Beat writer Kevin Fishbain is one of the unique writers who reports on the Chicago Bears. A graduate of Northwestern University, he now works at Shaw Media. Fishbain previously worked at Pro Football Weekly, Chicago Athlete Magazine and Sports Illustrated. He still does work for Pro Football Weekly, as an on-air talent for videos on ProFootballWeekly.com and serve as a guest analyst on radio stations in the Chicago area. He interviews players and coaches, attends practices, home and away games and training camp. If that isn’t, enough Fishbain is the host of ‘Chicago Football’ podcast, which is a weekly program that runs throughout the year.
After hearing him speak, I was inspired by his thoughts on interviewing the players and his approach. He thinks outside the box and tries to get questions answered from different angles. Many people just want to get the story and ignore ways they can be creative and give their fans more personal facts about the players. Being a female in sports journalism can be difficult. The growth of women in sports journalism is stagnant. I believe thinking in a more creative way can be beneficial in helping me create a unique approach, allowing me to stand out from others in the field. Keep reading to get answers to how he approaches tracking news, working on stories for the Chicago Bears and more!
Chicago Football Now 2015 draft
Can you tell me a little bit about working as a Chicago Bears beat Writer at Shaw Media?
Getting to cover the Bears is a dream job. I get to provide readers of Shaw Media newspapers and ProFootballWeekly.com content on the Bears that they may not get anywhere else, using access to the team at practice and games to tell them stories of Bears players and coaches. My job is to cover all aspects of the Bears, from their practices to games to new players to former players. If there is news related to the Bears, I’m writing about it or tweeting about it.
How do you approach tracking news for the Chicago Bears?
I use Twitter to track news for the Bears. I make a list that includes every Bears beat writer, the team account and the players, so if someone tweets, I can see it easily in that list. I also get notifications whenever the Bears account tweets. In addition to Bears writers, on my own timeline I’ll follow national reporters who break news. On my own, I’ll try to develop sources to learn more about news.
Reporting for the Chicago Bears, you attend training camp, home and away games and practices. Which would you say is your favorite to report on and why?
I really enjoy covering training camp. The team hasn’t started its season, so there’s still hope — I always joke that everyone is in a good mood because they haven’t lost yet. Players are relaxed, so interviews are easier and I can be a little more creative. Fans’ interest is highest because training camp means the start of the season is coming. The thousands of fans who attend camp in Bourbonnais serve as a reminder of my audience, the people who crave Bears news. Games are exciting and pressure-packed, but it can be challenging to find a unique story with so many people covering a game.
What’s your favorite memory reporting for the Chicago Bears?
The moments leading up to the Bears’ season finale in 2013 were exhilarating. A win in that game and the Bears would clinch the division, and it was a home game against the Packers. The buildup to kickoff was intense, and being able to sit in the press box for a game like that — albeit a Bears loss, so it meant some frustrated players afterward — will always stick with me.
What are your thoughts about sports journalism being a male dominated field?
Sports journalism needs diversity. It needs fresh voices and perspectives. That has certainly been changing, but we have a long way to go. I never played football growing up; why should I be more qualified to cover the sport than a female? If you’re a good writer and reporter who understands the game you’re covering, that’s all that should matter.
Links to Kevin Fishbain Social Media and Podcast
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