Proximity and context.
As the Boston Red Sox writer for the Providence Journal, these are the things Brian MacPherson believes he has that can inject his day-to-day coverage with intelligence and authority. And during an era in which sports fans often seek out the most trusted and informed voices to connect them with their favorite teams, it’s become the responsibility of beat writers such as MacPherson to use their access wisely, to wield that proximity and context with confidence.
The “just the facts” era of sports reporting is extinct. Nowadays many beat writers swim toward the deep end of the pool, asked to deliver in-depth analysis without becoming overly opinionated.
It can be a major challenge. And it’s one MacPherson, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe are all still trying to get comfortable with.
McLane covers the Eagles. Washburn covers the Celtics. On Friday they joined MacPherson on a panel at the APSE Conference to discuss how they inject voice and analysis into their coverage without going too far.
“Readers want insight,” Washburn said. “They want to know what’s going on inside the locker room and the clubhouse. It’s my responsibility to bring that to them with what I know.”
Still, with beat writers now working across multiple platforms – from delivering coverage for the daily paper to blogging on the fly to spitting out thoughts on Twitter as they come into the stream of consciousness – the old-school line that separated beat reporters from columnists has blurred.
Today’s readers expect and, in many ways, demand a voice in their coverage. McLane said his job requires using his voice responsibly without letting it grow too loud or blustery.
It’s his job to deliver opinions in an insightful manner that won’t ultimately damage the key relationships he needs to cover the Eagles most effectively.
“If you are informed and if you are fair,” McLane said. “at the end of the day they will respect you.”
Both MacPherson and Washburn believe the best beat writers will identify trends, use statistics and take advantage of their access to legitimize their analysis.
“That’s the value of what a beat writer brings to the table,” MacPherson said. “Proximity and context allow you to look at things the way they deserve to be looked at.”
And when in doubt as to whether a thought they’re having is drifting too far? McLane and Washburn laughed and had a simple solution. At that point, they said, you send the columnist in as the hit man.
