Sports Broadcasting, Research Paper Example

I am hoping to embark upon a career in sports broadcasting. This occupation would allow me to combine my intense love of sports with my desire to entertain and inform others. Because the size of the sports broadcasting field is quite small in comparison with other professions, I realize that succeeding in this arena will not be easy. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are fewer than 60,000 people working in sports broadcasting across the country. That figure is less than 10% of the number of physicians and less than 8% of the number of attorneys in the U.S. In addition, approximately three out of every seven people in the sports broadcasting industry are employed on a part-time basis (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09). Despite these daunting figures, my goal is not only to work my way into the sports broadcasting industry, but also to earn my living as a sports broadcaster.

Like physicians and attorneys, there are many different types of sports broadcasters in the U.S., most of whom communicate information via television, radio, or the Internet. Perhaps the most high-profile type of sports broadcaster is the sports anchor, who reports sports news and competition results to viewers on a daily basis. Another type of sports broadcaster is the game announcer, which describes the ongoing action during a sports event. Game announcers include play-by-play broadcasters, color analysts, and sideline reporters. Sports broadcasting can also involve providing commentary about sports and sporting events. This is primarily accomplished by the hosts of sports talk shows, who can combine both facts and opinions in an entertaining manner. Finally, sports production personnel are people in the sports broadcasting industry who are not announcers, hosts, or any other type of “on-air talent.” Producers, directors, cameramen, engineers, graphics operators, and other similar jobs fall into this category.

Because of the wide range of sports broadcasting occupations that exist today, there is a long list of responsibilities that workers in this field must be willing to undertake. First and foremost, individuals in this industry must have an above average understanding of the sports they cover. Since they are expected to be experts on the subject matter on which they report, people in the sports broadcasting industry must be innately familiar with sports rules, strategies, slang terms, scoring, and other pertinent information. Sports broadcasters must also have a strong familiarity with the teams and players who compete in various sports, especially the pronunciations of proper names. Nothing erodes the credibility of a sports broadcaster more quickly than the mispronunciation of the name of a player or team name. In addition to background knowledge, sports broadcasters must have the desire and ability to conduct any research that is necessary to improve their broadcast product. Such preparation may include gathering information about sports teams, players, coaches, owners, tactics, or future implications of sporting outcomes. Research methods may be comprised of conducting one-on-one interviews with individuals, interpreting sports statistics, or thinking through various sports-related scenarios such as pairings of playoff matches or consequences of player injuries.

Sports broadcasting entails the mastery of a large of number of very specific skills that are found in few other occupations. This is especially true in entry-level positions, where budgetary constraints often dictate that personnel perform several different tasks at once. For instance, a radio sports talk show host might be required to operate his audio board, play commercials, and answer the call-in lines in addition to talking into the microphone. Also, the producer of a television sports highlight show might also be responsible for videotaping sports events, editing video footage, and interviewing players and coaches. In addition to being a jack-of-all-trades, a sports broadcaster must know how to work within a defined broadcast format, which might incorporate precisely-timed segments, commercial breaks, and advertising-sponsored elements. Not only must a good sportscaster mold the show’s information to fit into the proper format, but he or she must also find a way to make the final product both entertaining and informative. If sports broadcasters are working in an “on-air talent” capacity, they must be able to communicate information and ideas effortlessly, effectively and confidently – even if they are not experts on the subject matter.

There are more companies and entities that provide work for sports broadcasters than just the national networks. To be sure, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, and their affiliates are high-profile employers of sports broadcasting personnel. But many people in this field can also be found at local television and radio stations in both urban and rural areas. In addition, local and regional cable networks that provide customers with sports-related content utilize sports broadcasters to carry out these programming functions. In recent years, sports-focused Internet companies have sprung up to serve niche markets with broadcasts of local and specialized sporting events. However, media and Internet companies are not the only entities which have sports broadcasters on their payrolls. Sporting leagues such as the Big Ten Conference (JobMonkey, 2009) are choosing to directly manage the broadcasting of their organizations’ events and hire sports broadcasting personnel to oversee those functions. Finally, when non-broadcast entities such as production houses and film companies produce sports content, they seek out sports broadcasters to add expertise and credibility to the finished products.

