Education/training
Aspiring sports reporters score a new courseMalcolm Kelly has a goal: to assist students in scoring jobs in sports journalism. |
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 [ 2008-03-12 ] |
Some graduates of Centennial's Sports Journalism program will interview famous athletes such as Toronto Maple Leafs Mats Sundin. (Sun Media file photo)
Kelly has set up a one-year full-time post-graduate certificate program in Sports Journalism at Centennial College after the Continuing Education pilot course he established was a smash hit.
The program he co-ordinated last year was so popular that one of his students asked if he could take the final exam again because he had enjoyed it so much.
The success of the course prompted Centennial to ask the veteran sports journalist about starting a full-time program with space for about 30 students in the first year.
Kelly put together an advisory committee of well-known sports journalists to help establish the curriculum.
Starting next January and running for a calendar year, the program will teach print, TV and radio sports journalism, online reporting, videography and podcasting. Students will also have to complete a six-week job placement.
Tuition for the yearlong program is about $2,000.
"Journalism programs in Canada have ignored sports to a large degree," says Kelly. "Sports reporting goes beyond the box scores to convey the context, the culture and the history of the athletes and their accomplishments."
Prospective sports journalists will gain essential skills and knowledge, including interviewing, beat reporting and the business of sports. And they'll learn how to meet the multi-platform demands put on young reporters today.
As hard as he's worked, Kelly is keen to share credit for the new program. "The PAC (Program Advisory Committee ) was really outstanding," he says. "We spent a year putting the thing together. I've never had anyone turn me down from the sports journalism (field)."
The committee included Dick Howard, from FIFA (the Federation de Football Association); Karen Sebesta, a sports producer for CBC-TV; and Scott Morrison, a Hockey Night in Canada commentator.
Sebesta, who's working on this summer's Beijing Olympic Games, says the program was designed so students would get jobs soon after graduating. "We asked ourselves what are the skills they need to get hired right out of school. Now there's a need for a reporter to be multi-talented."
There's a big demand these days for more sports news and therefore more sports reporters. CBC is considering launching an all-sports channel and there's talk of a TSN 2. Sports news is also big on numerous websites and satellite radio stations.
To be admitted into the new Sports Journalism program, applicants must have a university degree or a college certificate or diploma in journalism, a degree or a certificate in some other discipline but an obvious interest in sports, or a combination of education and experience. Students without any reporting background will take a make-up course so they can keep up with their classmates.
While other colleges offer sports journalism courses, Kelly says Centennial's program is unique in that it covers such a wide variety of reporting platforms.
He expects Centennial's course will attract students from across Canada. One aspiring journalist from Brazil has contacted the college .
Even though the course doesn't start until next January, 50 people have already applied.
For more information visit www.centennialcollege.ca/sportsjournalism or e-mail mkelly@centennialcollege.ca.
QUICK FACTS
- The new Sports Journalism program begins next January
- The first class will accept 30 students
- Aspiring sports journalists will learn to use all reporting platforms
- Students must complete a six-week job placement
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