NBC Star Bob Costas

St. Louis Journalism Review, March, 1994 by Harry James Cargas

Bob Costas has earned the highest recognition for a sportscaster. He has been honored with four Emmys, was named National Sportscaster of the Year five times and received the American Sportscasters Award on three occasions. Until the end of February, he hosted "Later" on NBC where he also guest-hosted the "Today" show. His credits include broadcasting college and professional basketball, "Major League Baseball Game of the Week" and Olympic Games in Seoul and Barcelona. He is a much sought after guest and has appeared on programs such as "Nightline," "Face the Nation" and "The Tonight Show." He may be the only sportscaster to make reference on camera to the ancient myth of Sisyphus when, on January 30 of this year, he compared the Super Bowl experience of the Buffalo Bills to that of the Greek figure's condemnation to frustration.

Costas was interviewed by Prof. Harry James Cargas of Webster University, a founding editorial advisor of SJR.

SJR: What do you owe me as a viewer or listener?

COSTAS: It depends on what the event is or what the topic is. If I'm doing play by play, I believe what's called for is thorough preparation and clear, quick, but not hasty reporting of basic facts as they unfold and I think I owe you some perspective. How the weather is that day (both in the narrow sense of what the weather is and the larger sense of it -- what it would feel like to be in the ball park or at the site of that event) anything that is pertinent to an understanding and enjoyment of that event. If you are doing play by play of a baseball game, one of the joys of it is there's enough room that you can, at your own pace, pretty much get across any point you want to get across. If you are hosting a pre-game show for the NBA or the NFL you can only do what those little 15 or 20 second windows allow you to do.

SJR: What do you owe the network?

COSTAS: I owe them honest, hard work, preparation, dedication to the product. But I don't owe 100 percent fidelity to a network party line. I should say that 95 percent of the time at NBC no one suggests what I should or shouldn't say or puts any crimp in my style beyond what the formats (impose). The formats put time constraints on me. I don't accept blind loyalty to a network party line. Not just because you give up too large a piece of yourself, but for a simpler reason: it's not good TV. If a network has a sports commentator who has established a reputation and who has a relationship with the audience, if his or her point-of-view differs from the league or the network president or the producer, as long as it's a responsible point-of-view, what difference does it make? Sports is about controversy, anyway. Sports is about differing opinions. So if I've got an opinion, I don't think twice about whether it's the same opinion as my employers. For example, my views on baseball realignment and expanded playoffs are diametrically opposed to NBC management. I'm certainly not shy about saying so and won't be in the future. You must have an understanding of what's appropriate at any given moment. If they are doing a ceremony to retire Magic Johnson's uniform, simple common sense and understanding of the moment and understanding of theater -- which is part of the job description here -- indicates that that's not the time to talk about AIDS and the National Basketball Association.

But there may come a time when you talk about it. I owe them a sense of timing, a sense of of what is appropriate. But I don't owe NBC blind loyalty. If it ever comes to the point where carrying out some function they'd like to have me carry out significantly misrepresents who I am as a person or a professional -- that line you try not to cross. Of course, there's a difference between principle and contrariness for its own sake. For example, promos are part of the job. I try to deliver them with some restraint rather than hype, but basically you play along. Sometimes the shows are good -- but even if they're awful, I don't think honesty or integrity demands that I refuse to read the promo. You pick your spots where it matters to stake out a position of your own.

SJR: Is there any difference between what you owe a network and what you owe an individual station?

COSTAS: An individual station that employs you?

SJR: Yes.

COSTAS: I imagine some of the shadings change, based on the local or regional situation. Most of my career I haven't had people leaning too heavily on me about what to say or what not to say. They develop confidence in you, otherwise they wouldn't hire you. You have to realize some of this stuff is subjective. You certainly owe it to your producers, directors and the other people you work with to listen to them respectfully and seriously consider questions they might suggest for an interview or where they would put the emphasis in a presentation. But, ultimately, especially once you've established a relationship with the audience, you've got to weigh all of the information and input you've got -- you've got to assimilate it and you've got to decide, often on the spur of the moment -- how much weight to give each of these things. What's most important, how to prioritize it, and you have to decide what rings true for you.