We live in a country where people are crazy about sports. The last two decades have seen a vast resurgence of sports like hockey, badminton, football, and kabaddi. If you are a passionate sports lover and you believe that you cannot live without sports this article is for you!
As the name suggests sports journalism includes coverage of all aspects of a specific sport through various modes such as newspapers, radio, internet and magazines. The sports industry is on the verge of immense development. With the invasion of the popular media houses, big sponsorship companies and an enormous audience involved, various sports are rising in terms of development and progression.
With the introduction of various leagues such as Indian Premier League (Cricket), Indian Super League (Football), Pro Kabaddi League (Kabaddi) and well renounced international players being involved in the game, the viewership has leaped to a greater height in a short period of time. It is not an astonishing fact that the demand for the qualified personnel who can do this type of coverage is at an all-time high.
Related Article:Â Careers in Sports Journalism in India – Q&A with Devarchit Varma, Special Correspondent (Sports), Hindustan Times
Types of Courses for Careers in Sports Journalism
Sport journalism courses are available in different formats in India. Following are the most sought after sports journalism programs in the country  –
- Bachelor’s Degree
- PG Diploma programs
- Master’s Degree programs
- PG Certificate programs
- M.Phil. and Ph.D. programs
Top 10 Colleges to Study Sports Journalism in India
- Indian Institute Of Journalism And New Media, Bangalore.
- Symbiosis Institute Of Media And Communication, Pune.
- Lady Shri Ram College For Women, New Delhi.
- Christ College, Bangalore.
- School Of Communication, Manipal.
- Delhi College Of Arts And Commerce, New Delhi.
- Indraprastha College For Women, New Delhi.
- Kishinchand Chellaram College
- Kamala Nehru College, New Delhi
- Madras Christian College
Career Prospects and Types of Roles in Sports Journalism
Sports Writer
An individual who engages himself in writing features and articles that comes across several media outlets such as ESPN, Cricinfo, Cricbuzz and the sports columns in the newspapers is referred to as a sports writer. Knowledgable and skillful people are hired to write opinionated pieces whereas the amateurs are generally given the opportunities to write the fact-based materials for the audience. TV channels also demand writers to formulate a script for their show, or to put forward some interesting content about what is going around in the sports industry.
Being a sports-writer has perks like:
- Engaging oneself on the most followed platforms in the country (and abroad)
- Creating a distinct identity and expressing honest opinions about sports
- Functioning as a full-time writer or a freelancer
Sports Reporter
The primary job of a sports reporter is to travel to the various venues where the sports events are taking place and collecting information and covering the events live or record it for future reference. Intriguing interviews of both players, as well as coaches, is one of the most key features of a sports reporter. From television channels and broadcasting companies to the newspaper and digital media houses, there has been a massive rise in the demand of sports reporters.
The perks of being a sports reporter include:
- Meeting and interacting with the legendary people in the world of sports.
- Traveling to various locations to cover sports events.
Sports Anchor
Like any other TV or radio show host, a sports anchor is in charge of reporting sports-related news and stories to the audience on screen or behind the microphone. The primary requirements of a sports anchor is they need to present themselves well and must have a strong hold on languages like English and Hindi. They should be comfortable in front of the camera.
The perks of being a sports anchor:
- Featuring on popular TV/online/radio shows.
- Taking interviews with former and current sportspersons.
- Being engaged with top sports organizations or media houses.
Â
Sports Editor
Sports editors are journalists who are mostly seniors in the profession. They assign and edit stories on sports and athletes. The job responsibility of a sports editor is primarily to maintain a professional network with writers and journalists in the sports industry and assign stories to reporters working with him. They also work closely with the marketing and sales departments of the media house they represent as well as with the executives, whom they discuss budgets and coverage with.
Some sports editors deal with distinct sports segments like cricket/football/hockey/tennis etc and cover particular levels like as school/ college level tournaments or mainstream commercial sports. Others play a more generalized role and focus on diverse sports events and activities. Articles or shows are always approved by the sports editors before being published, telecasted or before they go on air.
Top benefits of working as a sports editor:
- Functioning with well-known sports media production houses.
- Doing miscellaneous assignments that confront your creativeness.
- Discovering various prospects to go to the next level as a feature producer.
Challenges of the Sports Journalism Career
Everyone believes that sports journalists have a perfect job. Nevertheless, this is not the case. There are a few challenges in this profession. Sports journalists need to travel a lot, which is a part of their job. Initially, it may be quite exciting but later it can take a toll on the journalist. Sportswriters have to work on holidays and weekends if there are any sports matches in the schedule. Moreover, they can hardly enjoy the competitions as they need to work diligently.
So for the sheer passionate sports lovers, this career has loads of opportunity and good life ahead. This career is only for the people who love to travel a lot and can work on any situation whenever and wherever they are required.
Â
Related Articles: