Steve Bunin recently left ESPN to become lead anchor at CSN Houston. The Seattle native gives us the inside scoop on ESPN and the importance of being a journalist first.

During my run as News Director at Fox Sports Northwest one of my producers, Dave Rees, came into my office one day with a Sportscaster friend named Steve Bunin. Dave introduced me to Steve and said “you have to hire this guy, he’s a star in the making, a true journalist who knows exactly how to connect with an audience”. (Ok I’m paraphrasing a bit with a touch of poetic license, but suffice to say Dave really supported Bunin).

I didn’t have any openings, so despite Dave’s pleading we parted ways that day without an offer.  In the years since I have watched from afar as Bunin’s career blossomed at ESPN, hosting just about every show they have on their myriad of channels. Recently, Bunin decided to leave ESPN and join the latest Comcast SportsNet in Houston as lead anchor and I figured it was a good time to catch up.

I wanted to learn more about the inner workings of ESPN, since to me they have lost some of their sense of journalism lately, and also pick his brain for insight and advice he’s learned over his career. After a few weeks back and forth with emails and follow up questions, Steve ended up with carpel tunnel syndrome and I ended up with almost 4,000 words of great stories, insight and career advice.

Not all of the 4,000 words made the final cut, here are a few questions that I ended up cutting out, but still provide some incredible insight. At the end you’ll find the link for the full interview which is a must read for anyone interested in a sports broadcasting career.

STVJ: What did you do during your time at Syracuse that help set you up for opportunities after graduating?

Bunin: From the day I set foot on campus at Syracuse University, I made it a priority to do as much hands-on work as possible.  So I enlisted at the campus TV station (then UUTV), which put on a nightly newscast 7 days per week, as well as specialty shows, and one of the two campus radio stations that covered SU sports.

I believe that, as much as the curriculum, and probably more, the amount of competition and opportunities to get your hands dirty is what truly prepared me for this business.  The campus radio station starts out each semester with probably 30-40 kids expecting to do on-air work.  They give you the 4am-7am shift (just training) right off the bat, and within weeks, that 30-40 is whittled down to 10 or so… And THAT is the broadcasting business: what are you willing to give up (i.e., social life for a 19-yr-old at a big college) to pursue your dream.

STVJ: Let’s talk about your first job after college – how did you initially get hired?

Bunin: My very first paying job in the biz was actually while I was still a senior at SU.  The weekday sports anchor at the local CBS left for a job in Ohio, and while they searched for a successor, they bumped the weekend guy to weekdays, and announced an open competition among all the interns to do weekends.  Long story short, they picked me, and I did a handful (maybe 6-7?) weekends on-air in winter ’95-96.

Part of what makes my story so intriguing is that after getting that HUGE break while still in school, I then went unemployed for 10 months after graduating.  I had been sending tapes in the mail to small market TV stations all over the country every single day and just couldn’t catch a break. I kept a log detailing each mailing until it got so long I got depressed.

At one point, I drove from my home in Seattle 10-hours to Chico, CA just to drop off a tape in person.  Spent the night in a hotel, met with the news director first thing in the morning, had 5-minutes of his time, then drove 10-hours back.  Didn’t get that gig.  Anyway, March ’97, I get a job in Binghamton, NY as the sports director at the FOX affiliate there… and got promptly dumped 88 days into the 90-day probationary period of my 2-year contract (at which point, I would have become a union member and therefore, very hard to fire).  They were downsizing and never gave me a great/valid reason for cutting bait, but it was quite the welcome to the business.

That begat a horrible summer where I made money by stacking boxes in a warehouse.  Cardboard boxes come in, I flatten them, stack them by size, and do it all over again.  18-months after graduating from the (arguably) top broadcasting school in the country, as the only SU student who’d managed an on-air sports job since (Mike)Tirico, and I’m literally working next to a guy who’d just done time in prison.  It was humiliating.  But I hope it’s also a great lesson for aspiring sportscasters now – that it is not always an easy road or a direct path from the bottom to the top of the industry.

By the way, my first job that I held more than 90-days was as a weekend sports anchor at KNAZ (NBC) in Flagstaff, AZ, for $13,500/year.  I was interviewed for that job over the phone in the warehouse.  The deal-breaker for the station was that I could drive a stick-shift.  No joke.  Their news-cars were tiny little manual shift cars, and apparently the other top candidate didn’t know how.  Thank god for my older brother teaching me at 16, huh?

