Deeper and deeper for Tiger

Of all the stuff coming out on Tiger Woods (which is coming out so fast now it's hard to keep track of) the most distressing from a journalistic standpoint this report about the National Enquirer and Men's Health Journal. Apparently, the Enquirer had the goods on Tiger two years ago, but withheld the information in exchange for Tiger giving an interview/cover story to Men's Health; both magazines are owned by the same company. The move led editor Neal Boulton to resign in protest (although the Enquirer says that was not the real reason for his departure).

If the story is true it is the most shameless form of sports journalism imaginable. The Enquirer doesn't have the greatest reputation to begin with, but has never been afraid to publish new (or sometimes questionable) information. The situation reinforces the importance of economics and influence of conglomerate ownership in today's (sports) media, but that's still no excuse. It's cowardly, checkbook journalism at its worst ... and everyone involved should be ashamed.