As a sports commentator for NBC and the Golf Channel, Jimmy Roberts spent extensive time covering Tiger Woods. But when the scandal surrounding Woods broke in 2009, Roberts said he knew how to remain impartial and ask Woods the uncomfortable questions he probably didn’t want to answer — advice he imparted to aspiring journalists last night.
“Make sure that you don’t violate the relationship,” he said. “For me, I always think that [a friendship] would create a conflict. You have to keep it professional and you have to be persistent.”
Roberts, a 1979 university alumnus, along with Lou Ferrara and Theresa Moore, addressed an audience of about 40 people in the Eaton Theater of Knight Hall as part of the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism’s panel series. The panel, moderated by Povich Center Director George Solomon, launched a discussion about the path to sports journalism success.
The three panelists discussed the changing face of the media as well as the skills students need to achieve their goals in a career as competitive as sports reporting.
“I can’t stress enough how important internships are,” Roberts said. “I think practical experience is hugely important.”
Ferrara, vice president and managing editor for the Associated Press and a 1992 university alumnus, echoed Roberts’ sentiments. He also stressed flexibility and the ability to report on any given topic.
“You have to go out and do it, and you have to prove yourself out there,” he said.
Ferrara cited the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia; he said the Associated Press’s top stories were geopolitical articles with a sports background, not strictly coverage of the events.
“I need reporters who know how to report and not just cover a game,” he said.
The panelists also stressed the importance of accuracy, especially in the rising age of media across numerous digital platforms.
“We have a responsibility to be right because there are so many horrible things that can happen when you are not,” said Moore, the documentarian behind the football film “Third and Long.”
Roberts especially emphasized the importance of accuracy on the Internet because many news outlets race to publish the material first rather than wait to verify that the material is factually correct.
“You can go online and say whatever you like, but who are you responsible to?” Roberts asked. “A journalist is someone who practices with a set of viable standards.”
Erik Swann, a sophomore journalism major, appreciated the professional advice the panelists gave in regards to the necessity of a strong work ethic and strict adherence to ethical standards.
Freshman journalism major Michael Stern said that as a sports blogger he found the panel informative and inspiring.
“Hearing from professionals about how to succeed in the sports journalism industry is really helpful in figuring out where you want to be and how you want to get there,” Stern said. “Their discussion about asking the tough questions is really applicable in the real world. If you’re not going to get the tough questions, you won’t get anywhere.”
