From the Pros: Advice to the 2013 Graduates

With graduation at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism taking place this month, as well as at other journalism and communications colleges throughout the country,  the Povich Center asked some of the top professionals in the sports media field to offer words of advice to the newest crop of graduates.

Christine Brennan, USA Today Columnist and Best-Selling Author

The secret to your success is no secret at all. If you work harder than anyone else, if you are passionate about that work, if you are willing to make one more phone call, then double-check and triple-check your work, you will be a success.

 

You are in the people business, so treat everyone as you would hope they would treat you. Say please and thank you more than you think you should.  After a job interview, send a thank you note in the mail, not just an e-mail.  Make sure you spell every name correctly, always. Remember it’s your story but it’s their life. Even if you are being critical of someone, respect them and then make sure you go out of your way to see them again. Hit-and-run journalism gets you nowhere. “Hit-and-stay” journalism makes you a much better professional.

 

Sports journalism isn’t just a job. It’s the adventure of a lifetime. There’s nothing better than to turn your passion into your life’s work. But it’s a very competitive world, so be prepared to work long hours and to work hard. If you do that, you are in for a wonderful ride.

 

Mike James, L.A. Times Sports Editor

The one thing that I tell just about any young person who asks or who sends inquires my way is that the most important thing you can do is to separate yourself from everyone else out there. Anyone who’s going anywhere in the business has to have the basics – curiosity, initiative, a powerful self-starting motor, unquestioned work ethics, firm grasp of the language, comfort on multiple platforms, love for reporting and writing (and only a mild interest in making a lot of money). But because there are lots of young people coming out with those skills, you have to make yourself more visible than the rest of the pack. Get as many voices as possible to show as much as you can about your story. Go after stories that go beyond the wide receiver who is  leading the team in catches. Delve into you stories to give them multiple layers. Avoid the simple story on the player that quotes the kid, his coach and a teammate and says he’s a hard-worker who was inspired by his coach’s leadership. If you’re covering a college team, establish your sources so that you can find the stories that will grab the attention of the reader, which often means writing about people most readers don’t know about, but there are so many great stories involving people outside the spotlight. And avoid the routine of writing one player feature after another. Avoid predictability and go after concept stories – why and how things are happening, not simply that they are. Of course, those stories don’t simply appear; you need to dogged in your reporting, always talking to as many people as possible to find the nugget that can be the springboard for a great story. Don’t get bogged down with your prepared questions; be ready to adjust a story on the fly when you hear a response that you didn’t expect, and jump on it. Remember that the backbone of what we do is gathering the information, and that’s where your energy should be placed. Report, report, report. Writing style develops over time, but good material trumps style any time; a good editor always would rather work too much information than too little.

 

Of course, most of that is the material that we’d hope they’d already gone over during their undergraduate career. It’s such a tough market, I’d just suggest that young folks be aware that contacts are vitally important. We all like to hire known commodities, so when kids have opportunities to put themselves in situations when they can meet people – at regional meetings, getting to know established reporters at events, whatever – take advantage of those. And when making inquiries, make sure to know something about the person you’re writing and what the publication or news organization focuses on. Establish a personal connection. Blanket resumes sent out in bulk generally go straight to the ether. Make sure to suggest what you’d bring to the paper or website or news outlet, and be specific. “I know you spend a good deal of your coverage on local high schools. Here are five stories that I’d love to do for you that I think might help show you the kind of work I can do.”

 

Garry Howard, The Sporting News Editor-in-Chief

Search … Because there are jobs out there … Don’t look at the title; look at the company and where you could end up at the company.

 

Tina Cervasio, MSG Network Reporter

Do you love sports? Journalism? Asking the questions? Getting the story? Telling the story? Informing your audience? Is it your passion? Do you constantly think about your subjects? How you can captivate your audience? Does being a sports journalist consume your every thought?

 

If you answered yes to all of these questions, then you are there!

 

You have a degree from a prestigious journalism school. You’ve accomplished that challenge. The challenge now is saying yes to each of those questions every day moving forward, and believing it.  It will make the difference every day in having a career, compared to just dreaming about it.

 

In this age of information overload, is now your responsibility as a sports journalist to provide for those who are seeking this information.  What a privilege!

 

There will be tremendous sacrifice, but I can tell you, it is worth it. Thousands of graduates across the country are in your exact shoes right now, and there are thousands of sports journalists already in place.  You already know how competitive your livelihood is about to become.  Add the current state of our economy causing changes and cuts in sports departments, the facts are clear: it will not be easy landing the job of your dreams, or a paying job for that matter. Yet your future is in your control.

 

There is no secret method in getting “THAT job,” breaking a sports story, analyzing a game, delivering an entertaining & informative sports cast. The most valuable advice I can pass along, is simple; make it happen for yourself.

 

Work harder than the next guy.  Prepare without ceasing. Believe in your talent. Go with your instincts. Speak, write, and deliver your sports information with confidence. When it comes down to getting “THAT job,” and you hear “no” … find a way, or a person to get you to the answer “yes.” Your persistence in finding someone to hire you, will pay off in different ways. It might take years, even a decade (a broadcast associate I met in 1997, hired me as an NFL on FOX sideline reporter in 2011), but as Knicks Head Coach Mike Woodson always reminds his media contingency, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”

 

Never give up on your passion, dreams, and goals in this career.  You have the tools: you already loved sports and your education taught you how to be a journalist. Now take the creativity you apply to your stories and reporting, and apply it to getting “THAT job.”

