International training workshop on sports narration

Rome/Perugia (Italy), 3-6 December 2019

With the aim to enhance the capacities of TV and radio journalists to report on sports topics, RAI-Radiotelevisione Italiana - in collaboration with COPEAM and in partnership with ASBU - organized a 4-day workshop from 3 to 6 December 2019, at the Centro Italiano di Studi Superiori per la Formazione e l’Aggiornamento in Giornalismo Radiotelevisivo of Perugia.

14 journalists coming from 12 broadcasters of COPEAM network and from 10 countries (Balkans, Southern Mediterranean and Middle East) took part in this international training.

Starting from the belief that talking about sports means much more than just telling about numbers, results, performances or competitions, this workshop was aimed at:

  • Pointing out the narrative potential of sports reporting, its powerful human, poetic and even epic component, as well as its capacity to deeply involve a large and plural audience;
  • Highlighting the importance of public service media in promoting sports values ​​such as respect, loyalty, discipline and humility, team spirit and solidarity, diversity, etc.;
  • Reflecting on the relationship between sports’ events and territorial promotion of the country where they take place;
  • Deepening the combination of different genres (information, documentary, entertainment, etc.) and formats in the sports narration;
  • Analysing the integration and contribution of external experts (such as former athletes or champions of the past) in reporting sports.

After an introductory session and a field visit to Rai News and Rai Sport newsrooms in Rome, the beneficiaries moved to Perugia, where some experienced journalists and directors working for RAI in this area provided examples and presented about good practices in sport storytelling.