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(Sports) Journalism work shadowing opportunities during the Summer?

  • 15-03-2011 8:34pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi everyone, this is my first post on the forum!

    I am currently a Business student but I have a passion for sports writing. At the moment I write match previews for the rugby forum and I have received a lot of positive feedback. I have loved writing since my school days (I achieved an A2 in honours English). I am a bit dubious about pursuing a career in the business side of things at the moment so I would love to work shadow in a company (preferably print media) to see if a career in journalism is suitable for me.

    Does anyone know of possible internship opportunities during the summer? I'd prefer to focus on sports but tbh I'm not too fussy!

    Also in terms of applying, do I need a portfolio of previous work? All I have at the moment is the previews I do for boards. Is it necessary to be studying a journalism course? I'm also in France till May so it is impossible for me to attend a face to face interview.

    If anyone has done an internship, could you tell me what it was like? What were your duties and responsibilities?

    Examples of my work:
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056174639
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056204540

    Thanks in advance for your help!

    PS Apologies to the mods if I've posted this in the wrong forum. If so, I'd appreciate it if you could move this to the appropriate forum.


Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 315 ✭✭kevin99


    If you want to work as a journalist in Ireland get yourself back here.

    It doesn't matter what English qualification you achieved, journalism is a totally different profession.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,260 ✭✭✭jdivision


    You need to learn to use semi-colons, depersonalise your writing a bit and there's too many cliches but you're definitely on the road. Places like the Herald might want somebody, but don't expect too much going in. Be ready to do anything at all and if you're asked to make a cup of tea do so with a smile on your face. You're not going to be writing about international games on day one, so head down, work hard, learn when you get the chance, read your work once it's published and compare it to what you originally wrote and do your utmost to create an impression. Good luck with it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    jdivision wrote: »
    You need to learn to use semi-colons, depersonalise your writing a bit and there's too many cliches but you're definitely on the road. Places like the Herald might want somebody, but don't expect too much going in. Be ready to do anything at all and if you're asked to make a cup of tea do so with a smile on your face. You're not going to be writing about international games on day one, so head down, work hard, learn when you get the chance, read your work once it's published and compare it to what you originally wrote and do your utmost to create an impression. Good luck with it.

    Thanks a lot, appreciate it. Yes I've been told to perfect my grammar, particularly with the use of punctuation as you say.

    Would you mind elaborating on your comment on depersonalising my writing? I'm not sure I follow. If you maybe quote an example of where it's too personal and maybe offer an alternative that would be great!

    I realise I'll have to do a lot of hard graft to get anywhere, as with any job really.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 495 ✭✭santosubito


    Thanks a lot, appreciate it. Yes I've been told to perfect my grammar, particularly with the use of punctuation as you say.

    Would you mind elaborating on your comment on depersonalising my writing? I'm not sure I follow. If you maybe quote an example of where it's too personal and maybe offer an alternative that would be great!

    I realise I'll have to do a lot of hard graft to get anywhere, as with any job really.

    Hi, Thomond.

    I want to make a few comments on the first piece you posted, the one about the French game. My background is that I have been a reporter for 18 years, although never sport.

    Now, I thought the piece was very good. I really did. It was well written and easy to read. So fair play.

    But I would agree with Joy Division on depersonalising your piece. By that I mean taking the I out of your piece. You give your direct opinion several times: "The out of form Tomás O'Leary gets another run which I find quite disturbing...O'Leary can play a lot better but he hasn't performed at a decent standard for a long time and I feel Declan Kidney is on a hiding to nothing with this selection...Ireland have the big motivating factor of playing their first Six Nations fixture at the redeveloped Aviva Stadium, I believe this will get Ireland over the line...just. I hope for a repeat of this clash in 2009, where two forces collided and we were treated to a fantastic game of rugby..."

    It's one of the main tenets of reporting that you leave yourself out of the article. Let the columnists and experts give their opinions - reporters just report.

    But that is a minor point. In the piece I read I did not see any major punctuation problems and the structure as sound. I thought it was a really good piece and you obviously have lots of talent. So go for it and good luck.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Hi, Thomond.

    I want to make a few comments on the first piece you posted, the one about the French game. My background is that I have been a reporter for 18 years, although never sport.

    Now, I thought the piece was very good. I really did. It was well written and easy to read. So fair play.

    But I would agree with Joy Division on depersonalising your piece. By that I mean taking the I out of your piece. You give your direct opinion several times: "The out of form Tomás O'Leary gets another run which I find quite disturbing...O'Leary can play a lot better but he hasn't performed at a decent standard for a long time and I feel Declan Kidney is on a hiding to nothing with this selection...Ireland have the big motivating factor of playing their first Six Nations fixture at the redeveloped Aviva Stadium, I believe this will get Ireland over the line...just. I hope for a repeat of this clash in 2009, where two forces collided and we were treated to a fantastic game of rugby..."