Read more from Bunin, including why he finds Bob Ley so infuriating and the most important thing for young sports journalists to focus on.

You could be doing just about anything, like wiring up an under basket camera, on an internship, the key is no matter what your assignment, take it seriously!

The hardest part of launching a successful TV career is getting that first chance to prove you are up to it. Whether you want to work in front of the camera or behind the scenes here are a few tips to help get your foot in the door:

1. Take Internships Seriously

I’ll be honest, my first internship was a total disaster. I was fearful and timid. I assumed all the other interns were smarter than me and if I dared speak up that someone was going to laugh at my question. I cruised through that internship, just happy to receive the credits and get back to my dorm room unscathed.

What a missed opportunity!

The greatest asset you can have to get hired in any realm of sports broadcasting is real life, hands-on experience. While in college do at least one internship at a local station and one at a regional (i.e. Fox Sports South, NESN) or national (i.e. ESPN, NFL Network) network. Local TV and regional/national networks run very differently, to have experience at each makes you a more valuable asset to a potential employer.

Also, consider interning at a sports website,  most jobs are headed in the digital media direction, it is the future of broadcast, so having that experience along with traditional broadcasting makes you even more versatile.

If you are already out of school, consider volunteering at a local station or regional network. See if they need help logging tapes, running cables or assisting cameramen. Just like an internship, this is great experience and a way to build your network of industry contacts.

2. Be Observant

While on an internship or volunteering watch out for who is struggling to keep up and which departments are clearly under-staffed. Listen closely and you will become aware of inefficiencies in the workflow, inefficiencies you may be able to fill.

Windham Vance is currently a Graphics System Developer at ESPN and travels across the country running graphics for ESPN’s College GameDay, but his career wasn’t always that glamorous. “I started out at CNN as a Video Journalist and after 3-4 months of getting Leon Harris his morning Sobe I was frustrated and considered quitting” recalls Vance, “one day, I overheard the graphics operators complaining about how short-staffed they were so on my off-time I taught myself the Chyron Infinit. That skill led to a better job at CNN/Sports Illustrated and eventually ESPN – best eavesdropping I’ve ever done.”

Sports Reporter Adam Mikulich learned how to shoot video at a professional level and it helped him land his first on camera job

3. Develop a ‘Professional Level’ skill

When you graduate college it is assumed you know how to write, that you know the basic tenets of journalism and that you have some experience in the techniques of television production. Now you need to develop specific skills, outside of those basics, that will stand out to potential decision makers and hiring managers.

I was hired right out of college by CNN/Sports Illustrated and the main reason was because I had vast experience with non-linear editing systems and CNN was making a technological shift to non-linear editing. Having a professional level skill that CNN needed, stood out on my resume and got my foot in the door. After that, the rest was up to me to learn everything else and develop into a well-rounded employee.

People visit SportsTVJobs.com and only search for jobs that fit their current skills. What they should be doing is also looking for the skills that are needed and work on developing those. Use our sports broadcasting job board as a research tool to discover trends in the marketplace. Are networks looking for Final Cut Pro editors? Are they looking for experience on Grass Valley switchers? Are they looking for Pro Sounds audio equipment experience? Once you find out what is needed you can focus extra classwork, or continuing education, towards developing those skills.

4. Fertilize Your Network

Keep a record of all the feedback and tips received from industry professionals you’ve come in contact with. Not only is it a good practice to have a resource guide from industry veterans, but envision this powerful, and personal,  follow-up:

“Just wanted to say thank you for teaching me so much during my recent internship. When you advised me on the proper way to edit a script, I learned something I can carry forward after I graduate in the spring. I really look forward to talking to you again in the near future.”

In one simple letter, you’ve:

• shown you appreciated the opportunity and your supervisor’s time
• proven that you paid attention
• shown respect for their advice
• told them when you are available for a full-time job

Deliver this style of message to anyone in the industry who has impacted you. And if you really want to stand out from the crowd, send it as a hand-written letter or card. Everyone sends emails; a card is much more memorable.

After those original cards, continue to provide value to your newly formed network. If you follow up by always asking “do you know of any jobs for me?” they will tire of you quickly. Try adding to what they already know about you, “I spent the summer learning Chyron and Final Cut Pro, so if you need any graphics ops or video editors I’m available to help” or provide them with something, “I’m going to be in the area next week, can I buy you lunch?”

