As sports journalism continues to grow, it becomes increasingly important for writers to stay on top of the latest trends and technology. Successful journalists are tuned into breaking news and can deliver quick hits throughout the year. They also know how to craft unique stories consumable across multiple platforms that stand apart from their competitors.
The popularity of digital platforms like Medium, Muckrack and others that act as a ‘Blog host’ has opened up opportunities for amateurs and professional sportswriters to post their work online and build an audience. These websites may not offer any recompense to their contributors but do provide traffic based incentives that can help create a sustainable income for creators.
Social and political issues are now more central to many sports stories than ever before. Award winning writers like Duncan Mackay of the Guardian and Steven Downes of The Times have unraveled doping scandals, fixed races and bribery within international athletics. These exposes often require a view from outside of the sport that is not compromised by day to day dealings with sportsmen and officials as required for ‘beat’ reporters.
The most successful sports journalists combine a love of their subject with a strong sense of moral and ethical responsibility to the public. They strive for objectivity while letting their passion and excitement for the game shine through in their writing. Graduates of St. Bonaventure University stand out in this highly competitive field thanks to our value-based education rooted in Franciscan principles.