“Sports Journalism is aptly labelled the ‘toy department’ of the newsroom: sports journalists are too close with their sources, obsessed with trivia and incapable of reflecting on wider social trends”.
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Sports Journalism is often criticized by its other news counterparts as being the least serious of the field, provoking the colloquial term of “toy-department” to be its descriptor. Sport Journalists are critiqued for their closer relationships with sources, increased use of trivia and heavy focus on the sporting world, accusing sport reporters as holding an inability to connect their articles to wider social and political trends. It is a term used all too often that sports journalists are too busy “sticking to sports”, (Whiteside 2022), and reframe from consolidating their own voices. These criticisms take on a complete over-generalization of an entire field, provoking stigma within todays contemporary media landscape. The use of key contacts within any elite entertainment field, the paramount importance of evidence in reporting and a further analysis into the misused “toy-box” tag will be discussed, to educate about the misdirected discrimination Sport Journalists continue to receive today.
Primary sources, also referred to as interviewees are a rudimental element to journalistic practice, in any style. A key determinant of who is chosen as a news source boils down to whom journalists deem as “credible”, (Reich 2010). According to a compilation of research completed by the American Press Institute, titled The Media Insight Project, credible news sources are “accurate, balanced and fair”, (American Press Institute 2016). In a broader context, it is a fundamental rule of journalism to keep a professional distance from sources. A Report from the Ethics Advisory Committee of The Canadian Association of Journalists says that “where journalist’s choices are swayed by the interests of their sources, the result may be bad journalism or worse, not journalism at all”, (Brethour et al. 2012; Shapiro 2014). However, beyond becoming romantically or frequently socially linked to interviewees, the line between professional and not is increasingly vague. Editor for ProPublica Steve Mills says it is often “delicate and difficult”, referring to the relationship between reporters and their sources as “symbiotic”, (Mills 2018), meaning that both parties offer each other something of significance; sources offer journalists quotes, whilst journalists offer sources in most cases, visibility. It is a famous critique of Sports Journalism that reporters are too close with their sources and develop friendships with athletes and coaches rather than being committed to professional relationships. However, it is crucial to recognize the importance of contacts in any elite field. UK News Editor Neil Harrington believes that within the Journalism space, the ability to “compile a network of people you can go to for a story, is of paramount importance”, (Harrington 2023). It is also often stated in the field that “A reporter is only as good as his contact book”, (News Academy 2023), a phrase that in the world of sports journalism, is all too true. Sports journalists developing close relationships with their sources can offer significant benefits to sports journalism, as fostering these connections can enhance the quality and depth of sports reporting. A pertinent example of the closeness of contacts in sports journalism is the multi-decade-long relationship between ESPN journalist Michael Wilbon and NBA basketball icon Michael Jordan, who developed a close friendship throughout the duration of both of their careers. Wilbon first covered Jordan as a freshman, at the 1982 National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Championship against Georgetown and continued to follow his rising success through NBA championships, to a short-lived retirement. In a reflective piece on Jordan's career, Wilbon states that in sport, “We won’t see anything like Jordan again”, detailing his focus on Jordan as the “most exciting thing [I] would ever do in [my] career”, (Wilbon 1999). Their friendship grew over the years as Wilbon gained Jordan’s trust and respect. Wilbon’s proximity to Jordan allowed him to offer unparalleled perspectives on Jordan's mindset, competitive drive, and personal experiences. He provided readers and viewers with in-depth analysis and behind-the-scenes stories that added layers of depth to his reporting on Jordan's career. In a one-on-one interview segment, discussing his 2009 induction into the Hall of Fame, Jordan says that for him “it signified something so finite and the end of something”, (TwoThreeForever 2016), which is something he wasn’t prepared for. This Interview not only shed light on Jordan's achievements but had a more unique and personal angle, allowing Wilbon's audience access to the personal thoughts and feelings of an NBA legend. In a 10-part docuseries that chronicled Jordan's final season with the Chicago Bulls, titled “The Last Dance”, Wilbon even made a cameo, sharing his personal experiences and providing context to the events and emotions surrounding Jordan's journey. Wilbon’s close relationship with Michael Jordan served as a compelling example of the benefits that can arise from a sports journalist being close with an athlete, whilst still maintaining journalistic integrity. Not only through his deep understanding of Jordan's career but his ability to humanize the legendary athlete was highly valued by sports fans and readers all around the world.
