Ouimette 1 Samantha Ouimette Composition II Professor Fred Wright April 10th, 2011 Assessing Suitability to a Sports Journalism Career

On his initial acquaintance with American society, the epic playwright Oscar Wilde observed that In America, the president reigns for four years, and journalism governs forever and ever. His assessment of this aspect of American culture was as true a century ago as it is today, where every facet of journalism is readily available to the population through mediums such as television, the internet, and newspapers. Journalism is a field of study that teaches and utilizes the art of reporting , photographing, or editing news stories for the media; with as vast as the media is today, it is easy to see just how many different job opportunities are available to aspiring journalists. One may choose to report on both local and international news, or to write about various business ventures affecting the global economy; however, one may choose to report on the one topic that breaks all cultural barriers: sports. While sports journalists may not ever report on the earth-shattering events that occur daily across the globe, they still have the opportunity to profoundly affect the lives of those who read their work through accurately and passionately reporting on the worlds most beloved hobby. Through observing the prerequisites for a sports journalist,

assessing the job, and considering the overall outlook for the future of the career, one can determine whether or not he is suitable for the job of a sports journalist. To begin with, a career in sports journalism comes with certain prerequisites that one must fulfill before actually entering the workforce. As with most jobs, there are various educational requirements that must be noted in order to make the ultimate transition into sports journalism as smooth as possible. A college education is especially vital in this career field; the degree that could prove to ultimately be the most beneficial is one in the realm of journalism (Roberts 23). When one attains a diploma in an area that focuses on the art of writing and efficiently conveying what has been written, that says to potential employers that the person is the type they want to hire: one who has learned how to hone his writing skills and avoid the clichs and jargon that tend to hurt articles more than help them (Wilstein 184). In addition to receiving a good education, one must also make sure that he harbors the personal qualities needed to become a sports journalist. The person most certainly has to enjoy being around other people, because he will be constantly interacting with other journalists and athletes and thus he must know how to converse and confront those people. Above all, a sports journalist must be a knowledgeable, creative, precise, and professional person who has the ability to report news the very moment it happens (Wilstein 184). Once all of those prerequisites are recognized, aspiring sports journalists can be well on their way to successfully entering the career field they desire to be a part of. Next, when assessing the job of a sports journalist, it is plain to see that it is an occupation of many duties, many deadlines, and much delight. The primary duty of sports

Ouimette 3 journalists is to describe events with elegance, passion, and wit all while imparting an accurate feeling for what it was really like to be in the stands, on the field, or in the locker room (Wilstein 1). While this may appear to be an easy task to those reporters who write about more serious topics, sports journalists have one challenging duty to perform that their peers do not: they must tell an interesting story repeatedly over the course of a long, arduous season (Aamidor 32). In this way, sports journalists must learn to truly perfect their craft so that they keep their readers and, naturally, themselves fully immersed in a subject that can become almost tedious if not kept fresh and exciting. With all of these duties for sports journalists to fulfill, there is a natural accompaniment of both positive and negative aspects to the job. The positive aspects seem obvious enough to most: sports journalists get into all the big games for free, sit in the seats with the best view, receive plenty to eat and drink, get to meet-and-greet with many sports superstars, and get to travel all around the country and possibly the world (Fenten 27). Plus, unlike most other reporters, sports journalists get to report on a topic that is generally light-hearted and pleasant to read about in comparison with the major news of today; they get the opportunity to write about a subject that allows many people to temporarily forget about the daily worries of life (Southern D1). However, with all of those positive things come many negative ones. One of the biggest challenges sports journalists face is acquiring the cooperation of athletes, many of whom only grant interviews and make appearances when they feel like it; this causes immense stress on the journalist who has a story to write and only a short amount of time to do it in (Aamidor 27). Furthermore, writing is more times than not a very solitary job and, consequently, can be a very lonely one (Roberts 25). All of

