Job Description of a Sports Journalist
Sports journalists, also referred to as sports reporters, document and analyze sporting events and sports-related topics, people and issues. Historically rooted in print journalism, sports journalism has evolved into a multimedia concentration encompassing television, radio, film and the Internet. Today's sports journalists are savvy communications professionals who draw from a hybrid skill set as they maneuver through an evolving landscape of editorial disciplines.
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Education
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While a college degree and formal journalism education are advantageous in obtaining any reputable writing profession, they are not necessarily a requirement of sports journalism. Sports journalists are first and foremost rabid sports fans, usually with a single sport they are particularly passionate about, yet with an overarching passion for athletic competition in general. Vast majorities get their start covering scholastic athletics in some form and continue this focus into college.
Skills and Salary
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Given the ever-expanding nature of the position, sports journalism requires a wide variety of abilities. Skills that have carried over from the job’s print-based origins include solid interviewing and writing skills, coupled with a keen ability to recount and compare sports statistics and history. Other skills required of the position's modern incarnation include a basic broadcasting background and fundamental debating skills. Salaries in 2010 started in the $20,000 to $30,000 range, but emerging sports journalists with a hybrid skill set can eventually earn considerably more, according to CubReporters.org.
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Beat Writing
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Many sports journalists cover one specific team, or “beat.” These "beat writers" attend every game, practice session and press conference and pen stories about these events for their publications. Beat writers also accompany teams on road trips. These journalists become a publication's primary correspondent for covering not only a particular team, but also the league that team plays in. Thus, beat writers must stay in tune with a variety of topics, games and noteworthy events.
Internet
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Sports news is not immune to the 24-hour news cycle, and as a result, the Internet has evolved to become a crucial tool for sports journalists. In addition to their daily “feature” pieces, nearly all sports journalists for major media outlets contribute to their own blogs, Internet chats and Twitter accounts. These social networking tools have expanded the platform of sportswriters from weekly or daily newspapers to an interactive, constant presence.
Sports Broadcasting
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Sports journalists are a common presence on television and radio. While many sports journalists are dedicated strictly to broadcasting, the line between sports broadcasters and print journalists has blurred. The result is that along with editorial skills necessary to write discernible and interesting prose, sports journalists working in print may also need basic broadcasting skills and the ability to present persuasive arguments at a moment's notice. Several major network television sports shows showcase round-table discussions between sports reporters, and many are called upon to provide their analysis in a televised form.
Sports Authors
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Sports journalists often make a foray into book publishing as well. While some choose to compile their written works in book form, others dedicate years to researching a particular athlete or subject in symphony with their day-to-day duties as a sports writer. Longtime New York Daily News sports journalist Mike Lupica, for example, co-wrote autobiographies of Reggie Jackson and Bill Parcells and penned a bevy of other sports-related books, including a series of novels for young adults.
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