    It's one of the main tenets of reporting that you leave yourself out of the article. Let the columnists and experts give their opinions - reporters just report.

    But that is a minor point. In the piece I read I did not see any major punctuation problems and the structure as sound. I thought it was a really good piece and you obviously have lots of talent. So go for it and good luck.

    Thank you for your comments.

    Just out of curiosity, if I changed the highlighted sentence to "One hopes for a repeat....", can that count as depersonalising the piece?

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056211661
    This was my preview of Ireland vs England, I've edited out the "I..." and it does look much better.

    Also, given you are a reporter, have you any advice on where to contact for work shadowing? It is something that is commonplace in the sector?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Bump!

    Another thing, is it better to telephone or email potential employers (attaching CV etc)?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 265 ✭✭not bakunin


    Hey Thomond,

    Re journalism placements - they can be gotten, but not easily. I have to find somewhere for 6 months and am finding it difficult to get responses from most organisations. What I would suggest in pitching yourself is to stress what you can do besides write, and I don't mean make tea. Can you put together podcasts, sub-edit, create content for the web, lay out a page, use Adobe flash, make soundslides, pitch your own ideas, shoot video or anything else? If so, make sure and let the organisation know. Finding just a good writer isn't all a paper needs nowadays, stuff has to be put online more regularly so technical know-how will do wonders for you. Good luck.

    And if anyone out there wants to offer a placement to a journalism student near the end of their tether, let me know. I'm deadly.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Hey Thomond,

    Re journalism placements - they can be gotten, but not easily. I have to find somewhere for 6 months and am finding it difficult to get responses from most organisations. What I would suggest in pitching yourself is to stress what you can do besides write, and I don't mean make tea. Can you put together podcasts, sub-edit, create content for the web, lay out a page, use Adobe flash, make soundslides, pitch your own ideas, shoot video or anything else? If so, make sure and let the organisation know. Finding just a good writer isn't all a paper needs nowadays, stuff has to be put online more regularly so technical know-how will do wonders for you. Good luck.

    And if anyone out there wants to offer a placement to a journalism student near the end of their tether, let me know. I'm deadly.

    Wow I don't know much about the stuff you mention above, I assume it's a matter of teaching myself and messing around with programs?

    Thanks for your help.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 171 ✭✭outandabout


    I'd imagine it's difficult to get internships unless you're a journalism student.


    Try writing to the Sports Editors, enclosing some of your work, and then phone up to see is there anything going.

    The specialist sports magazines could also be a good option. Try Frank Greally, editor of The Irish Runner, who's a nice bloke.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 315 ✭✭kevin99


    Sports desks and HR departments of newspapers are inundated with requests/applications for placements or internships.

    What I would suggest is to focus on local newspapers/magazines and offer them articles. Don't expect to be paid anything.

    But it is a way of getting your foot in the door.

    Lots of local papers don't have the resources to delegate a reporter to writing a particular sports story. So, you could focus on a particular county that's successful in a particular sport.
    Then look up all the local newspapers in that county. Read their sports coverage carefully.
    Ring the sports ed and ask them if they would be interested in using some of your work. Have at least three suggestions for articles.
    Most importantly of all is to study the writing style of the sports section.
    Does the editor prefer stories to be written in a hard news style or a features style?
    Also, study the length of stories.
    Older editors used to ask for length in stories in paragraphs ie. ten pars, 20 pars. These days they ask for word count.
    Also, take a photo of the subject you are writing about.
    Maybe take two or three.
    Don't assume the paper will have a file pic.
    Photos should be more than 4 pixels and submitted in jpeg format.
    Ask the sports ed for the email address for photos. It is often different from the main sports news email address.

    Don't send in match reports.....the paper may already have it covered
    Don't send in comment.....nobody is interested in your own opinion
    I would suggest the best sports stories to work on are the 'human interest'ones. These take time but can be a very good read.

    Read the Sunday sports features in the Observer, STimes, Sindo.
    I remember reading a great piece by Henry Winter of the Telegraph. Instead, of covering a Premier League match, he headed to the north east of England to watch Darlington playing at home.

    He wrote a really brilliant piece. Described the surroundings, and this was before Darlington moved to a new, modern ground. He even described the smell of the pies wafting across the ground, the slime on the terracing, the old guys wearing cloth caps, yellow nicotine stained fingers leaning on the terrace barriers.
    It was great stuff.

    That type of article gets you noticed. Straight forward sports news reports are boring in the main, as most people will have watched to game on telly or heard a report on radio or seen the goals on their mobile phones.

    If interviewing a sports person, do all your research on that person before you meet them for interview. Bring a tape recorder and ask them if they mind you recording the interview. Have your facts right to back up your questions. If they have to correct you on your facts they may think you don't know much about them.

    And use simple, plain English. One word instead of three and short sentences. Use quotations but not a load of them.

    And best of luck.


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