struggles of NASCAR fans to get Sirius Channel 128 online drew some great responses. Several emails were from new providers of NASCAR radio shows being transmitted via the Internet.

As you may remember, the issue revolved around the fact that serving the NASCAR fans who want to stream Sirius Channel 128 online still has not been addressed. Sirius already streams many channels online, but NASCAR content is prohibited under a contract that gives those rights to our friends at Turner Sports.

NASCAR.com has never offered any online radio shows during the weekdays and Turner has been focused on projects like RaceBuddy and Trackpass. What fans are asking is simply to be able to pay a small fee to listen to the Sirius NASCAR weekday shows on a computer or cell phone.

Since we have been met with a wall of silence on this issue, it might be time for another wake-up call. Internet radio is basically free. There are no expensive rights to buy and no special equipment to purchase. iRadio can be heard on desktops, laptops and cell phones with ease.

The failure of The NASCAR Media Group, Turner Interactive and Sirius to hammer out a deal on this issue is giving some folks a golden opportunity to step in and seize the day. Sirius might have the rights to the races, but they certainly do not have a corner on NASCAR content or interviews.

There are already several high-profile independent NASCAR-themed radio programs running on the Internet. Ultimately, it's just a matter of time until this content is gathered in one place and offered to fans in a more cohesive manner. With the current availability of many former NASCAR media members now working on a freelance basis, the talent pool for this type of venture is high.

The ultimate value of the Sirius NASCAR channel is the content, with the vast majority of it coming during the weekdays. The downfall is the distribution system which relies on satellite antenna access to function at all times. Many fans told us of sitting in their cars in the driveway listening to Sirius because the receiver came with the vehicle. If only they could get the same signal on their home computer.

People only fight over money if they have a reason to do so. Should NASCAR's Internet radio providers get organized, they may provide a real alternative to the Sirius 128 weekday line-up with many of the same guests, interviews and interactive fan conversations.

Time for some senior management types to review this issue before Daytona. By then, many of us may be listening to coverage provided by an entirely new set of NASCAR radio announcers. No monthly fee, no clumsy receiver and a world of new possibilities.

For your reference on this topic. Click the title to read the column:

Sirius finds a knight in shining armor. (February 22, 2009)

No Sirius NASCAR channel on iPhones. (June 23, 2009)

Time to get Sirius NASCAR content online. (August 3, 2009)

Off-season priority: Online streaming of Sirius NASCAR Channel 128. (December 14, 2009)

We welcome your comments on this topic. To add your opinion, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting. Thanks for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.