the aforementioned conditions play into a career in sports journalisms overall job satisfaction, which can be calculated by evaluating the following criterions: job salary, status of the job, daily structure provided, development and achievement, and social interaction (Job Satisfaction). After weighing the pros and cons of becoming a sports journalist as well figuring the jobs overall satisfaction in accordance with ones own personal preferences, one can properly assess whether or not the job is right for him. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, one who is considering entering the field of sports journalism must consider its overall outlook for the future. Despite the entire newspaper business being hit hard by the recent recession, journalists will always be needed simply because there will always be news to report on and people who want to read about it. Because the sports section is usually the most popular section in newspapers, sports journalists have the added bonus of being assured that what they want to write about concerns a topic that is always going to want to be read by the people, and hence those journalists know that as long as professional sports are around their jobs will be also. However, a career in sports journalism has not always proven to be as stable for females as it is for males, where the former compose a mere ten percent of the industry and the latter compose an astounding ninety percent (Salary Snapshot); this statistic lends support to the idea that there is a hegemonic masculinity within the institution of sports media (Whisenant and Pedersen 54). But even with this apparent inequality, many opportunities for advancement are emerging for both sexes through one giant outlet: the internet. Classic journalisms transition into the internet age seems to only point to bigger and better things

Ouimette 5 for sports journalism, because an already lofty interest in the subject of sports is only increased when readers are given easier access to read and learn about scores, statistics, and gossip (Deford 55). In light of the above facts, the outlook on sports journalism looks to be bright for anyone aspiring to pursue a career in this field. Journalism is a vast field that encompasses numerous different subjects, with none perhaps being more enjoyable to write about than sports. On a personal note, I will be pursuing a degree in Journalism and Media Studies at the University of South Florida this fall, and in addition to the purely educational prerequisite I will be fulfilling by doing so, Ive also already gained real-world experience in sports journalism by writing a couple of articles for the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League. I enjoy interacting with others who have the same passion about sports as I do, and although I still view athletes as these untouchable superstars who Im nervous to talk to, that is certainly something I am working on and plan on overcoming as I gain more experience. The duties that come along with being a sports journalist appeal to all of my interests, and while there are obviously negative aspects to the job such as being alone frequently and traveling regularly, I have always been the type to work best by myself and Ive always dreamed about traveling the country and the globe. Above all, Im incredibly excited about how sports journalism is beginning to really open up to females who are beyond passionate about sports such as myself. Though the numbers dont quite reflect it yet, it is no secret that women are becoming more and more desired in the world of sports media, and I hope to take advantage of that opportunity when I finally have all the credentials needed to enter the

working world. After observing the prerequisites for becoming a sports journalist, assessing the job fully, and considering how its future looks, I have determined that I am suitable for the job of a sports journalist.

Ouimette 7

Wo r ks Ci t e d :

Aamidor, Abraham. Real Sports Reporting. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2003. 26-39. Print. Deford, Frank. "Sports Writing in the Internet Age." Nieman Reports 64.4 (2010): 54-55. Print. Fenten, Barbara, and D. X. Fenten. Careers in the Sports Industry. New York, NY:

Franklin Watts Inc., 1977. 27-29. Print. "Job Satisfaction." Career Friend. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://www.careerfriend.com/articles/job-satisfaction.html>. Roberts, Robin. Careers for Women Who Love Sports. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook, 2000. 23-25. Print. "Salary Snapshot for Sports Reporter Jobs." PayScale. Web. 27 Mar. 2011. <http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Sports_Reporter/Salary>. Southern, Michael. "Sports Has Lost Its Innocence." Editorial. Gadsden Times 27 July 1993, Sports sec.: D1. Print. Whisenant, Warren A., and Paul M. Pedersen. "Analyzing Attitudes Regarding Quantity and Quality of Sports Page Coverage: Athletic Direct Perceptions of Newspaper Coverage Given to Interscholastic Sports." International Sports Journal (2004): 5462. Print. Wilstein, Steve. Associated Press Sports Writing Handbook. New York, NY: McGrawHill, 2002. 1-44, 177-187. Print.