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Walk me through a day as a typical reporter

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by slatter, Apr 14, 2008.

  1. slatter

    slatter Member

    I've spent summers interning and being treated as a reporter for various magazines and papers, but it was during the summer with no sports games going on. My jobs were mostly 9-5 type of deals. Jumping on a preps beat is my most likely route, so I'm curious, please walk me through a typical work-week in terms of job scheduling. Thanks!
     
  2. PeteyPirate

    PeteyPirate Guest

    11 a.m. Wake up
     
  3. forever_town

    forever_town Well-Known Member

    If you end up working as a reporter of any kind, there likely isn't going to be one typical day. Journalism isn't a typical 9-to-5 Monday through Friday job. You'll find that in agonizingly slow periods and insanely busy periods, no two days are typically alike.

    You would probably get a certain number of stories to file in a given week, whether they be gamers or features or whatnot. You'll probably have to spend time hunting down coaches to get rosters, stats or the like. Some jurisdictions -- and some schools -- are better with stats than others.

    When I covered a state quarterfinal game, I felt like I had to try to beg, steal or borrow rosters from both schools. And I often wrote something like: 1st and 10: #2 run for 4 yds (#8) because I didn't have the names in front of me. State semifinals were better, even though it was at the same school. The state's athletic association provided rosters of all the schools. The visiting team's Web site also had updated stats, including the game I was covering. My county's schools are hit or miss in regards to having updated rosters.
     
  4. Boobie Miles

    Boobie Miles Active Member

    You'll have to be more specific. But if you're talking about preps, let me throw a more specific question out for you to get some responses:
    You're covering a local Friday night prep football game... What's the day like?
     
  5. PeteyPirate

    PeteyPirate Guest

    11:01 Check SportsJournalists.com
     
  6. sportschick

    sportschick Active Member

    11:02 Post rant on SportsJournalists.com about how stupid some random person is
     
  7. SixToe

    SixToe Well-Known Member

    11:03 to 11:25 Check SportsJournalists.com on the can during the morning pinch

    11:25 to 11:34 Shower, shave, dress
     
  8. Appgrad05

    Appgrad05 Active Member

    When's that, exactly?
     
  9. ColbertNation

    ColbertNation Member

    11:50 Check SportsJournalists.com to see if anyone has replied to the aforementioned rant.
     
  10. ColbertNation

    ColbertNation Member

    Oh, shoot! I forgot the most important part of your day.

    11:40 Weep uncontrollably. It's always good to get that first cry in before Noon.
     
  11. slatter

    slatter Member

    Okay, I guess I meant... if you are covering a game twice a week, are you going to still be working all day in the office? That kind of stuff. So, say you have two games to cover in a week as a preps reporter (Thurs and Fri night), walk me through a sample week.
     
  12. sportschick

    sportschick Active Member

    11:52 PM IJAG to complain about response to your rant.
     
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