Your professional network will be your eyes and ears for job opportunities, make sure they think of you first!

Could a team like Philadelphia, with new Head Coach Chip Kelly, make a stab at West Virginia’s Geno Smith, or will he fall to the 2nd round? (Photo Courtesy: Icon SMI)

NFL draft geeks circle March 14th on your calendar, that is the day the QB hype machine will reach it’s apex as West Virginia’s Geno Smith shows off his skills (against air) and starts making scouts fall crazy in love.

Most mock drafts seems to be anti-QB this year, with Smith and USC signal-caller Matt Barkley slotted in the early second…but that will change. Teams desperate for QB help always reach at draft time and this year will be no exception (See: Smith, Akili).

Those of us in love with this process  (admit it, you’re a draft geek like me) can expect a full report nightly from Mel Kiper, Todd McShay and Mike Mayock on all of these important dates. Check below to see the list sorted by potential 1st rounders.

Pro days by date:

March 1: Purdue, Texas-El Paso
March 4: Alabama-Birmingham, Alabama State, Alcorn State, Minnesota, North Dakota State, Troy
March 5: Auburn, Buffalo, Jackson State, Northwestern, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Tuskegee, Youngstown State
March 6: Alabama A&M, Arkansas, Kent State, Mississippi State, North Alabama, Northern Arizona, Pittsburgh, South Florida, Wisconsin
March 7: Arizona, Arkansas-Monticello, Clemson, Furman, Idaho, Illinois, Miami (Fla.), Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Syracuse, Washington State
March 8: Cornell, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Missouri State, Montana, Mount Union, Southern Mississippi, TCU, Texas A&M, Wofford
March 11: California (Pa.), Penn State
March 12: Delaware State, Florida, Jacksonville State, Kansas State, Lehigh, Monmouth, Portland State, Towson, UCLA
March 13: Alabama, Central Oklahoma, Cincinnati, Colorado, Colorardo State, Louisiana-Monroe, Marshall, Maryland, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Rutgers
March 14: Arkansas State, Fort Valley State, Georgia Tech, Grambling State, Tulsa, UNLV, West Alabama, West Virginia
March 15: Georgia State
March 18: Air Force, Albany State (Ga.), Howard, Idaho State, Memphis, Montana State, Valdosta State, Villanova, Virginia Union
March 19: Florida A&M, Florida State, Louisville, Richmond (with Liberty), Virginia
March 20: Ball State, Central Florida, Connecticut, North Carolina State, Ohio, Old Dominion, Sacramento State, Tennessee
March 21: Boise State, Eastern Kentucky, Georgia, Kentucky, Stanford, Stony Brook, Temple, William & Mary
March 22: Missouri Western, Tennessee State, Vanderbilt
March 25: Middle Tennessee State, Stephen F. Austin
March 26: Louisiana Tech, McNeese State, North Carolina, North Carolina Central, Texas
March 27: LSU, SMU, USC
March 28: BYU, Central Arkansas, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, Louisiana-Lafayette, Yale
March 29: Southeast Missouri State
April 2: Columbia

Sorted by Potential 1st Round Picks:

Luke Joeckel (OL), Damontre Moore (DE), Texas A&M – March 8

Star Lotulelei (DT), Utah – TBD

Dee Milliner (CB), Chance Warmack (G), D.J. Fluker (OT), Alabama – March 13th

Jarvis Jones (OLB), Alec Ogletree (LB), John Jenkins (DT), Georgia – March 21st

Bjoern Werner (DE), Menelik Watson (OT), Xavier Rhodes (CB), Florida State – March 19th

Manti Te’o (LB), Tyler Eifert (TE), Notre Dame – TBD

Barkevious Mingo (DE), Sam Montgomery (DE), Kevin Minter (LB),  LSU - March 27th

Dion Jordan (DE), Oregon – TBD

Eric Fisher (OT), Central Michigan – TBD

Cordarrelle Patterson (WR), Tennessee – March 20th

Sheldon Richardson (DT), Missouri – March 7th

Johnathan Hankins (DT), Ohio State – TBD

Kenny Vaccaro (S), Texas – March 26th

Ezekiel Ansah (LB), BYU – March 28th

Jonathan Cooper (G), North Carolina – March 26th

Montee Ball (RB), Wisconsin – March 6th

Terrance Williams (WR), Baylor – TBD

Zach Ertz (TE), Stanford – March 21st

Keenan Allen (WR) California – TBD

Sharrif Floyd (DT), Matt Elam (S), Florida – March 12th

DeAndre Hopkins (WR), Clemson – March 7th

Margus Hunt (DE), SMU – March 27th

Michelle Beadle debuts a new show on NBC Sports Network delving into the intersection of sports and pop culture called “The Crossover”

