National Sports Journalism Center

Indiana Pacers Vice President of Communications Quinn Buckner will mentor students in the DSMI program.

Imagine being an upcoming high school junior and senior, and having the opportunity to produce your own sports TV show, or create a sports website.
 
Then imagine that you would be meeting and interviewing some of the biggest names in sports media, as well as professional athletes.
 
That’s exactly what a dozen Indianapolis high school students will be doing next week during the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center’s second annual Diversity Sports Media Institute. The institute, sponsored by the Chicago-based McCormick Foundation, will run from Monday through Friday (June 27 – July 1) on the IUPUI campus in Indianapolis.
 
This is the first of two Diversity Sports Media Institutes this summer. The sports journalism center is partnering with the Loyola University School of Communication for a second week-long institute in Chicago from Aug. 1 – 5 for high schools students in the Windy City. That workshop also is being funded by the McCormick Foundation.
 
"The Diversity Sports Media Institute is an incredible opportunity for a select group of high school students to learn and practice the craft of sports journalism,” said Tim Franklin, director of the IU National Sports Journalism Center.
 

CBS college basketball analyst Clark Kellogg will share his expertise with high school students at the DSMI.

“They will receive instruction on the fundamentals of sports journalism. And, they will have the opportunity to meet and interview prominent national sports journalists and pro athletes,” Franklin said. “From those interviews, they will create a 30-minute TV show that will actually be aired on WFYI-TV, and their own live website. So, this workshop is more than a theoretical exercise. It's a real world experience.”
 
During the institute, the students will be meeting and interviewing several big names in sports media, as well as professional athletes. The speakers include:
 

• Clark Kellogg, the lead college basketball analyst for CBS Sports and vice president for player relations for the Indiana Pacers.
• Quinn Buckner, basketball analyst for Fox Sports Midwest and the Big Ten Network, and the vice president of communications for the Pacers.
• Stephen Bardo, college basketball commentator for ESPN and the Big Ten Network.
• Calbert Cheaney, the new director of basketball operations at IU, and the all-time leading scorer in Big Ten history.
• Pippa Mann, who last month became the first woman from Britain to race in the Indianapolis 500.

 
Kellogg, Buckner, Bardo and Cheaney all played professional basketball in the NBA. Buckner is one of only three players in history to win championships at every level – high school, college, pro and the Olympics.
 
The students also will be interviewing a member of the Indiana Fever, and covering one of its games.
 
Excerpts from those interviews will be packaged in a 30-minute TV show and website produced by the students. The TV show is expected to air across Indiana on WFYI-TV. The students will work at WFYI-TV’s studios in Indianapolis, as well as in computer labs at IUPUI. They also will tour the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
 
“The goal is to show these students a career path in sports media. I'm thrilled that a couple of our older students in last year's workshop are now pursuing degrees in journalism, with the intent of working in sports media. I'm hopeful that we'll have a positive impact on more young lives this summer,” Franklin said.
 
DSMI is funded by a $50,000 grant from the McCormick Foundation in Chicago.
 
“IU is grateful to the McCormick Foundation in Chicago for making this experience possible for the second straight year in Indianapolis. And, this summer we're expanding the Diversity Sports Media Institute to a second workshop in Chicago with our partners at Loyola University. This will allow us to reach even more youth across the Midwest.”
 
Clark Bell, journalism director of the McCormick Foundation, believes the Institute supports McCormick’s mission to provide educational opportunities to students from diverse backgrounds.
 
“This program furthers the McCormick Foundation's commitment to youth by
providing underserved students a training ground to develop professional
news media skills," said Bell. “The program exposes students to an exciting career path and can stimulate their efforts in school.”
 
He also credits the DSMI for its efforts to diversify sports media.
 
“Let's face it, most of the nation's sports reporters and editors are white males,” Bell said. “DSMI promotes greater diversity in the coverage of sports.”
 
Indeed, a report issued in April found that 97 percent of print and online sports editors are white, and 94 percent are men. The report, issued by the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, said that 5.5 percent of print and online sports staffs are black men, and three percent are Latino men. Only 11.4 percent are women.
 
The success of the inaugural DSMI has Bell and his McCormick colleagues anticipating further success for the program and continued benefit for students.
 
“Indiana University should be proud of Tim Franklin and NSJC,” says Bell. “Tim
delivers.  He is a valued and trusted partner of the McCormick Foundation. NSJC did an excellent job executing last year's inaugural institute.  We look forward to expanding this year into Chicago.”