Sports Journalism

Sports Journalism Second Edition introduces students to sports reporting careers and to the writing style, technology and social media skills sports writers and media relations professionals use. The book stresses the importance of basic writing fundamentals and high ethical standards, essential values for sports journalists.

This book critically explores the impact that digital technology has had on the practices and norms of sports journalism. In the wake of major digital disruptions in news reporting, the author analyses how sports journalism has been particularly vulnerable to challenges and attacks on its expertise because of its historically weak commitment to professionalism. Ultimately, an argument is built that sports journalism’s professional distinctiveness will depend on its capacity to produce rigorous news work at a time when its core, routinised practices are being displaced by bloggers and team media. Recent developments such as The Athletic, a start-up that has built its business model around quality sports storytelling, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic offer hope that a paradigm shift in digital sports journalism culture towards serious reporting is starting to emerge. The question for both the industry and scholars going forward is whether these changes will crystallise and take hold in the long term. Disrupting Sports Journalism is a valuable text for researchers and students in sports media and journalism studies, as well as for industry professionals seeking an insight into developments in the field.

Patrick S. Washburn and Chris Lamb tell the full story of the past, the present, and to a degree, the future of American sports journalism. Sports Journalism chronicles how and why technology, religion, social movements, immigration, racism, sexism, social media, athletes, and sportswriters and broadcasters changed sports as well as how sports are covered and how news about sports are presented and disseminated. One of the influential factors in sports coverage is the upswing in the number of women sports reporters in the last forty years. Sports Journalism also examines the ethics of sports journalism, how sports coverage frequently has differed from that of non-sports news, and how the internet has spawned a set of new ethical issues.

Across all media, print and broadcast as well as online, sports journalism has come to occupy an increasingly visible space. This book, which looks at the institutional, cultural and economic environment, provides an invaluable overview of contemporary sports journalism across all media forms.

The sports journalist of today needs to be well equipped for the digital age. From the challenges of minute-by-minute reporting to the demands of writing for online outlets, blogging and podcasting, sports journalism is now fully immersed in new and social media. Sports Journalism: A Practical Guide will give you the skills you need to navigate these new platforms, whilst also teaching you the basics of interviewing, reporting, feature writing for print and commentary for radio and television. This new edition now includes: New examples demonstrating the use of social media in sports journalism A new chapter on the current professional working practice of sports journalism, covering the skills required of agency and freelance journalists today A new chapter on sports public relations Expanded coverage of radio and television sports journalism, with more emphasis on commentary and multi-platform working Quotes from working journalists, offering valuable insights into the industry. This book is a complete guide to the practice of sports journalism across all platforms: print, online, radio, television and social media sites.

Sports Journalism is a comprehensive guide to the purpose, principles and practice of this unique profession. Now in a fully revised and updated second edition, including important new material on social media and the rise of on-line journalism, this is still the only book to explore the fundamentals of sports reporting across every media platform. Combining an introduction to practical skills, contextual discussion of the changing media environment, and important case studies, including the ground-breaking story of Lance Armstrong, the book covers key topics such as: essential relationships in sports journalism - networking and the Sports Desk print journalism for magazines, tabloids, broadsheets and the internet live action – news, radio and television sports journalism effective research – managing and accessing sources, information, statistics practical skills for managing schedules and meeting deadlines working with sports agents and PR professionals getting the best from press conferences and interviews. Laced with revealing anecdotes from the author's own thirty years’ experience of domestic and international sport journalism, and including questions in each chapter to encourage critical reflection and notes on further reading, Sports Journalism is the ultimate insider’s guide and an invaluable student companion.

Boyle’s study is essential reading for all students, teachers and researchers of sports journalism. - Journalism "Very clear and accessible, addressing key and complex issues in a plain and clearcut way." -Alan Tomlinson, University of Brighton Across all media; print, broadcast as well as online, sports journalism has come to occupy an increasingly visible space. This book looks at the institutional, cultural and economic environment and provides an invaluable overview of contemporary sports journalism across all media forms. The book: Situates sports journalism within the broader historical, economic, technological and cultural contexts. Examines the commercialisation of sport and the impact this is having on sports journalism. Looks at the relationship between PR and journalism. Considers the gendered nature of the industry and the impact of digital technology on professional practice.

Sports is the fastest growing sector in the media, and sports coverage is no longer relegated to the back page of a newspaper. Providing both a contextual and practical overview of sports journalism, this book details the organization and interdependence of broadcast, print and digital media.