Fresh from being shortlisted in the Columnist category at the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards, Kate Mason kindly spent time talking about all things sports broadcasting with SJA Academy members; here, News Associates’ Abi Akerman reflects on the main takeaways from a Mason masterclass…
Sports presenter Kate Mason recently hosted a free Q&A for SJA Academy members, discussing pathways into the industry as well as her career, from presenting for beIN SPORTS in Doha to covering the Paris Olympics.
Mason is an award-winning broadcaster and TNT Sports presenter with more than a decade’s experience presenting live sport.
She leads the network’s cricket and mountain bike coverage and was in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
She writes a fortnightly column for Metro, where she explores social and human issues through the lens of sport.
Formerly she was a lead presenter on Sky Sports News and spent three years as a regular host of the Football Ramble.
Mason was recognised for her column writing by making the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards 2024 shortlist.
She also won bronze in the 2022 awards in the audio documentary category, for ‘Inside the Qatar World Cup.’
News Associates part-time trainee and freelance journalist Abi Akerman shares what she learnt from the online event…
Kate offered some great insights into the world of sports journalism, explaining her route into the profession and how there is no clear-cut way to break into sports broadcasting.
When discussing why she pursued sports journalism, Kate explained how she loves that anyone can join in on conversations about sports, and how sports can have a profound impact on a range of people.
She emphasised the importance of taking every chance to report on different sports and to speak to people within the sporting world, as this can lead to opportunities – such as her own experience covering women’s golf which led to her presenting sport in Doha.
Kate said: “The important thing is to have your body of knowledge, your research that you have done.”
She highlighted how a huge part of sports journalism is the production team behind the camera that audiences don’t see, and emphasised how there are many opportunities to be a part of broadcasting live sports beyond presenting, such as working as a producer.
“Find events that are local to you.
“See if you can find out who the person in charge of the marketing is, and ask if there’s a way of getting accredited.”
Kate also discussed the common misconception that sports broadcasters are told what to say by other people and explained that when conducting interviews in a live setting, she can often decide the questions and topics she explores with interviewees based on her own preparation.
She said: “From the person who has literally just switched this on and doesn’t know any of the rules, all the way to the person who has been watching this since they were a baby and has done it, can get something out of the broadcast.
“That’s pretty tricky because of course, you have to kind of split your time, sometimes asking quite basic questions just to try and keep those people welcome in that space, all the way to middle-ranging ones, to the ones that you might be most curious about.
“But you know you can’t spend your entire show talking about very niche points to do with whatever it is, track cycling in some cases.”
In terms of the necessary skills, Kate explained the core information gathering of journalism is as much a part of sports broadcasting as anything else, and it is key to find the right people to speak to, to get the relevant facts for your audience and develop a story.
“Lean on people, people want to talk about the sport that they are interested in, absolutely they do,” she said.
“Don’t run up to Pep Guardiola in the street and start trying to ask him exactly what his thoughts are about tactics and this sort of thing, but if you can find people in your environment, or even on Twitter, or some other social media, including LinkedIn.”
When asked about the highlight of her career, Kate said being at the Paris Olympics was unforgettable because she was inspired to pursue sports journalism by the London 2012 Olympics 12 years earlier.
The SJA Academy is designed for anyone interested in a career in sports journalism.
If you’re aged 16 or over, and not employed in a journalism role, you can apply to join, and it’s totally free of charge.
The SJA is committed to encouraging the next generation of sports media to take their next steps in the industry, offering support, advice and opportunities.
Click here to find out more and sign up for free.
Keep an eye out for more free workshops here.
The SJA is interested in your sports media industry news and views. Keen to reach an engaged audience, including over 70,000 followers across social media? We welcome your enquiries – contact us here. We also offer advertising and sponsorship opportunities.
For information on how to apply as a Full or Associate Member of the SJA, plus details of our free-to-enter SJA Academy, click here.