When Michelle Beadle left ESPN for NBC Universal last year, part of the draw was that she’d play a utility role; corresponding for Access Hollywood, studio hosting for NBC’s Olympic coverage and eventually developing a show for NBC Sports Network. That time is now.

Beadle’s new vehicle is alongside former Fox News host Dave Briggs on “The Crossover: Beadle and Briggs” debuting Jan 28th at 6 est on NBC Sports Network.

The Crossover will combine Beadle’s passions and skills well, dealing with the intersection of sports and pop culture with an impromptu, unscripted style reminiscent of her time on ESPN’s SportsNation with Colin Cowherd.

Loosely scripted programming, with room to ad lib and work “in the moment”, fits well with Beadle’s persona: aka an approachable lady you’d want have a beer and shoot the you know what with.

“We’re merely a show just looking to change the entire landscape of sports television in America,” said Beadle. “Also, someone finally needs to address this Tim Tebow guy.”

Sarcasm aside, executive decision makers at NBC must feel a little snake bit with their debut just missing out on two of the biggest stories of the year in Lance Armstrong’s doping admission and Manti T’eo’s internet “girlfriend”.

But just you wait, I’m sure Colin Kaepernick will start dating the 2013 version of Tara Reid and Mighty Ducks 15 will have a red carpet to cover.

“The last 2-3 weeks have been extremely painful,” Beadle said during a recent conference call interview. “They have been gifts from the sports gods. (Everybody’s) been having a field day because it manifests itself in great headlines and tweets and stuff. Every day is one more thing we can talk about that’s fun. I’m just hoping they have some more stories left in them come Monday. If I can get another dead fake girlfriend who died of cancer out this world, I think that we’re all winning.”

ESPN already tried conquering the convergence of sports and pop culture with ESPN Hollywood back in 2005, but after less than a year of dismal ratings, ESPN cancelled the pop culture experiment.

The two shows will provide an interesting insight into the importance of hosts.

I swore I’d never include a picture of Mario Lopez flexing on this site…damn you AC Slater!

Beadle is showered with love across the sports media world and the audience gobbles her up like the hot gal in college who laughs at your jokes and you actually think you have a chance with. ESPN Hollywood was hosted by Mario Lopez, best known for flexing for the camera every chance he got, which made most people think “what a putz”.

Two very different philosophies; ESPN most likely saw Hollywood drawing a female audience that would enjoy Lopez, while NBC sees the versatile Beadle as approachable to women while still carrying enough sports credentials for us neanderthal fellas.

If The Crossover is successful, and after watching their their promo featuring Lorenzo Lamas, Carrot Top, Jose Canseco, Gary Busey and Dennis Rodman I have my doubts, it would be my guess that the difference in hosts may be the key.

The show will start it’s run from a special set built for Super Bowl week in New Orleans and then return to it’s permanent local in New York City February 4th.

One of your few chances to get hands-on experience that will prepare you for the broadcast world is through internships, and it’ll beef up your resume to include much more than “Skills:  Catfishing & Freestyle Rap”.

Internships are the most vital part of your education, so you need to take them seriously. Personally, I messed this up. I did a terrible job finding internships in line with my career goals and even when I did select a good one I was timid and didn’t take advantage of the opportunities in front of me.

Why are sports internships so important? As the US economy continues to struggle two things happen that directly impact you:

1. Competition for jobs is fierce
2. Networks seek out interns to do much more than just watch and observe.

Lets break this down a little further.

Ball State university Senior Josh Blessing conducting an interview at the 2012 London Olympics

I spoke with Josh Blessing a senior at Ball State University last week who has one of the most impressive resumes I’ve seen for someone about to enter the workplace. Josh covered the Olympics last summer producing 12 features and was responsible for conducting 100 + interviews, shooting, editing and attending the Team USA Media Summit in Dallas. But that’s not all,  he has served as a Social Media Producer for NCAA March Madness Live through Turner Sports, interned at a two different local stations and co-hosted a sports show airing on WIPB-TV, Comcast Indiana and Fox College Sports.

