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First time newspaper

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Joshua Reese, Sep 19, 2016.

  1. Joshua Reese

    Joshua Reese New Member

    I have spent my whole career in radio. I have been a sports reporter in a major market covering pro sports. I want to get into the "paper" game. What size market would be good to go to and learn how to work at a newspaper.

    It feels odd going from pro sports to high school sports in a small town, but is that what needs to happen?

    Would appreciate some feedback.
     
  2. cjericho

    cjericho Well-Known Member

    You got a radio job covering pro sports and you want to go to a newspaper and cover high school sports? Excellent move. If you had a 401k cash out, buy Enron stock.
     
  3. apeman33

    apeman33 Well-Known Member

    If you aren't happy in radio, I doubt you'll be any more so working for a newspaper.
     
  4. Joshua Reese

    Joshua Reese New Member

    Well I only work part time, I don't want to cover high school sports. I was asking if that is what I would have to do to get break into newspaper.
     
  5. Joshua Reese

    Joshua Reese New Member

    The dream has always been to be a beat writer, the only way to do that is in paper.
     
  6. Jake_Taylor

    Jake_Taylor Well-Known Member

    Start writing about the team for the station website and see what kinds of jobs you can get. Multimedia experience covering pro sports is going to be a better path than going to a small paper.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2016
    Liut, HanSenSE, TGO157 and 1 other person like this.
  7. da man

    da man Well-Known Member

    You want my advice? Go back to Bulgaria.
     
    cjericho likes this.
  8. MNgremlin

    MNgremlin Active Member

    There are radio stations that allow you to basically cover a pro team in a similar capacity as a newspaper beat reporter.
     
  9. JohnHammond

    JohnHammond Well-Known Member

    No. Odds are you'll never move up from high schools if you move down from a pro market. What's your role covering pro sports? Do you do any original reporting or just offer a score, some stats, and get a quote or two from a press conference?
     
  10. apeman33

    apeman33 Well-Known Member

    Most likely, yes. You'll either be at a small paper covering almost everything or at a mid-sized paper doing mostly high-school stuff.
     
  11. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    Joshua,

    If you really want to write for newspapers and get that experience, the best opportunity would be to freelance and cover live games for (probably) $50 to $150 a pop.

    A mid-sized paper that covers a lot of schools and teams would be your best bet, but it's not really a job you relocate for.

    When I hired freelancers, I was leery of newbies, but if they were accurate, made deadline, wrote reasonably well and were available when I needed them, they got steady work. It's not a living. More like a second income.

    Most of the freelance opportunities are covering live high school sports, smaller college sports, lower level pro sports and the like. If you have expertise in a certain sport that's good, but if you only want to cover, say soccer or rugby, that's bad.

    It's not easy. Takes time to get to know the ropes.

    It's also traditionally not a path to covering a pro beat at a paper, but it is a chance to hone your writing, reporting and observational skills and get some clips. Good on a resume for other media/communications/writing opportunities.

    When looking for freelance opportunities, persistence is good. But you have to be able to do what they need, not sell them on why they need you to be at the Vikings game or whatever.

    Good luck.
     
    HanSenSE likes this.
  12. Joshua Reese

    Joshua Reese New Member

    Currently, I head out to practice and I am responsible for gathering sound and write multiple blogs for my station. As for original content I write things outside out press conferences and quotes. I feel like I do everything a beat writer does but break news.
     
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