For anyone who ever wondered how busy reporters manage to stay on top of all the breaking news while still maintaining some semblance of a family life, Darren Rovell shared a little secret.
Rovell has someone monitoring social media for him, and if a huge story drops, they contact him with a “Code Red.”
The former ESPN reporter, who now operates the collectibles news site cllct.com, appeared on Andrew Marchand’s podcast to explain his “system” for staying on top of the news.
“I have personally pushed the button on every single tweet, I think it’s over 200,000,” Rovell said. “I do have a person and I’ve had this person for 10 years, where there’s a system. So essentially if there’s a tweet or if there’s something, just (like) Woj (ESPN’s former NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski) retiring out of nowhere. As you know, this is an exhausting business. That’s why I’m 46 and look 66. … In order to have a wife and three kids, like literally, you have to have someone … because you have to put down your phone. You have to.”
Rovell makes an excellent point. Many veteran reporters have cited the tremendous toll that staying on top of breaking news can take. NFL insider Adam Schefter has joked about how he and his phone are never separated, even in the shower. Wojnarowski mentioned the incredible commitment required by high-profile reporters when announcing his recent decision to step away from ESPN.
Frankly, it would be surprising if some other busy reporters don’t have someone screening the news for them, at least part of the time. It’s a better utilization of resources, for one thing, and does allow a reporter some family time.
Rovell went on to explain his “system.”
“So I have someone who, if there’s something that’s interesting, it will come via email,” Rovell said. “So someone’s watching it. If there’s something that’s more than interesting and I should probably look at it, it’s a text. Then there’s a ‘Code Red’ call, and I’ve had that for 10 years.”
Darren Rovell has paid someone for a decade to monitor Twitter for him. This is how the Rovell system works. pic.twitter.com/1fEyPuXAni
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) October 3, 2024
One can only imagine what scenarios’s would demand a “Code Red” response, ala Jack Nicholson’s character in A Few Good Men. Chances are it would be used for something along the lines of Woj’s retirement. Although in Rovell’s case, it might have been used for breaking junk food news; the collectibles lover recently purchased the world’s oldest sealed Twinkie, which dates to 1976.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.