Expert: Patrick J. Murray - 10/17/2011

Question
QUESTION: My son is a high school senior and in the process of choosing a college or university to attend for a career in sports broadcasting. It appears he may be close to being offered a full scholarship to Oklahoma City University. I would be happy to see him receive a good education from a private university at no cost but will a degree from a school such as OCU be well recognized in the broadcast journalism world. He has hopes of working for ESPN, FOX Sports or as a play by play announcer for a major sports team.
Will the college name open doors? What is the best degree to have? Will advanced degrees be an advantage in this field or do you recommend a bachelor's degree with on the job experience to advance in this field? ANY advise will be of help!!!!

ANSWER: Dear Kinberly,

Thanks for stopping by….You have asked the perfect “parent” question regarding college education vs. expenses vs. experience….I hope I can provide you with at least one perspective on shaping your son’s future…..

So let’s start with some basic background that will hopefully assist you in making your total assessment here….

Does he have an extreme aptitude to sports and sports history?

Is his voice pleasant to listen to? Can you imagine that voice as a professional announcer?

Would he be presentable on camera knowing what sports announcers generally look like? Do you think he could represent himself on camera combining his vocal attributes and what we would consider to be stage presence? Could he command attention?

If he passes all the basic criteria, then we would have the basis to work with and creating a talent. If not and he is still interested, there are still behind the scenes jobs as producers and directors that could work as well – albeit more technical and requiring him to be authoritative.

I ask all of this, because if he has the skills, looks great on camera, and his voice commands you to listen to him, the choice of college for me would not be as great. A person like this will find a job down the road as he will be able to easily carve out a niche in college and make some contacts at totally different levels. On the other hand, if his chances may seem a little slimmer on the talent side, I would lean to a school with a little more depth to assist in creating the persona that will eventually be on the air. A better school would offer him more tools and allow him to receive the benefit of more education.

Having said all that, if he has all the tools that would make him a great candidate I would suggest some of the following…..some school names may help depending on who is hiring at any respective video outlet. My experience is that when you work with a college intern who gets it, will work really hard at starting out, has an understanding of the business, and is not afraid to take chances, then that person would receive the vote of a veteran to remain in the company if an opening is available regardless of the university.

Maybe over many businesses, this industry needs the individual to make contacts and keep up with those contacts – and by that I mean don’t just ask for a job. You want to understand how this all works, who is participating, and what makes a particular network tick. You have to understand how this works as a potential member of the craft…

There is so much more (as there always is) to becoming a credible national announcer. You should start in smaller markets or cable outlets. Practice practice practice in front of a mirror or with a small camera….know how to write, be creative, and work well with others…you do become a part of a large production team.

I have laid out a lot for you to see so that he understands how serious this is and not just some passing thought…like anything else, it requires real dedication and talent. I don’t believe the school will necessarily make or break his possibilities. For life, he should just have a degree – for broadcasting, he needs skills, knowledge and contacts.

I hope this helps and doesn’t confuse the issue for you….if this stirs other thoughts or questions, please feel free to send in a return question!

All the best to your son in his possible career!

Patrick Murray






---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Patrick for your insight! I have read extensively about the career of a broadcast journalist, in particular, sports broadcaster, and  my son and I both understand how competitive the field is.  I should have given you a little background on him. He has always commanded an audience where ever he goes through his presence and charm. He has the most beautiful bass voice, even at 17, and looks like the boy next door. He has a passion for sports and a competitive drive that cannot be stopped.  After emailing you this morning I read some of your other responses to similar questions through the years.  There was a comment to made about being "confident not cocky". If I could describe Dylan that would be him in a nut shell. He is very comfortable in front of people.  He has been trained all of his life to present himself well. He has not only spent his life in the world of sports but he is also a concert violinist and will be an Eagle Scout in January. I know I am his mother but I am trying to have an objective opinion. Deluding myself will only encourage him to pursue a career that he is not suited for. He looks very much like Kirk Herbstreit from ESPN.  He does have all the qualities you mentioned and then some. He has the determination and completive edge it will take for a successful career. I want to thank you for being so clear on what it takes to be successful and the steps to take in the process. He has a terrific aptitude for sports and reads every biography he can get his hands on. I truly believe he is a great person and has worked so hard to get to this point in his life that I want to do everything I can to help him make the right college choice. I believe you will see him on television some day. You have completely answered my question. I feel confident now in directing him in his college choice. He is looking forward the the experience of college. I still am undecided as to the major he should persue. OCU is an excellent business school.In your opinion, does a bachelor's degree in business from OCU and then go on to the University of Missouri for a degree in sports broadcasting make sense?  He has so many scholarship opportunities that he wants to take advantage of all the free education he can before he jumps into the working world. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge. I learned more from reading your replies than I have from everyone else I have talked to over the last year!!!  What a huge help you have been.

Answer
Hey Kimberly…..

Thanks for filling in the extra information – that really does help…And it is good to hear that there are some “nuggets” in my last response to you that should be helpful in your son’s pursuit of his future career. From your description, Dylan does sound like he potentially could have a real future in front of him – and I do mean your description that defines him personally as well as physically.

I checked out the Oklahoma City University, and they do have a broadcasting major…If his area of concern is to be that, I would pursue it that way. If that is his interest, I would pursue it – it does note a sort of seriousness about his intentions to move forward in the broadcast world. Both of you should visit and investigate prospective colleges and ask about the program and see if they have any facilities – like studios, equipment, radio stations. Having that gear gives him a chance to be a hand on which is the way this business is leaning. He should learn to shoot and edit his own stories – as well as write them. Journalism could be a minor or a strong second major for his consideration as well.

Some questions or queries to ask about at the schools:

What type of program is it? (2 or 4 yr)
What are the names of the classes?
Are there internships with professional broadcast outlets in your area available through the university?
Do your graduates get hired in the business?
If there are college facilities, how does Dylan have access to them?
Can he become part of the college broadcast team? How does one work toward that?
How can the university support his future?

So bottom line….you have to decide on the financial side of things and how you want that to work for your family. The schooling can be important, in that the bigger schools have bigger connections to the outside world. Hopefully you both can be satisfied with a school of higher learning. But remember, no matter where Dylan attends, he needs to start to make contacts in the broadcast world – just conversing with people about the business and how it works. Calling people in your area who are professionals will be good practice for him – he will enjoy the conversations about the business that people will share with him…and most should.

Hope this further assists on your search for him....Don't be afraid to stop back with any further questions as you go along the way!

Best of luck!

Patrick Murray