MSG has once again shuffled their broadcast team. I saw the writing on the wall way back when I found out about other MSG broadcast team departures. TV is a revolving door and no one lasts forever in one place. Okay, except maybe a rare few. But the Isles pre-and-post game host has been spinning wildly for years. Some have gone on to other MSG broadcasts or even bigger and better things. Others have just -- moved.
Certainly I’d say Deb Kaufman Placey was one of the biggest fan favorites of all. She certainly had big high heels to fill and some were not up to the challenge. Since Deb’s move to the NJ Devils broadcast -- a move deemed by MSG as a promotion -- we’ve seen three different men fill her seat.
Today, we find out that we’ve finally getting someone who may actually be able to fill those pumps. MSG is replacing Peter Ruttgaizer with 29-year-old Shannon Hogan. Ms. Hogan, a Michigan native, worked for Fox Sports Detroit for the past four years covering multiple sports. She got the call about the open Islanders reporter in June. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime.
The fact is, there aren’t that many females in sports reporting. The NHL Network has Kathryn Tappen; okay she’s just one woman out of 11 on-air personalities, but still. The NJ Devils has the only female radio broadcaster in NHL hockey as well.
According to the Women’s Media Center survey of sports journalists, "Of the 35 women who were columnists included in the survey, 23 worked for ESPN.
Without those ESPN staffers, the percentage of female columnists would slip from
12.8 percent to 4.8 percent of all columnists.”
One of those ESPN columnists is ex-Newsday beat-writer Katie Strang. Ms. Strang covered the Islanders for Newsday after Greg Logan was reassigned. She knows full well the ins-and-outs of covering this team in their own building and on the road, especially as a woman. Once Deb Placey was removed from the Islanders broadcast team, Katie was the only MSM female at the games. Tall, young and attractive, she had to work twice as hard and endure four times as much criticism as any of the other writers.
Steffen Konrath @StKonrath · 8h
Study: Female journalists are the only subjects that got trolled on and verbally abused more than men/ @cathtaibi http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/26/female-journalists-twitter-men-messages-negative_n_5715011.html …
I suppose, it goes with the territory. It's not fair, it's just fact. So, when I read about Shannon Hogan’s new job, I asked Katie if she had any advice for Shannon.
Katie Strang @KatieStrangESPN 7h
@7thWoman Embrace and appreciate the zeal and enthusiasm Isles fans have for their team. BUT, always stay away from comments sections
Great advice especially considering the comments the Newsday article has already received. Perhaps one day women won’t be a novelty in sports broadcasting and sports journalism. Until then… we’ll just plod along… working.
Let's give Shannon a warm welcome to the Islander family and not frighten her before she even gets in front of a camera with a microphone.
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