Hot Topic: Can You Post Your Tweet & Eat it Too?

Watch out fellow tweeters, the hidden risks of Twitter may be overshadowed by its popularity and user friendly nature. Mark Askin, a veteran producer for Leafs TV and former employee for Hockey Night in Canada may be the latest individual to fall victim to this trend. Like many other major names in Canadian broadcast media, Mr. Askin has a Twitter account. He uses it to dispense his candid opinions on industry related subjects. This includes the recent controversy surrounding Don Cherry’s unprofessional rant to the media. To his dismay, Askin learned the hard way that two wrongs don’t make a right. He faced a media backlash of his own and almost a two game suspension from MLSE for putting the entire company’s reputation in jeopardy.

The Twitter controversy started Dec. 19. Don Cherry refused to apologize for swearing at a journalist and refused to engage in a debate with a neurologist about violence in hockey. Askin took to his Twitter with this:

@ LeafProducer: Amazing eh ! .. Listen to Cherry swear .. Listen to how much he enjoys using that language .. He knew he was being recorded .. He got caught

And later that day saying:

@ LeafProducer: Notice how cherry does not want to talk to the doc .. Nor did he apologize for his F-rant .. Just defended what's convenient .. Chicken shit

I am not indicating that these controversial comments are unfair. The Twitter design is, after all meant for free and open discourse. The problem at hand arises from a PR perspective. Leafs TV and CBC are not only competitors, but partners as well. Askin publicly criticized CBC. This is a major faux-pas known by anyone in the TV industry, and consequently jeopardized the media giants’ relationship. Immediately upon discovering the tweets, MLSE had to carry out damage control by sending their apologies to CBC and Hockey Night in Canada. After further consideration and a personal email from Askin to Hockey Night, MLSE decided against the two game suspension.

The official statement is as follows:

“We talked about it,” Anselmi said. “And I think Chris (Hebb, MLSE’s head of broadcasting) talked to Mark about it, that maybe you should go home and cool off for a couple of days or something. But he’s a valued employee. He screwed up and he knows it, and we’re moving on.”

As a veteran in the industry, Askin should have known better. I am sure this isn’t the first time executives at CBC and MLSE have had conflicts nor is it the first time sports executives have had conflicts with Mr. Cherry.

This is where the risks of social media come in to play. The discourse that Twitter has created often results in frank language and sharp attacks. Especially by those who have become increasingly reliant on Twitter as a venting outlet to relieve inner angst. We cannot blame these individuals, since this feature that has been a catalyst of Twitter’s widespread success. As an educated executive at one of the most well-known companies in Canada, Askin should realize that his actions are a direct reflection on his company. This is just one of many examples that leaves people wondering if Twitter is more dangerous than it leads on to believe. Watch what you Tweet!

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