Media Silence for Big Ben

By: Matt

The sports world was shocked this past week when Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback of the reigning Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, was accused of rape. What is even more shocking than the accusations is that ESPN, by far the largest broadcaster of sports television, has chosen to provide minimum coverage of the story. The charges themselves come as a surprise. Roethlisberger has had no reputation for poor behavior off of the field, he has never been involved in anything criminal since being drafted 11^th overall in 2004. The only controversy about Roethlisberger stemmed from a motorcycle accident in 2006 in which the only victim was Roethlisberger himself. The controversy was about whether an NFL quarterback should ride a motorcycle. Roethlisberger has addressed the media and has stated that the charges are “reckless and false.” Given Roethlisberger’s lack of a prior record and clean reputation it would come as a major shock if the allegations are proven true; however, the actions of ESPN with regard to the coverage of the allegations will likely prove more lasting.

While the charges against Roethlisberger may not be true, they are undeniably an important news story. The fact that there has been no investigation into the charges is irrelevant, in the past NBA superstar Kobe Bryant faced similar charges and became a fixture in ESPN’s “the lead.” Football fans and supporters of an open media alike have been left asking why as the most popular figure in sports media has ignored the story. No clear reason has been given for why ESPN is protecting Roethlisberger, but it would not be a far reach to assume that there is a racial component. To call ESPN racist would be an unfair claim; however it is hard to say they don’t see color when Michael Vick coming home was a major news story for 4 days, Steve McNair’s blood-alcohol level at the time of his murder was reported within hours, and Kobe Bryant’s rape charges were scrutinized for months while Roethlisberger is given a pardon.

Ultimately, ESPN’s actions have made a rape accusation into a media behavior controversy. Hopefully, the charges against Roethlisberger, who will likely remain a dominant starting quarterback for the next 10 years, will be proven false and the issue at the heart of this article will fade away. What people will remember about this incident will likely not be the real story, but the way the ESPN decided to reverse their normal course of action and protect the reputation of the young Steeler. There may be a valid and acceptable reason for ESPN’s questionable actions, but until anyone hears it, questions about the network’s integrity will remain.