Pat Doney, has been a sports anchor at NBC Dallas 13 years.
Sports stories are about much more than who wins the game. Behind every competition is a journey of preparation, discipline, and determination from the athlete or team. However those stories can sometimes be hard to find, but it is the reporter’s job to look past the scoreboard and find the human story.
“Everyone has a story to tell, it is our job to find it, feel it and bring it to life,” said Pat Doney, who has been a sports anchor at NBC Dallas for 13 years. He has covered Super Bowls, the NBA Finals and the Olympics.
Maintaining contact with athletes opens doors to learn more about them and their personal stories. Details about their training or personal motivation can appeal to emotions, allowing the audience to feel more connected and identified with them.
“We are trying to tell great stories… to connect us, to remind people that they are seen,’’ Doney said.
In interviews, having a list of questions is not always beneficial because reporters may be focused on finishing their list instead of paying attention to what’s being said.
Dozens of attendees at the Arlington room for the Mastering the Art of Storytelling in Sports Media session at MediaFest25.
“Nobody cares about your list [of questions], everybody cares about the fact that you tell us something that is interesting about the person you’re featuring, and you are talking too.”
Follow-up questions make the interview feel more conversational, without sounding too structured or robotic. They also show that the reporter is paying attention to the athlete.
In the second part of the session Doney let the attendees talk with the next person sitting next to them for 3 minutes, with the objective being to practice doing interviews that sound conversational.
“Listen and when someone tells you something that even piqued your interest a little bit, ask them more about that,” he said.
“The goal is in the follow-up.”
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