Aggressive, determined people like Josh are your competition for jobs. To compete you need experiences like Josh has, and the best way to get that you guessed it – through internships. Don’t get intimidated, get focused on your goals.

Internships have changed dramatically too, which gets us to point #2 above. As the economy struggles networks realize they can get real productivity out of free labor (that’s you). It’s much more than “hey kid, stand over there and watch, and whatever you do don’t touch anything”.

It sounds like they are using you…but in truth you are using each other. You will be asked to shoot video, edit, go out in the field with anchors and producers, cover live events and blog. They get free labor, you get a sparkling resume and a network of people who can be your advocates for future employment.  Everyone wins.

So lets get to it, here are some of the best internships we have found for Spring/Summer 2013:

Production Intern – Regional Sports Network : Interns at this network will watch and log pro and high school games from around the region. They’ll edit highlights, packages, and various stories for broadcast and help create content for both studio shows and live game productions. Interns will also be exposed to teleprompter, newsroom software, camera operations and more. Experience with non-linear editing software such as Final Cut Pro is a plus (Proving yet again, knowing how to edit is an essential skill for TV work). Oh and this position is PAID.

Production Intern – Regional Sports Network : see above, this opportunity is at the same network, different region.

Video Production Intern for a Professional Team: Acquire real experience shooting and editing feature stories while working under the guidance of experienced video professionals. Candidates must have some comfort shooting and editing with professional equipment and a working knowledge of Final Cut Pro is essential (Proving yet again, knowing how to edit is an essential skill for TV work am I making my point yet?).

Broadcasting Internship : Want to pursue a play by play career? In this internship you will be the primary play by play voice of a minor league baseball team. Most successful play by play voices start in the minor leagues and work their way up…this is your chance to gain experience and start building your professional reel.  Oh and as if that wasn’t enough…housing is provided.

Video Production Intern for Professional Team: If I was back in college this would be the one for me. Interns will be responsible for shooting, editing and helping create content for game day video board, on-air broadcasts and digital avenue. Talk about experience, now you’re resume has digital, broadcast and game day experience on it. Plus you will shoot and edit interviews with players and press conferences. Sign me up!

Multimedia/Broadcasting Internship: Professional team in the Midwest seeks interns to assist with game day operations as well as multimedia and broadcasting.

Web Video Internship with a Professional team: Interested in the digital/new media side of sports production? This is the opportunity for you. Assist in game day video production, editing pre and post game segments, assistant produce content for website and attend executive meetings.

Broadcast Reporter Internship : Write, report, shoot and edit all post-game reports on-field, and all weekly interview specials. Act as the on-field host for promotions and contests at every home game while learn the industry from an award-winning broadcast production veteran in a small, hands-on environment. Housing is provided.

This is a good starting point, we’ll keep updating our job board to highlight more internship opportunities.

The reasons why so many people want to work on-camera are simple; you can be the voice of authority for an entire region, investigate interesting stories, meet incredible people and even better… get recognized when you go to the dry cleaners.

But enough about that, lets talk about this job and some resources we have at SportsTVJobs.com to help you in your preparation.

Sports Anchor Bryan Salmond has climbed the “market ladder” across the nation until recently landing New Orleans.

Working on camera isn’t as simple as writing a story and reading it on air, a multitude of skills are necessary to succeed. To be hired  for this job as a Sports Anchor/Reporter, you must be able to shoot and edit video, write clearly and concisely, produce content for broadcast and online and enhance your personal brand through social media.

Working on camera requires you to climb the “market ladder” – no one starts out in Chicago at market #3, they start in Utica (#172), then move up to Savannah (#92) then Memphis (#49) and so on and so on. This opportunity we are featuring is a great starting point for someone just breaking in, or a step up for someone currently in Market 175 or higher.

When you are selecting a market you want to find a place that fits your skills and gives you a chance to cover high profile events, that way you can develop an impressive demo reel. This opening is in the heart of SEC country and near enough to a major city that there will be opportunities to cover professional sports.

Resources to help you land this, or other on-camera jobs, in sports:

Video: Finding the Right on Camera Job - In this short video we present strategies to find the right job that can help point your career in the right direction.

