Keys to Becoming a Beat Reporter

[Old Time Hockey]

You do have to be able to do those things once you're hired.

Are you hired for a beat because you can do video? No.

The flip side of that, I think, is that you might NOT be hired if you don't have any video background.

 

[Doc Holliday]

If you want to work at a "large" newspaper, you're going to need one of these:

The choices are small and smaller these days.

Here it is, winner of the SJ Best Post of 2018 Award. No need to nominate anything else.

 

[wisportswriter]

If it's truly your goal to become a major beat reporter (D-I colleges or pros), I'd also recommend trying to get in on the ground level at a paper that has those beats. It seems like more and more papers are promoting from within to those positions. Obviously outside hiring still happens, but it seems like being in-house significantly increases your odds, especially -- obviously -- if you've been doing good work. So shoot for a preps or maybe even part-time gig at a bigger paper and work your way up.

 

[Fredrick]

Remember this is the new era of reporting. Beat reporter is one of the worst jobs in the world. You cover the Orioles or Indians or Reds or Cubs lets say. You work 90 hours a week or more and get paid 40. You get maybe one day off a week, probably none during the six-month season. You travel as cheaply as possible and at the worst times as possible to save money. You have no family time. You have no free time. You make about 50,000 a year if you are lucky which is nothing when you consider all the unpaid overtime. Oh yes you also do the work of several individuals. You are talk show host, photographer, videographer and writer. It is an awful job in this day and age of being used by the corporate world.

 

[DanOregon]

Here it is, winner of the SJ Best Post of 2018 Award. No need to nominate anything else.

Nobody tell D-Day this.

 

[ZZZZZZZ]

If you want to be a hockey beat writer for example, how much does it help having experience covering a hockey? Is it critical or do papers want to see you have beat writing experience, regardless of the sport?

 

[Tweener]

It obviously helps a lot to have beat writing experience, and experience covering the sport you may be applying for, but it isn't always mandatory. If you can write, and have experience breaking news and writing on deadline, all that helps, too. Different publications and editors look for different things.

One suggestion: If you know which beat you want to cover, find a publication that covers it and reach out to the editors and writers to make a connection. Try meeting them in person, if you can, then build a portfolio of work while cultivating those relationships and one day it may pay off.

 

[jr/shotglass]

Different publications and editors look for different things.

Doubling down on this. You will find some hiring individuals value a great reporter more than a great writer. Others want someone who can spin a tale. The best strive for both.

 

[TwoGloves]

Somebody emailed a friend about becoming a beat writer for the local NHL team. My buddy said you need to start out covering preps and work your way up the ladder. Kid's response? "I want to cover them now!" Uh, OK.

 

[Screwball]

Somebody emailed a friend about becoming a beat writer for the local NHL team. My buddy said you need to start out covering preps and work your way up the ladder. Kid's response? "I want to cover them now!" Uh, OK.

It's not uncommon these days for someone to skip the preps, start out as a blogger on a pro sport, and get hired to cover that pro sport.

 

[Alma]

Somebody emailed a friend about becoming a beat writer for the local NHL team. My buddy said you need to start out covering preps and work your way up the ladder. Kid's response? "I want to cover them now!" Uh, OK.

He's more likely to cover them now than work up the ladder. Prep call-ups are rarer and rarer. More and more hiring editors have a cockeyed confidence in their ability to spot talented beat writers, and they usually tie that talent to the ability of a writer to write features about some the quarterback's dying mom or an athlete with cancer. I'm not kidding.

Writing empathetic human interest features is the fastest way to a good job.

 

[Matt Stephens]

#NoDaysOff