ESPN Ombudsman: “I think ESPN made some major mistakes handling the entire affair … in many ways, the network’s decisions in airing the James’ special – and its justification for making them – are a metaphor for what ails the media today.” Nearly two weeks later, the Ombudsman did a fine job here. Not sure how he could have screwed this one up, though – it was a wide open layup. He goes on to say that there was a “tale of two cultures” on how to handle the program. Business vs. newsgathering. “For [the latter], the network was paying to play and opening up the news organization to charges of compromised standards. It also put some news executives in the uncomfortable position of knowing details they couldn’t share unless one of their reporters uncovered it of their own accord.” [ESPN]