Hartford Courant deletes Yankee Beat, Keeps Red Sox

• From Hartford Courant's Reader Representative Karen Hunter:

"Sports Editor Jeff Otterbein told his staff June 22 that "from the beginning of the season, when we were trying to save money, we had not planned to be on [the] Yankees swing to Colorado and San Francisco. But this now ends our staff Yankees game coverage."

• Editor Cliff Teutsch explained the rationale behind his decision. "We will use Newsday's game stories on the Yankees, and Dom [Amore] will provide additional coverage - profiles, features, explainers, and more."

A reader notes the paper still has a writer covering the Red Sox:

• "the Red Sox coverage is by `Courant Staff Writer Jeff Goldberg.' Are you planning on using the Boston Globe for Red Sox reports in the future? There should be equal reports of these teams. As the [Quinnipiac] Poll proves, Connecticut fans love/hate both teams."

(The Courant is owned by the Tribune Co. which also owns Newsday on Long Island).

• "So as geography has it, "We will continue to cover the Red Sox with our staff writer," Teutsch said. "We understand this state's passionately divided Yankees and Red Sox fans, and we will continue to serve them."

Then there is readers' appreciation of Staff Writer Dom Amore's work."

• (One is quoted saying they went to look for Dom Amore's blog but it's gone).

"The blog is gone but Teutsch and Otterbein are clear that Amore will continue to cover the Yankees.

• Deputy Sports Editor Scott Powers, however, predicts The Courant's Yankees stories will be compromised. "Dom's access will be severely limited. You don't just show up at Yankee Stadium and say `I want to speak to A-Rod!' But if you're there every day, and A-Rod sees you every day, you've got credence. You've got a chip. A-Rod is more likely to speak to the familiarity. Dom was a presence around the Yanks."

Any way I look at it, taking away this aspect of Yankees coverage diminishes The Courant. Perhaps the disgruntled readers will come to appreciate Newsday's writers. Perhaps some readers couldn't care less who writes game stories - the Yankees are losing anyway."

• From article in the Hartford Courant, 7/1/07, "Cutting Yankees Game Beat: It's a Bad Call," by Reader Representative Karen Hunter. Via Poynter.org/Romenesko

They better not take our Peter Abraham away. (sm)

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