The deadline is fast approaching for trainees wishing to take a new exam for sports journalists.

On 5 March the first entrants will sit the new National Certificate Examination for Sports Reporters, run by the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

Launched in September, the NCTJ spent a year working alongside senior industry figures developing the exam which offers trainees the chance to achieve ‘senior’ status in sports journalism instead of the traditional news NCE.

It was developed in response to the growing number of journalists who are joining sports desks sooner than in the past, many while still trainees.

The new qualification mirrors the news NCE and consists of four elements – sports report, sports interview, a logbook of published sports stories and newspaper practice for sports reporters.

Media law questions are still included as part of the newspaper practice exam, with sports hacks expected to be able to understand accounts, how businesses work and possess a strong news sense.

Candidates can take the exam if they have at least 18 months of experience and have completed a logbook.

Those who are already registered to sit the NCE for news reporters in March are welcome to transfer across to the new qualification.

Comments

tonto (15/02/2010 23:19:55)
Anyone looking at signing up for this should probably have a look at how many sports jobs have been advertised on HTFP in the past six months. I’ll give you a clue – it’s less than five.