Video: A Counter-Intuitive Approach to Finding a Job on Camera - Getting hired on camera isn’t easy, this approach may seem unusual but it has worked for many successful sports anchors and reporters.

How to Make an On-Camera Demo Reel – tips and tricks from the pros that will give you a leg up on the competition

I’ve Made my Demo Reel, Now What? - Congratulations, you now have a DVD of you looking your best…what should you do with it?

If You Don’t Know How to do This, You Won’t Work On Camera - today’s media world requires more skills than ever before, if you plan on working on camera you better enhance this skill

Think Working On Camera is Easy? Think Again – a typical rundown of a day in the life of a sports reporter

For more job opportunities click the link below, and if you have questions post them in the comments section I will always do my best to help.

This could be the last year of the Sacramento Kings sports career fair, as it looks like the team is on the move to Seattle to become the Sonics part two.

I know what you are thinking.

With the announcement that the Maloof family will sell the Sacramento Kings to a Seattle group intent on moving the team to the Northwest will there still be a Maloof Sports and Entertainment Career Fair on February 9th?

Alright, so that probably wasn’t top of mind as the news broke today but if you are looking for a sports job in the Northern California area you are in luck, the career fair is still on!

From 12:30-4:30 on Saturday, February 9th  at Sleep Train Arena you’ll have the opportunity to meet with hiring managers from pro and college sports teams, and other sports organizations from all over the Northern California region.

Before you attend make sure to read our tips to stand out at a career fair, and a short video on how to prepare for a sports career fair, so that you are ready to make a positive first impression.

Last years participants included:*

• Sacramento Kings
• Golden State Warriors
• Portland Trailblazers
• Oakland Raiders
• University Of San Francisco
• San Jose Earthquakes
• and many more!

*previous attendance does not guarantee participation at this years event

Here’s the way the career fair is set up:

Attendees can take part in a pre-game Q&A session with members of the Maloof Sports & Entertainment Executive team, and ask questions to learn more about getting started, or advancing, in the sports industry. Have access to numerous sports teams and businesses to find out  about full and part-time sports jobs plus internships during the open forum and then take in the Kings vs. Utah Jazz game later that night.

To register visit: http://www.kingsticketsave.com/CareerFair

NOTE: You must purchase a game ticket through link the to attend the career fair. If you experience any problems in the registration process or have any questions regarding registration, please contact Michael Ramos at mramos@kings.com, or 916-928-3634

Watching Tom Brady carve up the Jets on Thanksgiving day is about the only good reason to sit through commercials (Photo Courtesy: REUTERS/Gary Hershorn)

When was the last time you sat through a commercial?

I can tell you exactly when it was for me: Thanksgiving night while watching the Patriots vs. Jets game.

I grew up in Boston, the Patriots are my team, I watch them play live despite the commercials.

It’s that simple.

Everything else I watch comes directly from my DVR menu, with my fast-forward finger cocked and ready. I’m a Mad Men junkie, but I’ve never watched a single commercial during any of their 65 episodes.

Advertisers know this.

They realize their hard spent dollars trying to expose you to the latest razor, tablet, HDTV, or toy for your kid is more often than not falling on fast-forwarding ears.

The difference: Sports can’t wait. I, and millions of other viewers, watch sports live so we can be part of the on-going discussion, in the moment and on the edge of our seats. Live sports is the only true reality show.

And in a nutshell, I have just explained the future for those seeking careers in sports television. Sports is the last bastion for advertisers to get in your head, and they are willing to pay a pretty penny for a slice of your consciousness.

Prove it!

OK I will.

Fox Sports has a reported $6 billion dollar deal on the table for the next 25 years of broadcast rights for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Yes, the very same Dodgers that didn’t win the NL West, the Wildcard or the World Series since 1988.

Fox Sports better hope Matt Kemp continues playing at an MVP level for a long long time (Photo Courtesy: ESPN the Magazine)

Why would Fox offer this seemingly ridiculous amount? Because they know advertisers will pay top dollar to air commercials that people will actually sit through during Dodger games.

These guys are no fools, they’ve crunched the numbers from every direction and have concluded that paying an average of $240 million per year to host Dodgers games, and all the surrounding programming, for the next quarter century is a deal that pencils.

