Covering the Olympics for a National Newspaper | Rick Broadbent | #10

Rick Broadbent is a sports writer at The Times and an award-winning author. He has covered multiple Olympic Games, major football tournaments, Rugby World Cups and all golf majors. Rick is the only Times journalist to have interviewed the mute wrestler Kendo Nagasaki and has written 13 books that cover a range of subjects, including a fatal boxing bout and an Olympic hero’s Cold War fall. He has been nominated for the SJA Feature Writer of the Year and has been shortlisted three times for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year.
In episode ten of JournoCast, Rick shares his experiences covering the Paris 2024 Olympics, including the challenges of reporting from such a major event. He also discusses his encounters with sporting legends like Mike Tyson and Usain Bolt, and reflects on some of his favourite interviewees, such as Valentino Rossi. Rick delves into the dynamics of sports journalism, from interviewing rising stars like Julien Alfred to exploring the future of journalism and the impact of technology. Additionally, he reflects on his career so far, the evolution of media, and his thoughts on upcoming events like the ongoing Premier League season & 2028 LA Olympics.
#Journalism #Olympics #Paris2024
➡️JournoCast brings you stories from those who live and breathe the media landscape on a daily basis, shining a light on their hard work and providing insight into their roles and motivations⬅️
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Timestamps:
01:06 - Paris 2024 Olympic Games
02:45 - Working at the Olympics
04:58 - Staying across stories in Paris
05:44- Simone Biles & specialist sports
06:15 - Preparing for the Olympic Games
08:14- Did Rick get much sleep at the Olympics?
09:50 - Interviewing Julien Alfred
10:33 - The vital role of the Olympics in sport
13:11 - How can we get different sports on TV?
14:56 - Josh Kerr & Jakob Ingebrigtsen rivalry
15:26- More on Julien Alfred Alfred
17:06 - The mixed zone
19:20 - Getting quotes
21:18 - Interviewing
23:26 - Rick’s interview with Mike Tyson!
25:50 - AI & transcribing
27:52 - Mike Tyson’s personality
29:29- 2008 Beijing Olympics
30:46 - One on one with Usain Bolt
32:33 - Valentino Rossi
35:29 - Rick’s favourite Paris moment
36:49 - Team GB Rowing Gold
40:28 - Start of RIck’s career
42:32 - Freelancing at The Times
44:26 - Transition into motorsport
45:33 - Breaking into the industry
47:48 - Do we need paid journalism?
50:06 - Gauging interest in stories
51:09 - Print vs digital journalism
52:36 - The changing journalism environment
53:41 - Journalism’s ‘bright future’
55:00 - 2028 LA Olympics
57:47 - Football & the Premier League

[@LewisGreerThompson]

🗣️ "When I interviewed Mike Tyson, I expected him to be difficult, so I had a plan B ready in case he was monosyllabic. He turned out to be the opposite-super friendly. I thought there would be about 30 PR people, but there was nobody in this room apart from me and him. He had a chair in the middle, I was sitting about three feet away and he pulled my chair right next to him. We’re about two inches away and he just started slapping my leg and calling me mother f’er all the way through the interview…I think in an affectionate way!”
🌟Absolutely loved chatting with Rick Broadbent for episode 10 of #JournoCast. So many fascinating stories that I have the pleasure of sharing!