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When ESPN’s Ric Bucher revealed this week that ESPN was “prohibiting” its reporters from any sports-related Twitter activity not sanctioned by ESPN.com, we questioned whether this “ban” was an example of micro-management of intellectual property between employer and employee. ESPN disagreed (via Twitter). The following is an exclusive follow-up with ESPN spokesman Paul Melvin, whose non-comment on Bucher’s current status with ESPN raises more question than answers.

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An internal memo released yesterday by ESPN outlined a rigid new policy toward the use of social media by its on-air talent and writers. The new guidelines immediately raised questions about the ownership of one’s personal thoughts and comments and how they can be published – via Twitter, Facebook or apparently any other digital means. How did the news break? Via the personal Twitter feed of ESPN NBA analyst Ric Bucher of course. Mediaite has the internal memo and exclusive comment from ESPN.