As the LA Times Bill Shaikin puts it, ”The Dodgers’ proposed contract reflects the sharply escalating value of live television sports in an era when viewers watch many other programs at their convenience, skipping the commercials along the way.”

Broadcasting powerhouses like NBC, ESPN, Fox (News Corp), TNT, TBS continue to invest in sports programming because they know they can sell it and make money.

The Golden Era of Sports Broadcasting

With new networks in development, technological advances that make the games even more enjoyable to watch from your couch and new distribution methods including the web, mobile and social, we continue to be in the golden era of sports broadcasting.

Just in the last year we’ve seen the launch of the Pac-12 network and NBC Sports network. The aforementioned Dodgers deal could lead to “DTV: Dodgers Television” and other teams are reportedly looking into developing their own networks.

Whether you aim to work behind the scenes or in front of the camera, new network deals and web based programming means a steady stream of jobs and opportunities. In a era best known for lost jobs, increasing debt and fears of a double-dip recession, sports networks continue to zig while the rest of the world zags.

I get asked by many:  is there a future in sports broadcasting and journalism?  Follow the money and the answer is clear.

The NHL Network proved that you can't expect journalism to come out most league run networks

There is a rhythm and feel to the sports calendar.

As the days start getting longer and warmer, pitchers and catchers reporting for duty just feels right. Humidity and sun burns, break out the pigskin.  Dark and cold, time to lace up the skates and high-tops.

This year, as the days get shorter and there is a dearth of checks and high sticks on the dial, I feel incredibly out of sorts. Out of rhythm. Off-kilter.

It made sense to check into the NHL Network to get the latest on the lockout, the league network should have some insight, some hope, some sliver of information to quell my insatiable desire for puck time.

Zero. Zilch. Nada.

This isn’t a mistake, it’s a conscious choice to avoid what I would argue is journalism 101: stay ahead of the stories your fan base is most interested in.

A little research answered the journalism conundrum. At a conference in New York City sponsored by the Sports Business Journal, NHL COO John Collins admitted the NHL Network isn’t interested in standard news gathering.

Don't look to the NHL Network if you want to find out when Sidney Crosby and the rest of his Penguin teammates plan to get back to work

“We were watching all the other networks to see how they handled the lockouts on their networks,” Collins said.

The (NFL Network) looked at it like it was really an external news organization and really went out of their way to not only give the league perspective, but also the players, which I thought was great. The NBA went a different direction based on certain restrictions their bargaining agreement may have. For us, we haven’t really covered the lockout on our platforms from a news standpoint. We haven’t used it as a bully pulpit to get the league’s message out there. We’ve sort of been very quiet throughout this negotiation and I think we’ll remain that way.”

As SportsIllustrated.com’s Richard Deitsch correctly points out, it’s hard to take the network seriously when they decide to punt on the biggest news story to hit their league since, well, the last lockout. But before we crucify the NHL Network, time to wake up and realize they are far from alone in their sports journalism mixed bag.

Follow the Money

In most cases, broadcast rights fees lead to compromised integrity. Networks pay huge fees for the right to be a carrier of a particular league or team, and in turn move forward as business bedfellows.

No longer is the network goal to report news objectively, it shifts to making the team or conference partner happy and selling as much advertising as possible to offset the acquisition costs.

Keeping the Partner Happy

It is simple economics, if a network wins a contract to broadcast say the Denver Nuggets games, they invest in creating pre-game shows, post-game shows, halftimes, magazine shows and much more.

The Denver Nuggets now represent a huge part of the network brand and audience expectations. Mess up the relationship and there is no second deal, which leads to no identity, a lack of attractive programming and wasted infrastructure.

It sounds like a Catch-22, you owe it to your audience to report the news honestly and objectively while at the same time keeping your partners happy, but it is not. A Catch-22 implies a problematic decision based on the options available, but for most networks forgoing traditional news-gathering to focus on the team partners’ happiness is not problematic at all.

I’ve dealt with this first-hand in my career, having to apologize to the General Manager of one of our local pro teams for reporting accurately that two of his players were arrested for drug possession. My journalism instincts were counter-productive to the business my bosses were running.

In these instances, journalism changes from investigative to personality profiling. Team partners love stories about their athletes in the community, overcoming adversity or rehabbing from injury, otherwise known as ‘fluff pieces’.