The road to success in the sports broadcasting industry is a long and unpredictable one – and it is often difficult to begin the journey. There are some universities and online programs which offer instruction on the various aspects of sports broadcasting, and a bachelor’s degree in media, journalism, or communications can provide a solid foundation for an individual wishing to become a sports broadcaster. However, many employers value real-world experience over classroom education; in fact, a significant number of workers in the sports broadcasting industry have no college degree at all. In order to obtain this valuable experience, sports broadcasting hopefuls must seek out any pertinent work with little regard for compensation. This may involve accepting an unpaid internship at a media company (Education-Portal.com, 2009) or volunteering for little or no pay on a local or low-budget sports-related production crew. As the individual gains experience, he or she will be able to find more sports broadcasting work which involves greater responsibility, more money, and higher-profile sporting events. In other words, the most common way to succeed in sports broadcasting is to “work your way up” through the ranks rather than acquiring additional schooling. Most people who work in entry- and low-level sports broadcasting jobs are paid by the hour, sporting event or project instead of getting a regular salary. Unfortunately, it often takes more than a decade to obtain a full-time position in the sports broadcasting industry. In fact, a large number of sports broadcasters are “permanent freelancers” who receive money for services performed for several different companies but are not employed on a full-time basis by any of them.

A cynic may easily conclude that the disadvantages of working in sports broadcasting strongly outweigh the advantages. Perhaps the most obvious downside is the unorthodox schedule, which usually entails working nights and weekends since most sporting events occur at those times. In all honesty, sports broadcasters who work a traditional “9 to 5” schedule are extremely rare. Such an unusual schedule presents challenges for sports broadcasters who want to raise a family. A sports broadcaster’s loved ones are also affected by the amount of travel and relocation that is necessary in the industry. In addition to covering sporting events which may take place a great distance away, sports broadcasters commonly advance their careers by changing jobs more frequently than the average worker. This repeated relocation is made necessary by the dearth of advancement opportunities within small and medium-sized media companies and a low turnover rate in the sports broadcasting industry as a whole. Also, a sports broadcaster’s tenure within the industry frequently does not correlate with the amount of wages he or she receives, resulting in a lower overall average salary when compared to other occupations. To make matters worse, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of sports broadcasting jobs in the U.S. will decline by 7% from 2006 levels over the next seven years (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09).

Despite all these drawbacks, there are some advantages to working as a sports broadcaster. The biggest advantage is the satisfaction received from working in an environment which enables sports broadcasters to earn money while fulfilling their passion for sports. In addition, the “wearing many hats” nature of sports broadcasting allows individuals to gain experience in several different employment areas at once, resulting in the acquisition of multiple skills more quickly than in many traditional jobs. Finally, because of the unpredictable nature of sports and the outcomes of competition, sports broadcasters are less likely to find their work boring or repetitive; and the natural excitement generated by sporting events usually carries over into sports broadcasters’ work.

The biggest obstacle to succeeding in the sports broadcasting industry is acquiring the right employment contacts. Sports broadcasting is commonly associated with the clichéd phrase “it’s not what you know; it’s who you know.” This phenomenon is largely due to the large supply of people who want to work in sports broadcasting and the small demand for their services due to a limited number of job openings in the industry. Such an imbalance increases the importance of job contacts and personal relationships and decreases the value of experience and job skills. As a result, networking is arguably the most vital tool when searching for employment in sports broadcasting (SportsCareerFinder, 2009). Also, because of the small number of jobs in the industry, job openings frequently do not get published in employment publications or on career websites – because employers do not wish to wade through an inordinate number of applications. Instead, these employers are more likely to turn to their contacts for help in filling a job vacancy. This reality places a premium on networking much more so than in other industries.

Given all these factors, it takes a special type of person to succeed in the sports broadcasting industry. On a basic level, a passion for sports and a strong work ethic are essential in a potential sports broadcaster. But the traits of flexibility and adaptability are equally important given the unstable nature of the business. A sports broadcaster must always be looking for that “better job,” because if an opportunity to advance his or her career is missed, it may not ever come around again. Sports broadcasters must also resign themselves to the possibility that they may be without a job in the industry for periods of time throughout their careers. As mentioned previously, sports broadcasters will have to accept the unusual work schedules and the high frequency of relocating if they want to move forward on their career paths. Finally, they must constantly network within the industry and find ways to foster personal relationships with as many peers, colleagues, and corporate decision-makers as possible; because their future livelihood will likely depend on their business network. Despite these intimidating challenges, I will strive to succeed and flourish in the sports broadcasting industry, either by finding full-time employment or by accumulating enough freelancing jobs to make a living. I believe that I will only be happy in life if I love my work – and I am a huge sports lover!

References

How to Become a Sports Broadcaster. (2009). Retrieved October 27, 2009, from Education-Portal.com website: http://education-portal.com/how_to_become_a_sports_broadcaster.html

Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition – Announcers. (2007, December 18). Retrieved October 27, 2009, from Bureau of Labor Statistics website: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos087.htm

Sports Industry Jobs FAQ. (2009). Retrieved October 27, 2009, from Sports Career Finder website: http://www.sportscareerfinder.com/sports_jobs_faq.php

Sports journalism jobs: Jobs and careers in sports broadcasting – radio, television and Internet. (2009). Retrieved October 27, 2009, from JobMonkey website: http://www.jobmonkey.com/sports/html/broadcasting_overview.html