Mark Cuban Bans Bloggers From Maverick’s Locker Room

As we continue debating media access for bloggers, an ironic twist has come into play. Mark Cuban, a blogger himself, banned a blogger from the Maverick’s locker room for having too much media credibility! Now there is a first!

Tim MacMahon, who writes a blog for the Dallas Morning News was denied entry to the Maverick’s locker room over the weekend because of a new policy refusing access to writers whose “primary purpose is to blog.”

On his blog today, Cuban says he’s not coming down on the citizen journalist. He’s calling out traditional media who send in bloggers, instead of feature writers, to get a jump on media companies that don’t blog.

“What I didn’t like was that the Dallas Morning News was getting a competitive advantage simply because they were the Dallas Morning News. Some out there will take this as my not ‘liking’ blogs. Ridiculous. its the exact opposite. What I don’t like is unequal access. I’m all for bloggers getting the same access as mainstream media when possible. What I’m not a fan of is major media companies throwing their weight around thinking they should be treated differently.”

The Dallas Morning News, however, claims this new ban is aimed at MacMahon, whom the paper says was asked to leave the locker room on February 29th after posting a piece that was critical of coach Avery Johnson. MacMahon has been blogging about the Mavericks for the Morning News since 2006.

Banned For Too Much Journalistic Credibility

Usually organizations ban bloggers for not having enough traditional media cred. But denying a major-media-backed blogger just because the Dallas Morning News could publish a story first? Well, that would be like telling TV networks they can’t cover an event because they’d scoop print reporters. Or denying CNN an interview because 24/7 broadcasting gives them an unfair advantage over the networks!

Technology changes the game. Always has. Always will. Those who play smart, win. Certainly Mark Cuban, the man who created Broadcast.com, understands this. And, considering that bloggers have been beating traditional media to the punch for years now. Perhaps turnabout should be fair play here.