<p>My friend's son is very into sport stats, and sports in general. He is in hs and would like to know what one majors in to have a chance at this. His father says that there is no chance at doing this as a career. His mother is interested in finding out. She is ready to hire a career or college counselor. She thinks that communications majors are too broad, and sports management is not really what he wants. Suggestions, insights?</p>
<p>Broadcast Journalism maybe.</p>
<p>Scipio, thanks. I suggested looking at majors within a School of Communications. Mom and/or son did not want to hear that.</p>
<p>^^Well, if someone wants to be an engineer but refuses to enroll in an Engineering program, there's not much you can do to help them.</p>
<p>Scipio, I think that they feel that he would never get to study what he wants to do, but learn about media in general. Frankly, communications is broad, so it would hopefully make him more employable if he did not get the sports announcing job that he dreams about.</p>
<p>Biggest thing anyone can do in this is to get experience at the college station, usually doing radio. it may not first be for a sports team, maybe just a music show. but that will generate familairity with the nuts-and-bolts of radio, which is what's most important if the kid already has a strong base of sports knowledge. with some experience --and talent-- he can work his way up to bigger markets. </p>
<p>voice lessons might not hurt either, and they are available in many college drama departments. </p>
<p>as for a major, broadcast jouranlism if its offered is good, but print journalism wouldn't be bad either because the kid still has to know how to write. in fact, some sportscasters have very successfully made the leap from print to radio or tv because thier skills in print were respected and people could see what they were doing. just be carefule with the "communications" major at a college to be sure that they offere the broadcast and tv stuff. some depts are more attuned to print, some to advertising and public relations, some are wll-rounded. </p>
<p>however, if you can get on-air experience, have that sports knowldege and a good voice, and know how to make stuff interesting to listeners, it ultimatley doesn't matter what specific major you pick. Well-roundedness is good for any career. A history or French or math major with the above assets can get a start in the business.</p>
<p>BigAppleDaddy, thanks. I will relay this information.</p>
<p>I have watched several young interns at our local sports talk station move from intern to producer to having a show to doing play by play or working on one of the national sports stations over 10 years or less. I'd say go to college where there is lots of sports and a local sports radio station. Then work your way up.</p>
<p>A college classmate of mine is now the broadcaster for the Cleveland Indians, he just evolved into it starting with the campus radio station, but if your friend's son wants to be a Bob Costas or Sean McDonough, he could start with looking into where they both went, the Newhouse school at Syracuse</p>
<p>Master's</a> Programs : S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University</p>
<p>I have an acquaintance I have known for 25 years (a friend's now ex-husband) and he started on the tiny channels in the obscure sports and has continued on, moving to bigger and better sports and channels. I still see him on TV and always smile, it is great to see some one have the tenacity to follow the dream and have it work!</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. I am going to pass all of this on.</p>
<p>Why this aversion to having a general knowledge of the communications arena?</p>
<p>If this is what he REALLY wants, in the media field, its all about connections, internships, etc., and often it in fields that are close but not exact.</p>
<p>I have a D who is interested in Fashion Journalism, Marketing, etc. Her fantasy job is Vogue Editor.</p>
<p>But her best plan of attack is to get a communications, journalism, or marketing degree with minors while getting a general overall balanced education with history, some business, english, writing, and the like.</p>
<p>In the meantime, she will intern where ever and how ever she can to get her foot in the door- whether it be for a fashion website, a magazine about ducks, or a small fashion house that specilizes in bows.</p>
<p>Certain industries don't have straight forward paths, and if it is indeed this kids passion to be a sportcaster, then he should be willing to do whatever it takes, even if it isn't sports related to get the experience, as suggested, at a radio station, a newspaper, interning for a baseball teams marketing department. Maybe finding some local sports club- there are lots of youth leagues that are begging for volunteers of any kind. Maybe start a blog about their season, a sports colume for the kids and their parents to access, there are lots of ways to just DO sports and sports "broadcasting" as it were on a very small scale to begin with. Maybe there is a local neighborhood paper that would love someone to cover the HS sports for them.</p>
<p>I had a friend who did some amazing volunteer work with Special Olympics. She worked with them in marketing. And doping press releases and the like.</p>
<p>This is one of those fields, like photography, fashion, journaiism, where the best education often comes from outside the classroom while getting a good foundation for the field in the classroom.</p>
<p>No reason not to dream, but you have to dig in the dirt sometimes, not doing your ideal job or internship, or volunteering gig, to grow.</p>
<p>I agree about Newhouse at Syracuse University. The school has many other majors if he changes his mind and great D=1 sports teams.</p>
<p>northeastmom, I also have a high school age son who would love to do this. We are going to look at the SI Newhouse school at Syracuse University. They have a broadcast journalism major, but they do require you to take many courses in the Arts & Sciences college at Syracuse. Many big name sports broadcasters have come out of the Newhouse school.</p>
<p>x-posting with everyone about Newhouse!</p>
<p>There's this funny idea that sports journalists, even though they are sports journalists, are in fact journalists. Lots of them did non-sports journalism in the early stages of their careers, too. Anyone who thinks knowing about journalism is irrelevant to sportscasters is not connected to reality. Any anyone who thinks that sportscasters don't need to know a whole bunch about the media and entertainment industries in general is really not connected to reality.</p>
<p>JHS, I agree with you. Frankly, I think that they are not yet connected with reality. The boy is 16, and they are just in the talking, planning stages of what he would like to do. They don't know anything about this career.</p>
<p>Any suggestions of schools besides Newhouse. He is a very bright kid, but I do not know if he will have the stats for Newhouse. Also, any state school options?</p>
<p>Keep in mind the higher levels of sportscasting are now crowded with ex-professional athletes whose only experience has been achieving fame on the field. I think the Marv Albert/Bob Costas types are a thing of the past.</p>
<p>Penn State has a college of communications with a center for sports journalism. No idea how good it is though.</p>
<p>Here is the latest placement report for SYracuse (the entire university).</p>
<p>ON page 48 of the pdf file, they show the Newhouse School data. If I read correctly, about 16 out of a total of 269 reported getting jobs through the school somehow. [More than half did not respond] </p>
<p>The point being that it is an uphill battle to break into these professions and you don't earn much while you are trying.</p>
<p>mamabear, and dadx thanks.</p>
<p>audiophile, the young man's father thinks exactly the same thing.</p>