Sports Journalism – MA

Sports journalism is one of the fastest growing areas in print and broadcast media. The publicity departments of major sport clubs and organisations are also expanding rapidly.

On this course, you learn how
• the sports department of media organisations operate
• to produce news stories, match reports, preview features, opinion pieces and personality profiles
• to research and plan sports coverage for radio and television broadcasts

You also gain public relations and media liaison techniques, such as how to devise and organise media opportunities and how to write
• web pages
• press releases
• news items
• personality features
• promotional material

With continually advancing media technology, employers now recruit journalists with skills and knowledge in new media and traditional reporting skills.

You learn how to manage the print and broadcast media at sports matches and events and how sports publicity and marketing departments are organised and run.

You produce and process sports publicity material for media use and discuss the major issues affecting sports worldwide including • commercialism • globalisation • racism • hooliganism • political regulation and interference • sponsorship • match fixing.

This course gives you specialist guidance and knowledge about • print • radio • television • web to become a sports journalist or publicist. It is for people with a passion for sport, and an interest in writing and reporting.

You gain the technical and journalistic skills needed in sports journalism such as
• writing sports news and features
• reporting the action
• commentating and interviewing
• web development
• editing
• newsroom and broadcast suite skills
• writing press releases
• organising media events

We also teach you about emerging technologies in the media industries that affect the way journalists record and report the latest stories.

Regular one-to-one feedback is given by practising sports journalists and public relations professionals. We have links to major broadcasting and newspaper organisations, such as the Press Association, BBC and ITV.

You may be able to further your learning through work placements, working with sports publications or with the sports departments of newspapers.