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Field Guide to Covering Sports
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Field Guide to Covering Sports

Second Edition

Other Titles in:
Journalism

416 pages | CQ Press
How best to turn yourself from sports fan to professional sports journalist? Quickly moving beyond general guidance about sports writing, Joe Gisondi focuses on the nitty-gritty, with hands-on, practical advice on covering 20 specific sports. From auto racing to wrestling, you’ll find tips on the seemingly straightforward—where to stand on the sideline and how to identify a key player—along with the more specialized—figuring out shot selection in lacrosse and understanding a coxswain’s call for a harder stroke in rowing. The new edition adds a new section on sports reporting across multimedia platforms with new chapters on social media, mobile media, visual storytelling, writing for television, and writing for radio, along with a new chapter on sabermetrics.  Fully revised with new examples and updated information to prepare you for just about any game, match, meet, race, regatta or tournament you’re likely to cover, Field Guide to Covering Sports, Second Edition is the ideal go-to resource to have on hand as you master the beat. 
 
Foreword
 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
PART I. GETTING STARTED
 
1. From Sports Fan to Sports Reporter
There’s No Cheering in the Press Box 3 5 6

 
Where Do You Start?

 
Clerking Is a Great Way to Learn

 
Reporting Is Essential in New Media Landscape

 
 
2. Writing Game Stories
Leads

 
Organization

 
Context and Analysis

 
Key Plays

 
Statistics

 
Quotations

 
Language

 
 
3. Getting the Most Out of an Interview
Journalism Is Not Stenography

 
Prepare

 
Watch

 
Ask

 
And Keep Asking

 
Sack the Clichéd Responses

 
 
4. Developing and Writing Features
Reporting Is Vital

 
Learn Storytelling Techniques

 
 
5. Developing Sports Columns
 
6. Blogging: Finding a Unique Perspective
Blogs Are Here to Stay

 
Carving a Niche

 
Tips for Blogging Sports

 
 
7. Using Advanced Statistical Metrics
Advanced Metrics Glossary

 
 
PART II. MULTIMEDIA
 
8. Social Media: Using Twitter as a Reporting Tool
 
9. Writing for Mobile Devices
Tips for Mobile

 
 
10. Visual Storytelling
Quick Tips for Improving Your Sports Photograph

 
 
11. Broadcasting Games on Radio
 
12. Writing for TV
 
PART III. COVERING A BEAT
 
Auto Racing
 
Baseball
 
Basketball
 
Bowling
 
Cross Country
 
Field Hockey
 
Football
 
Golf
 
Ice Hockey
 
Lacrosse
 
Rowing
 
Rugby
 
Soccer
 
Softball
 
Swimming & Diving
 
Tennis
 
Track and Field
 
Triathalons
 
Volleyball
 
Wrestling
 
PART IV. EXPLORING FURTHER
 
Primer A: Ethics: Sports Writers Can’t Act Like Fans
 
Primer B: Covering Fantasy Sports
 
Primer C: Covering a College Beat
 
Primer D: High School Sports
 
Primer E: Avoiding Clichés
 
Appendix: Assignment Desk
 
AP Style Sports Quizzes
 
Notes
 
Index
 
About the Author

No supplemental materials available (i.e. quizzes)

Mr Andrew Sturt
College of Media, Comm & Info, University Of Colorado-Boulder
December 16, 2019

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 1: From Sports Fan to Sports Reporter


Joseph J. Gisondi

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ISBN: 9781506315683
$75.00