If you’re a sports buff but not exactly a star athlete, you may be considering what it takes to be a TV news sports reporter.
After all, sports broadcasters get all sorts of perks, including regularly attending live events and, if you make it big, some degree of fame and recognition.
There is work involved, however. And the road to becoming part of a TV news team can be just as demanding as being part of a sports team.
Understanding What It Means to Be a TV News Sports Reporter
Your primary goal may be to dazzle your audience with your ability to analyze how a team plays, grasping offensive and defensive lines, and reporting on a specific athlete’s wins, losses, injuries, gameplay, and strategy. You’ll also have a chance to educate viewers by interviewing players, coaches, and ancillary staff – as well as engage with sports fans and the audience themselves.
But being a TV news broadcaster goes beyond your on-air abilities. You’ll also need to know how to operate video and audio equipment, write articles about sports news and individual games, edit your report for conciseness and accuracy, share your analysis of a game, team, or sports industry, and possibly host radio shows or podcasts with guests.
What You Can Do to Prepare
Once you determine you want to be a sports reporter, one of the best things you can do is start studying seasoned sports broadcasters whom you admire. And watch or listen to those you don’t too. You can also study great sportscasters from the past. It’s all good information that will help inform how you might conduct interviews, recap a game, or give play-by-play calls down the road.
Also, it’s crucial to get some experience under your belt. Perhaps you offer to write sports for your local newspaper or website. You could play in a local league. And never underestimate the power of coaching Little League sports.
Meanwhile, if you’re still in high school, you could write sports articles for the school newspaper or sign up to be an announcer for your high school’s morning show. You could also volunteer to set up lights at games or work on the production team behind the scenes. Any kind of experience in sports, communication, and broadcasting is going to make you more desirable to a future employee or potential college.
Speaking of which…
Educational Requirements to Be a TV News Sports Reporter
You’ll need a bachelor’s degree from a reputable school to work as a sports broadcaster. There are a number of degrees you can choose from though. A degree in sports communication or broadcast journalism is a good place to begin your exploration. You may not need to be so specific though. Depending on your goals, you may find a more generalized degree in broadcasting or communication could do the trick.
Whatever program you choose, it’s important that it covers writing for media, as well as production processes for television, radio, and spoken communication. Some colleges or universities offer electives such as sports entertainment or history of athletics (as just two examples) that will broaden your sports broadcasting repertoire.
Embrace the Internship
While you’re still in school, you may be given the opportunity to work as an intern at a station. Do so. An internship will help you gain real-world experience in the industry. Furthermore, you’ll be able to connect with professionals who can answer questions and inspire you on your path.
In fact, many employers in the industry will require you to complete an internship before they’ll even consider hiring you.
You’ve Got This!
If you feel you have what it takes to be a TV news sports reporter, then get out there and make it happen!
And know that once you’ve landed your first job and gained valuable experience, you’ll benefit from a seasoned TV news talent agent such as Mort Meisner.
With many decades in the industry and an impressive roster, he has the connections that will help you to truly make a name for yourself as you move forward.
