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Credit: The Dan Patrick Show
What’s next for Dianna Russini?
While her career as a sports journalist might be over, her career as a sports personality might still be on the horizon. Look, we can make all the jokes we want, and certainly, through her own fault, she has provided ample material for the media to feast on. At best, Russini has exercised poor judgment and engaged in exaggeration.
Will this story have more legs? Unclear. The New York Post will keep publishing paparazzi-style content of Russini as long as possible. But there’s a distinct possibility that The New York Times‘s internal investigation won’t reveal anything else salacious. At some point, the media moves on because that’s what the media does. Unless Russini or Mike Vrabel gets divorced, this story will simmer down.
At some point, Russini will likely want to return to work. And as unbelievable as it may sound, there is a path back into the media for her. She’s not just famous but infamous, which, in today’s landscape, might be more valuable. Attention is currency, and when Russini re-emerges, it will be major news.
Russini doesn’t need to be an insider or a reporter. She could reinvent herself as a sports personality by launching a talk show on a streaming platform. It’s not inconceivable that a streamer such as Netflix would offer her a job. It doesn’t care about traditional journalism standards. It cares more about content. Also, remember that Dave Portnoy and Jon “Stugotz” Weiner have already said they would hire her.
Ultimately, Russini’s comeback on this format will hinge on two things. First, can she regain the trust of NFL players and coaches and get them to speak with her? Second, can she attract an audience to tune in? Both are difficult to assess at this point.
Russini has clearly worked hard to develop sources and has important business relationships across the league. We know this because of her high salary. The Athletic wouldn’t pay her that amount if they didn’t think she was plugged into the NFL’s happenings.
Making the switch from a sports reporter to a sports personality isn’t that drastic. Certainly not now. Just look at ESPN’s daily lineup of talking heads. Some are still reporters, but you’ll hear a lot from people just giving hot takes.
The major impediment for Russini here is the scandal she’ll have to address. She’ll likely wait until after the investigation. After that, does she choose a friendly landing spot to do her first interview? Does she go for something like the Call Her Daddy podcast? Does she do something more formal, like a traditional sit-down interview?
Or does she discuss the scandal on her own platform to launch it right out of the gate? It would do great numbers. The challenge will be keeping the audience engaged afterward. People want to hear her side of the story, but do people want to hear more from her afterward?
Longtime listeners to The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz will recall Russini’s appearances on the podcast. There, she would share amusing stories about her family life and her verbal impressions of her mother. Clearly, she knows how to be funny and doesn’t take herself too seriously. Those are valuable traits in the content creation business.
Losing your job, even when it appears to be your own fault, still sucks. But whatever journalism crimes Russini may have committed, that doesn’t mean she deserves to completely lose her livelihood.
It’s always easier to make fun of a person at the center of a scandal. Compassion is in short supply these days. If Russini is humble enough and gets sound advice, there is a path back. Not as a sports reporter but as a sports personality.
And in the long run, that might be a more interesting use of her talents.
The post Can Dianna Russini remake her career, not as a reporter, but as a personality? appeared first on Awful Announcing.
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