Geopolitical football — How cash and culture are shifting the goalposts for sports journalism

“I wasn't just doing what was right. I was doing what was journalistically correct.”

Veteran sports reporter Jim Trotter was doing a live cross for ESPN when the host began describing American footballer Colin Kaepernick’s refusal to stand during the national anthem as “disrespectful to the flag”. Jim had a choice — to let the host’s opinions go unchecked or to report the facts.

As sports arenas more frequently become platforms for cultural debate, reporters like Jim have expanded their old beats from player drafts and starting positions to include athlete activism and political commentary.

From the taking the knee to boycotting the Olympics, it’s become increasingly common for off-field controversies and cultural shifts to make their way onto those hallowed grounds.

But as the clubs and codes grow richer, while many media outlets become poorer, is there now a power imbalance that’s impacting our coverage?

In the latest episode of Journo Nick Bryant asks the NBC’s Rebecca Lowe, NFL Network’s Jim Trotter and cricket writer Gideon Haigh: when back page stories are increasingly front-page affairs, can sports journalism still primarily be about sport?  

Journo is a production of Deadset Studios. This episode was made with support from the Judith Neilson Institute.

Host: Nick Bryant
Executive Producer: Rachel Fountain
Producers: Grace Pashley and Britta Jorgensen
Sound Design: Krissy Miltiadou
Managing Editor: Kellie Riordan
Commissioning Editor: Andrea Ho 

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