Sport Journalists: Friend or Foe?

The commercial and social connections between sport and the media have been defined by the relationships between people employed within organisations from both industries – sport journalists on one side and the people (athletes, coaches and administrators mostly) who the public want more information about on the other. Sport journalists have been a central cog in the machine of the sport nexus, and this chapter examines some of the key issues that define the role of sport journalists in the contemporary sport media industry, such as the beat
model of reporting and the changes to access brought about by the advent of social media and a diverse range of content distribution platforms. The chapter also reveals the ways in which sport journalists operate, which is essential information for staff employed within sport organisations, particularly within media management roles.