In my first two blogs I’ve gone over some of the keys to sports reporting. I spoke on some tactics to help you stick out in a crowd and I also spoke briefly on how it is important to never quit on what you want to do regardless of failures. Today I want to focus on choosing a field that fits you best when talking about reporting. You need to decide if you would be best suited for television, radio or the possibility of making a splash in both.

When it comes to sports reporting one thing you cannot avoid is having to write about the events that you attend. Writing comes with the business so it’s something you’ll have to deal with whether you want to focus on television or the radio. Aside from that and a few other similarities there are many different aspects that impact both fields in separate ways.

First things first you need to look at all of the different positions there are when it comes to reporting sports on television and the radio. You need to look at the off-air positions and see if they interest you. Remember the aspect of getting the program you’re reporting for on the air is just as important as the people that are seen on the broadcast. Producers and directors are commonly overlooked when it comes to a production and this may be one of the biggest oversights in media. Even working on the sidelines is something that can help you to get into that top position in that spotlight that you have been trying for.

Now that we have looked at the behind the scenes aspects of both fields let’s talk about the thing that everyone looks to become, the on air positions. Though both fields (radio and television) contain similar speaking positions they also have many many differences. Let’s focus on how to convey you’re event on both of the outlets.

Let’s start with radio because ive found this to be the more difficult of the two. Obviously, the biggest issue with radio is that the viewer can’t see what you are looking at. Because of this you need to paint a much more vivid picture. You need to describe everything that happens at all times. You need to be speaking constantly. In some cases, talking to much can ruin a broadcast but here it only helps the picture you’re trying to create.

Now television is a bit of an easier outlet but nonetheless takes some work and you need to speak with distinction and convey a vivid picture of what’s happening around you. However, the thing about television that’s most obvious is that, They’re watching it on television! You obviously still need to be descriptive but the picture you paint can be less vivid and you can let the action speak for itself.

All forms of media outlets require a large amount of work and it takes a committed person to be good at it. But with practice anything can become possible. What kind of position do you think would best fit you in the field of sports media? Leave a comment below and don’t forget to subscribe!