Every week I spend a little time cruising through the job listings posted by our partner WorkinSports.com. I like to stay on top of what jobs are out there, what requirements networks and teams are requesting and maintain a general pulse of the sports industry. Today I was reminded of a very vital fact for aspiring sportscasters and sports reporters – it’s not as easy as it looks.
This was the “Brief Job Description” for a posting on the West Coast looking for on-air talent:
For this job you will be an on-air broadcaster. You will need to shoot your own video as well as cover games and practices and conduct interviews.
Let me interpret this for you: “you’re on your own kid so we expect you to shoot practice, cover the locker room, write your story, shoot your own stand-ups, edit your piece and then get it to us in time for the 6pm news.”
Don’t get me wrong, that’s exactly why I love working in television, there is always so much to do and so much pressure to deliver. But for those of you that think it’s a quick road to having your face on a billboard, you couldn’t be more wrong.
When you are a Sports Reporter like Salt Lake City's Adam Mikulich you will often have to shoot your own video
The picture on the right is of one of my old Sports Producers, Adam Mikulich. Adam is now a successful Reporter and Sports Anchor in Salt Lake City, but it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing when he first left being a Producer to follow his dream to work on camera.
Adam first started in Pocatello, Idaho (Market #162) and then moved up to Champaign, Illinois (Market #82) and in the picture you can see he had to shoot his own video for almost every one of his stories. He edited, he wrote, he shot video, he drove the truck, he got the press passes and he thrived.
My point is simple, pursue being on camera because you have a love for telling great stories to an audience, not because you think it’s an easy road to being recognizable.
Some suggested reading for people interested in a career on camera:
- Q&A with Steve Berthiaume ESPN Anchor & Host of Baseball Tonight
- Q&A with Curt Menefee NFL on Fox Pre-game Host
- The Unwritten Rules of Sports Journalism
- Women in Sports Media: How to thrive in an industry despite society doubting your credentials
- How to Make an On Camera Demo Reel
- Video: How to find THE RIGHT on camera job
- Video: Career Advice for working in Television
Authors bio is coming up shortly.