Sell, Sell, Sell

When ComcastSportsNet New England reportedly agreed to pay over $20 million per year to broadcast Rajon Rondo and the Boston Celtics they, like many others, sacrificed objective journalism for the bottom line. (Photo Courtesy: Damian Strohmeyer/Sports Illustrated)

When Comcast SportsNet New England reportedly agrees to pay over $20 million per year in broadcast rights fees to air Celtics games AND they include part ownership of the network as part of the deal, you can clearly see how ad sales ultimately drive a network.

That’s 20 million per year (that I’m sure increases over the 20 years of the contract) that needs to be offset by advertising revenue.

What sells ads? Ratings.

What gets good ratings? Likable players that win.

Teams look to their broadcast partners to help create likable players, and broadcast partners pray that they have signed on the dotted line with a winner.

But this balance sheet focus impacts journalism decisions dramatically. The Big Ten Network (owned and operated by Fox) largely ignored the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State because that surely wasn’t positive press, the YES network wasn’t at the forefront of the Alex Rodriguez PED scandal and don’t expect the PAC-12 network to conduct an detailed investigation into recent allegations against Mike Leach at Washington State.

Journalism Conflicts All Around, But Does It Matter?

ESPN has conflicts everywhere, mainly because they are partners with almost every conference and league on some level. But even forgetting their broadcast partnerships, they’ve been known to turn a reporting blind eye based on even low level relationships.

The worldwide leader largely ignored the Reggie Bush embarrassment at USC… possibly because his attorney was one of the their legal experts?

They avoided coverage of the Ben Roethlisberger civil suit… maybe because he was set to star in the debut of a new reality show on sister channel ABC?

They allowed Erin Andrews to endorse Reebok shoes without concern over it being a conflict of interest…probably because her contract was set to expire and they didn’t want to upset their rising star? (p.s. it didn’t work, she signed with Fox)

These are just a few of the most obvious examples.

In the end, all of the networks mentioned get great ratings and make money hand over fist, so none of the executives are lying awake at night feeling guilty for ignoring journalism.

Setting Expectations

So what do you want and what do you expect?

If you’re looking for news related to sports, I hate to admit it but don’t expect it from your cable box, even local sports coverage is struggling to continue their niche. Look for resources that aren’t tainted by big money partnerships, such as Yahoo Sports. Why do you think so many top of the line reporters have joined their ranks? The freedom to report.

Fear not aspiring sports broadcast journalists, there are still a ridiculous amount of avenues to present worthwhile stories and report on the people and events that make sports addictive.

Just don’t expect to rock the boat.

The Cleveland Browns will be the focus of the new Travel Channel show NFL Road Tested: Cleveland Browns debuting December 4th at 10 pm

Forget exotic shoots on location in Bora Bora, the Travel Channel is channeling their inner-Americana in NFL Road Tested: The Cleveland Browns.

Premiering December 4th at 10 pm, the joint production between NFL Films and RIVR media will highlight the Browns as they prepare to play in New York, Baltimore, Dallas, Oakland, Denver and Pittsburgh, according to Broadcasting & Cable.

New Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is believe to be at the forefront of the deal.

Haslam, who hails from Knoxville, TN, same as Travel Channel parent company Scripps Networks Interactive, is intent on raising the profile of his newly acquired franchise.

“This show will offer viewers a great perspective of the inner-workings of an NFL team and what it takes to support a team,” Haslam said in a statement. “With Travel Channel working alongside NFL Films and RIVR Media, we expect that this will be first-class production.  We are excited about what this will mean to Northeast Ohio, the Browns and our fans.”

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam (right) alongside Browns starting quarterback Brandon Weeden (left) at practice

The Travel Channel had to make a programming splash after losing headliner Anthony Bourdain to CNN, and who better to partner with than the NFL, the most dominant force in all of television.

“This series is a first-of-its-kind program providing an exclusive pass to NFL fans during the season,”   said Andy Singer, general manager of the Travel Channel. “This is an emotionally-charged world.  Now, viewers will get a never-before-seen opportunity to see what it’s like for players to live on the road, often away from their families.  We’ll hear from the players themselves, coaches and scores of support staff in multiple cities.”

Singer added, “Working with the Emmy award-winning storytellers from NFL Films, NFL Road Tested: The Cleveland Browns will take viewers beyond the gridiron and inside the action that happens between games as the storied franchise attempts to return to football greatness.”