Sports Reporting and Beat Reporting
Most reporters start out their careers by covering a particular beat. Sometimes the beat is defined geographically (often newspapers that serve a large area will have bureaus in certain towns) and sometimes it's defined by a topic (sports, courts, business, religion, etc.). The concept of beat reporting grows out of the idea that a reporter should be well informed about the issues on which he or she reports, and the continuous coverage of a beat reporter allows that reporter to build experience and expertise.
The key advantage to beat reporting is that the reporter can cultivate and keep sources. Because the beat reporter is familiar with how things run in that particular focus area, the reporter knows who to contact and generally has a better chance of getting someone to talk on the record.
We'll discuss "beat" possibilities on campus.
Sports
There are probably more positions for sports writers than for any other specialty reporter. Every small town newspaper writes extensively on local sports--and there is a lot to cover. Generally, prime emphasis is on high school sports, but in Georgetown there is also the emphasis on college sports. There are a number of types of stories to be written as well. Everyone expects the standard game report--what you read in The Georgetonian when you read Michael Hedges' stories on the football team. But for the purposes of this assignment, I would prefer that you look for one of the other possibilities, beyond the Game Story:
Sports News
Sports Feature
Sports Commentary
Most of you will end up writing sports features. You will probably
focus on a person or a team or a situation that your audience will find
interesting. Look for the offbeat, the unexpected. For instance:
--one year, a journalism student won a state award for writing about a little
boy in a wheelchair who came to watch the football team every week
--one year, a journalism student won a state award for writing a feature about
the college's number one sports FAN--Dr. Joe Lunceford
--a sports commentary award went to a student who wrote about faculty prejudice
against athletes
--a sports news award last year went to someone from the class who reported on
the rumors that Bill Cronin was looking at the EKU coaching job.
--an award-winning sports feature talked about the experience of a baseball
player from the Ukraine who came to play at Georgetown
--last year, someone in this class won by writing a story on the lack of
participation by women in intramural sports
There are a number of possible stories. Did you know that there is a member of the GC faculty who is a prize-winning triathlete--and came close to being in the Olympics? Have you considered that some people might consider laser tag a sport? Or hiking? Is there an underreported sport (like cross country or golf) on campus? Is there someone--not necessarily a star--who has a story of overcoming adversity? Is there someone with an unusual sports hobby? What about the problem with students who have to miss class for sports? What does the new season look like for the women's basketball team? Is there anything about Georgetown sports that you find worthy of commentary? How 'bout intramurals? Frisbee golf? Hunting? Use of the new fitness center?
You have a lot more leeway for creative writing in sports features and commentaries, but still remember to keep the first person out of anything except a commentary (and I'm not going to let you write a commentary unless you have an extremely good idea that comments on campus sports).
Make sure you abide by the guidelines for sports style that are in the AP Stylebook. There are some very peculiar and specific expectations listed in that section, so make sure you review them before you write this story.
You will discover that there are several on-line resources that can be of help with your stories. The Tiger Sports page on the college web site has a bunch of press releases (though not always particularly well-written, now that we have no sports information director). There are also stats for games and links to the NAIA.
As you write your story, consult the AP Stylebook's section on Sports Guidelines and Style, pages 282-301
Sports Story (or other beat reporting) assignment:
1) choose your beat (sports or another campus focus area--it cannot be
something in which you are directly involved. Thus, Sarah can write
about sports, but she can't write about golf; Annie could write about Greek life
but she couldn't write about Alpha Gamma Delta; etc.)
2) prepare a beat report--an overview of the sources and issues connected to that beat. This WRITTEN beat report, and a WRITTEN story proposal (graded), with a proposed deadline, are due next Thursday. I reserve the right to reject story ideas, so come up with more than one possibility. If you're writing a sports story, your beat report will focus on the particular sport you are choosing to cover.
3) write your story. Your deadline is negotiable, depending on your story, though I ask that you choose a story and a deadline date that's before Thanksgiving. The key is to make your story timely
Assignments:
Michael Hedges
Football
Ian Ruth and Mark Walker: Senior Day Special Report
Nov. 11 (week just after Senior Day)
Jessie Langlitz
Residence Life
"How to survive life in a college dorm"
Nov. 11
Gina Putthoff
Supernatural on campus
Haunted dorms
Nov. 18
Vanessa Carper
International Students
International Week report
Nov. 4
Jesse Darland
Religious life
Sarah Jackson
theatre
Behind the scenes at "The Nerd"
Nov. 11
Amanda Lewis
Volleyball
Mid South Tournament Preview
Nov. 18
Farrah Dicken
Student government
Election preview
Nov. 11
Claude Anderson
intramural sports
Pizza Magia investigation, or lights on intramural field
Nov. 18
Libby Collins
Campus Safety
A day in the life of a campus safety officer
Nov. 18
Jennifer Bustle
Greek Life
The process of rush--what to expect
Nov. 18
Katie Dale
Music Department
Handbells exposed!
Nov. 11
Annie Ormsbee
Dance Team
Should Dance Team be considered a sport?
Nov. 18