Sports Information

Catalog description

Techniques of effective media relations used in a sports information office. COMM 478 Sports Information (3) This is an upper-level course designed to prepare students for a specialized form of modern media relations, sports information. Sports information professionals combine skills of both journalists and public relations specialists, so the advanced techniques go beyond those taught in introductory classes such as News Writing and Public Relations Methods.As the popularity of high-school, college, and professionals sports has exploded, sports information professionals have increasing demands put on them. More and more journalists, working for a variety of publications and broadcasts, cover sports today. Moreover, the growing complexities of modern sports - from the impact of drugs to the enormous salaries of many athletes - means that sports information professionals have to provide more than simple information on athletes, coaches and sporting contest. Through a variety of assignments, the course will provide students with the experience that will prepare them for the demands of being sports information professionals. And it will ground them in the ethical principles that all media relations specialists must follow.