As with any form of journalism, evidence is imperative in reporting a truthful, bias-free piece of writing. In their book The Elements of Journalism, authors Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel find that Journalism seeks “a practical and functional form of truth”, (Kovach and Rosenstiel 2007). In daily news articles, evidence is any secondary sources such as scientific reports or surveys, alongside the primary sources whose quotes fill our newspapers. Sports journalists are often criticized as being trivia-obsessed as facts about players and their statistics throughout many different seasons are more than often the focal points of articles. In the context of sports journalism, trivia refers to interesting and often lesser-known facts, statistics, or historical information related to sports. Most frequently, statistics are the type of trivia plastered throughout sports articles, such as within the following match report for an Australian Rules Football match between Essendon and the West Coast Eagles. Referencing trends between the two most recent AFL seasons, sports reporter Nathan Schmook writes that the win “puts Essendon back in the top eight for the first time since round six and firmly in the finals race at 6-5, underlining the significant improvements made under new coach Brad Scott after hitting the halfway point of last season at 2-9”, (Schmook 2023). This use of statistics not only broadcasts the club’s results to the journalist’s audience but relates it back to Essendon’s last season, aiding readers understanding of how the club is progressing. Trivia in sports journalism is used to engage readers and provide additional context and depth to an article. Trivia can add an entertaining and educational element to sports journalism, allowing readers to expand their understanding and appreciation of the sport they follow. Although the use of trivia in sports journalism is paramount to its success, it is crucial to recognize why it is used so often. Sports journalism as an institution relays to audiences the results of a match and particularly how certain players performed. As it is an elite field within the professional entertainment industry, exclusive interviews come far few between, and even within a one-on-one interview, the culture of many sporting fields causes players to reframe from commenting on their own performance or that of other players. Opinions about performance, however, are of high concentration from commentators of the game. Channel 7 AFL commentator Brian Taylor has recently come under fire from viewers as being extremely biased throughout Collingwood’s loss against Brisbane. Yahoo’s Sports reporter Andrew Reid writes that “viewers noticed Taylor – who played 97 games for Collingwood – was trying to make it out to be a much closer contest than it actually was”, (Reid 2023). Even Melbourne Demons past player Brad Green shared frustrations, tweeting that “Brisbane have played well tonight, not that you would’ve heard from CH 7 commentary”, (Green 2023). It’s for reasons such as these that trivia has become such an integral part of sports reporting, as numbers and statistics are as objective as they come, and in a journalism, field frequently criticized for blending the boundaries of media ethics, it is a form of evidence that is free of misled opinion or bias.
Regardless of what topic of journalism articles are centered around, the ability to connect them to wider social trends is a crucial aspect of good journalism. Journalism plays an important role within society, by “informing the public, holding those in power accountable, and fostering a functioning democracy”, (Riaz 2023). Many fields of journalism broaden the scope of articles to reflect on today’s social landscape, such as the impact of wars or political activity in reference to economic inflation. Sports Journalism however is often critiqued as being too surface level, as sports reporters are criticized for being unable to link their work to anything outside the sporting community. Associate Professor of Journalism and Electronic Media at the University of Tennessee, Erin Whiteside says “Sport journalists had come to be seen by their news peers as playing a proverbial “toy box” within the wider newsroom”. Likening sports journalists to ‘playing with toys’ is a frequent descriptor for the field, as their colleagues and media professionals alike condemn them for their failure to “contribute solutions through their reporting to issues affecting the nation or local communities”, (Whiteside 2022). Attempting to avoid causing controversy, sports journalists have traditionally neglected their responsibility to adhere to ethical and journalistic principles when it comes to conducting investigative reporting on social and political matters. In early 2013, the world of sport was in strife, with big names such as the AFL and NRL facing doping scandals. Professor of Cultural Research at Western Sydney University, David Rowe questions that “if sport is on the ropes, the section of the media dedicated to informing us about it – sports journalists – are looking more than a little disheveled”, (Rowe 2013). In an oppositional piece for The Conversation, Senior Sport Journalism lecturer at Latrobe University, David Lowden contends that Sports Journalists cannot be used as scapegoats for institutional corruption. Lowden reasons that Sports journalists have been guilty of being “swept up in the euphoria” of the sporting world but asserts that “if sports organizations did not know about the involvement of gambling syndicates or prohibited drug use, then sports journalists stood little chance of knowing either”, (Lowden 2013). However, the way that sports stars have been using their platforms for social issues has changed immensely since 2013, due to the “re-introduction of activist-athletes”, (Broussard 2020), the way sports journalists address these matters has the potential to influence the perception of social and political causes within society. 2016 was a “turning point”, (Schmidt 2018), in sports journalism as it became a milestone year. During this time, societal concerns that were gaining traction in public awareness and were being championed by activists, such as racial inequality and domestic violence, received more extensive coverage in sports media compared to traditional news outlets. It’s no surprise that social media has contributed to this either, with more demographics in today’s social-political landscape demanding harsher self-reflection from media corporations. In today's media landscape, sports journalists have an immense opportunity to shed light on social and political issues through the lens of sports, not only engaging and educating audiences but also fostering a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between sports and society. Through responsible and insightful reporting, sports journalists have the power to shape public discourse, challenge stereotypes, and contribute to positive change, ultimately leaving a lasting impact on how we perceive and address the challenges of the world around us.
The coverage of sports in the field of journalism is just as crucial as any. Although readers and other journalists alike may not see it as important as breaking news stories in the war or political spaces, it holds its own attributes. Ultimately, sport reporters use of connection to sources, trivia as a form of evidence and focused reporting bridge the gap between reader and reporter and create a more connected environment. There is undoubtably work to be done in the timeliness of scandal reporting, but overall, sports journalists do not deserve the ‘toy-box’ label their colleagues adhere to their reputations. All fields of journalism’s purpose is to inform, and Sport reporters meet that brief.
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