Quality Still Scores High With Sports Journalists Despite Doing More With Less

• In Event: Sports Journalists and Sports Journalism: Producers and Content

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine U.S. newspaper sports journalists’ perceptions of their quality of work in light of possible burnout, work overload, job satisfaction and organizational support. Conservation of Resource Theory tells us that workers will acquire and retain valued resources so they can tap into those reserves in times of stress, and continue to produce good work. (Hobfoll, 1989). In this study, job satisfaction and organizational support were in ample supply as sports journalists (n = 201) are experiencing only average rates of burnout. Sports journalists also said they view the quality of their work similar to that of news workers, and despite producing more with less, have adapted well to the digital and social media requirements.

Author

• Scott Reinardy, U of Kansas