What are other job options for me if I don't make it as a field reporter?

You could consider working as a production assistant or another entry level position before moving right into field reporting. Working as a PA, runner, utility, or an intern would be a great way to learn more about the business. If you don't make it as field reporter these other options would provide the insight you are looking for as your ultimate career path will depend a lot on you (your experience, skills, goals) and the opportunity you find and fit into. Other Production jobs include Director, Producer, Camera man, Technical Director, Graphics designers and operators, Audio operators (A1 and A2), engineering, Lighting, and many more.

Hi Ben - There are a number of jobs that help support the creation of a sports/news broadcast that aren't on the field or on camera. The behind the scenes consist of Researchers who obviously research and fact check, Production Assistants who watch games/stories and create the bones of the games story to be reported on, Feature Producers who are either in house or out in the field identifying stories, writing, shooting, working with talent, and then partnering with the Editor to craft the story for air. There are also Associate Directing, Directing, Producing jobs to consider, and of course the technical side of the house that gets the content to air. That ranges from Studio camera, Technical Directing, Master Control Operator...Many options.

If you haven't had the opportunity to participate in an internship yet, it is a great way to get a true glimpse and experience all that it takes to create great TV.

Good luck!!

Hi Taylor - as others have mentioned, there are some fun jobs in sports media outside of being a reporter that will teach you about the industry and give you a rewarding career.

However, if your heart is 100% set on being on-air, I don't think there's any substitute for being on-air in whatever capacity you can. While there are examples of people who go from behind the scenes to on-camera (as production assistants, videographers, etc.), I think the best route is still starting as a reporter/anchor in either a local market or working for a team.

Practice as much as you can, be creative and never give up. An anchor once told me "I only had to be better than 50% of the people, because the other 50% quit."

If you decide it's not for you, you can always transition to a behind the scenes role. That's what I did. After a year anchoring local sports in Iowa, I became a PA at ESPN and I enjoy this a lot more.

A good reporter has to know how to craft a story. This means knowing how to shoot and edit your own material. So if you don't find a path on screen, you can still find jobs doing this behind the scenes. Sometimes in non-sports related production companies or tv stations. Also consider jobs producing, or on the technical side like audio, camera, video playback, or graphics.

I would definitely try to start as an intern or a production assistant at a local tv station (maybe in the sports department), that is actually how I started myself. As an intern you get to know the majority of the media positions and learn what you like the most. On a side note: not always you will have the chance to get a job for the position you like the most, but with "the foot in the door" you can certainly increase your chances in the company you intern for or other ones. Some of my friends realized they were not a "good fit" for on camera jobs (like myself) and ended up working in studio/control room side by side with talent or in the field as camera operators/editors.