 

David Owens, WUSA-9 Sports Anchor, Merrill College Adjunct Professor

The future of the craft is certainly a broad subject with many layers but in summation, sports journalists, particularly those on television are at a crossroads. Do we really want to be journalists or do we simply want to be shiny pieces in front of a camera lens? Many television managers are cutting local sports because they feel highlights can be obtained from other sources and viewing audiences aren’t always interested in “nuts and bolts sports.” They’re correct, but I submit, highlights are but a small part of what we do. Sports journalism at its core is trench work journalism, and it’s this part that needs to be emphasized more. For example, I’m currently doing a report on poor playing fields at area high schools in Prince George’s County and how it impacts safety. That’s a sports story. In my opinion, these types of stories aren’t done enough by television sports reporters. Some don’t want to do it, and quite honestly, stations sometimes hire personnel who have no concept about why that would constitute a sports story. Instead, these reporters do what they see on mainstream TV. Cookie cutter stuff. Off my soap box now.

 

To answer your question, the future of the craft of local sports reporting (from a TV perspective at least) depends a lot on your  willingness to embrace stories that go beyond the surface level, while utilizing the power of non-traditional tools (online, social media, etc.) to project a message.

 

Matthew Vita, Washington Post Sports Editor

The first piece of advice I’d give is not to listen to the doomsayers. There are more jobs in journalism now than ever before, they just may not be the traditional jobs we are accustomed to. The trick is getting started, so be open-minded, be willing to go anywhere. Build from there. The future is very exciting, and I’m convinced the next generation of journalists will do great things with the incredible story-telling tools available to them because of their energy, spirit and creativity.

 

Jerry Tarde, Golf Digest Editor-in-Chief

1.    Get a haircut, go to the gym, and learn how to do video.

2.    You need curiosity, positive attitude, self confidence, and a burning desire to work across platforms. We’re as much about gamification as we are about journalism these days.

3.    Arrive early, go home late, wake up thinking about the challenges of your job, and do it again.

4.    As my golf buddy Tom Friedman says, “Think like an immigrant—act like you came from nothing and it could all go away tomorrow.”

5.    Getting up after you’ve been knocked down is the greatest quality in life.

6.    Don’t underestimate the value of hanging out with people you like.

7.    If you aspire to private aviation, go to business school.

8.    The most powerful question you can ask yourself: “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”

 

Terry Taylor, Associate Press Sports Editor

1.    Be informed.

2.    Bring an idea to work every day – even if no one bites.

3.    Be a self-starter

4.    No task is too small.

5.    Be honest.

6.    For bonus points – Look it up yourself!

 

David Tepps, The Palm Beach Post Sports Editor

It’s obvious that you need to equip yourself with the best possible new media skills to complement your other skills. But when you’re seeking a job, don’t limit yourself to the big markets. Even if you’re a big-city person, consider a smaller market to get started, rather than holding out for a more glamorous location that might not be available for a while.

 

Andy Pollin, ESPN 980 Sports Director

Have one foot in the present and one in the future.  Our business is changing faster that it has since Guttenberg’s printing press.  Newspapers and  AM radio are on their way out.  Always have an eye on where the business is going, not where it is.  You have to adapt.   Tony Kornheiser now makes most of his living doing what he used to make fun of :  Talking to athletes on television.

 

Johnny Holliday, “The Voice of Maryland Athletics”

My biggest focus in calling a game is to paint the best picture that I can….I always try to keep in mind to let the listener know as best I can..where the ball is..where the shot came from…how long was the punt…the yardage of the return….be as precise as possible….keeping in mind the listeners will be able to visualize in their mind, what you’ve just told them. Remember, you are at the game, the listener is not. Now a statistician helps a lot with the numbers he provides. I’m lucky to have the same one for 25 years so we work as a team.

 

Let the game dictate how energetic a broadcast you have…..a routine lay-up does not call for going over the top with the call……a gain of one yard should have the same result. The excitement you create should come from the type of game you’re calling…..the listener will be able to tell, just by the sound of your voice, if your team is winning or losing. Try as best you can do vary your cadence when calling a game, listen to tapes to see if you relay too much on one cliché or one crutch that has you in that comfort level. Funny how tapes don’t lie. You will be able to improve your broadcast by listening to it. Believe me, you will know. Be as versatile as you can, if football is the game you enjoy the most, that’s fine but I would still go after basketball and baseball, the more things you can do the happier you will be in the long run. Have a good time, enjoy what you are doing. I guarantee that you will be the envy of all your friends. After all, how many people can do what you do? Not many!

 

 

Joe Yasharoff, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic Managing Editor

In the ever-changing world of journalism, some old-fashioned things are still vital. Passion being the most important in my opinion. Nothing can substitute for someone who is hungry and loves what they’re doing. Talent, intelligence, confidence, and being inquisitive are vital in this profession but NOTHING takes the place of PASSION. If you have it, you can overcome other deficiencies.

 

When I interview people, I can usually tell in less than two minutes whether they are worthy candidates for the job or not. I look for a lot of things but that gleam in their eye is the tell-tale sign for me of someone who will go places.

 

My advice to young people is figure out what you are passionate about then follow your passion. If you can turn your avocation into your vocation like I have been lucky enough to do, you will be way ahead of the game.

 

The other advice I give people is sign up for as many internships as you can to get exposed to what will await you when you are out of school. Internships are a great way to find out what you like, what you don’t like (which is just as important) and they give you a chance to meet people you can learn from and hopefully work with in the future.

 

If you do go into journalism, remember the single most important aspect of the profession is not getting the story FIRST. It’s getting the story RIGHT. If you can do both, more power to you but always make sure you have it right.