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Sports writer vs news reporter

The differences between sports writers and news reporters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a sports writer and a news reporter. Additionally, a news reporter has an average salary of $41,481, which is higher than the $36,041 average annual salary of a sports writer.

The top three skills for a sports writer include SEO, game coverage and feature stories. The most important skills for a news reporter are digital marketing, local community, and facebook.

Sports writer vs news reporter overview

Sports WriterNews Reporter
Yearly salary$36,041$41,481
Hourly rate$17.33$19.94
Growth rate-10%-10%
Number of jobs16,98111,609
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 83%Bachelor's Degree, 83%
Average age4040
Years of experience22

What does a sports writer do?

A sportswriter is responsible for delivering facts about ongoing sports happening around the world. They must be familiar with athletes such as footballers and swimmers. Sportswriter must understand not only sports but also the biographies of athletes. The core concern of a sportswriter is to write in a plain and understandable style.

What does a news reporter do?

News Reporters collect and analyze facts about newsworthy events through interview, investigation, or observation. They carry cameras and take photos and video footage of objects or places of potential significance.

Sports writer vs news reporter salary

Sports writers and news reporters have different pay scales, as shown below.

Sports WriterNews Reporter
Average salary$36,041$41,481
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $51,000Between $26,000 And $64,000
Highest paying City-New York, NY
Highest paying state-New York
Best paying company-The Monitor Group
Best paying industry-Media

Differences between sports writer and news reporter education

There are a few differences between a sports writer and a news reporter in terms of educational background:

Sports WriterNews Reporter
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 83%Bachelor's Degree, 83%
Most common majorJournalismJournalism
Most common collegeMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Sports writer vs news reporter demographics

Here are the differences between sports writers' and news reporters' demographics:

Sports WriterNews Reporter
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 82.6% Female, 17.4%Male, 45.0% Female, 55.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 8.8% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 9.6% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between sports writer and news reporter duties and responsibilities

Sports writer example responsibilities.

  • Manage and encourage the Student/Staff in completion of tasks that are present.
  • Achieve worldwide coverage with one particular article criticizing racism in soccer.
  • Manage athletic contest statistics using various programs including Dakstats and other software.
  • Maintain social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and twitterconduct interviews with sourcesWrote local sports stories and take photographs
  • Produce content for multiple MLB and NFL stand-alone publications and special sections.
  • Assist with writing blogs for former Exitos939.com, tweets, facebook, Instagram posts on a daily/weekly basis.
  • Show more

News reporter example responsibilities.

  • Report to managing editor as member of editorial staff, contribute to newspaper editorials.
  • Conduct interviews, edit clips and stories, and announce stories/headlines on air.
  • Work with editors to deliver content in the appropriate style with an eye for SEO.
  • Operate digital recording equipment to film b-roll footage, interviews, and on camera reporting.
  • Drive online traffic through social networking, weaving SEO strategy into story copy, and frequent blogging.
  • Work independently gathering news stories, capturing audio sound clips for air, and writing news stories.
  • Show more

Sports writer vs news reporter skills

Common sports writer skills
  • SEO, 9%
  • Game Coverage, 9%
  • Feature Stories, 7%
  • Twitter, 5%
  • Soccer, 5%
  • News Stories, 4%
Common news reporter skills
  • Digital Marketing, 13%
  • Local Community, 10%
  • Facebook, 6%
  • Twitter, 6%
  • Develop Story Ideas, 5%
  • Instagram, 4%

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