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Sports Journalists
If you have strong writing skills and equal fervor for sports, then become journalist for the sports. Responsibility of handling sports desk is challenging, unlike the name suggests there is a lot of traveling involved in this job. Along with traveling, comes close deadlines and may require working during weekends too.
If you are passionate about sports then you might not think of all downside of being a sports journalist. Sports journalists inform and entertain people about all the happenings in the realm of sports. Sports journalists can inform people by writing for newspapers, magazines, and websites. Additionally, they may present sports related news on a TV channel. This may often involve a great deal of research and keeping up with current events. A sports writer not only has to attend sporting events to keep current with what is going on, but they must also meet with clients or team members as well.
Role of Sports Journalists
- Research topics and stories that an editor or news director has assigned to them.
- Interview people who have information, analysis, or opinions relating to a story or article.
- Write articles for newspapers, blogs, and magazines and write scripts to be read on television or radio.
- Review articles to ensure their accuracy and their use of proper style and grammar.
- Develop relationships with experts and contacts who provide tips and leads on stories.
- Analyze and interpret information to increase their audiences’ understanding of the news.
- Update stories as new information becomes available
Skills of Sports Journalists
Communication skills: Journalists require excellent communication skills to be able to report the news both verbally and in writing.
Impartiality: Journalists need to report the facts of the news impartially and without inserting their opinion or bias into the story.
People skills: Sports Journalists also need to work well with other journalists, editors, and news directors besides they develop contacts and conduct interviews, reporters thus need good people skills.
Persistence: Journalists need to be persistent in their pursuit of the story.
Stamina: The work of journalists is often fast paced, and the hours can be long and exhausting. Reporters need to be able to keep up with the long hours.