Cronkite News Phoenix Sports Bureau
Get experience covering major sporting events and professional sports teams in the Cronkite News Sports Bureau.
Stories from the sidelines
Imagine yourself courtside at an NBA game, in the dugout during MLB spring training, or on the sidelines of the Super Bowl. At the Cronkite News Phoenix Sports Bureau, these aren’t just dreams—they’re your classroom.
Located in the epicenter of Phoenix’s thriving sports scene, our state-of-the-art newsroom offers unparalleled access to the action. As a student in this capstone course, you’ll:
- Cover major league teams, collegiate and high school athletics, and more, diversifying your professional portfolio
- Gain experience reporting for local and national outlets
- Work in a cutting-edge facility with panoramic views of the city and within walking distance of major stadiums
- Produce multiplatform content, honing your skills in video, photography and written journalism
- Build a professional network that spans the sports industry
The bureau is located in a state-of-the-art newsroom on the second floor of the Cronkite School with views of the city. Students are within walking distance from stadiums that house the MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks and the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Students work at least two full days a week, producing sports video, photos and text for professional media outlets and Cronkite News, the news division of Arizona PBS. In the spring semester, students report on MLB spring training for major metropolitan media organizations and national news outlets, including MLB.com, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Bay Area News Group and more.
Students go on to become award-winning sports journalists, broadcasters, and media professionals. Inside the Cronkite News Phoenix Sports Bureau, you’re not just learning about sports journalism—you’re living it.
Roles in the Sports Bureau
Broadcast reporters
Broadcast reporters pitch stories, conduct interviews and produce stories on sports issues and events. Reporters produce content for multiple outlets, including Cronkite News on Arizona PBS, Cronkite Sports Report and clients across the state.
Broadcast producers
Producers manage sports TV and video content, selecting stories, managing reporter content, writing scripts, building rundowns, creating graphics, editing video and managing on-air talent for daily and specialty sports shows. Producers work in collaboration with the Cronkite News team to create dynamic, innovative award-winning shows.
Digital reporters
Digital reporters pitch stories, conduct interviews and produce multimedia journalism on sports issues and events. Reporters hone storytelling skills while experimenting with innovative techniques, collaborating with team members and developing multimedia skills.
Digital and social media producers
Students on this team grow their web production and design skills and gain experience with video, photo and data visualization. The team also executes our social media strategy, including platform experimentation.
Photo and video
Students on this team capture still images and video content for sports stories across platforms. Visual students collaborate with other teams and experiment with different storytelling techniques, such as animated explainer videos.
Course Prerequisites
Students must complete the following prerequisites to enroll in this capstone course. Please direct questions to the course faculty or your academic adviser.
Undergraduate: JMC 302 and JMC 306
Undergraduate students interested in the roles below should also complete the following corresponding classes as well, in addition to JMC 302 and JMC 306.
- Broadcast reporters: JMC 331
- Newscast producers: JMC 320
- Photographers/digital video producers: JMC 351/352
Graduate: MCO 502
Graduate students interested in the roles below should also complete the following corresponding classes as well, in addition to MCO 502.
- Broadcast reporters: MCO 531
- Newscast producers: MCO 521