Luck, Trust and Hard Work: BBC Sport’s Nick Mashiter on Journalistic Success

The secrets behind Nick’s 19-year-long career in a competitive sports journalism industry seem simple enough, however, such career longevity in a “difficult landscape” is no mean feat. Speaking exclusively to the Sports Gazette, BBC Sport’s Senior Football Correspondent for the Midlands, revealed what it truly takes to be a successful sports Journalist, “being trustworthy, diligent, bog standard hardworking, and just a little lucky in an industry where desirable jobs are getting lesser.”

With “luck” being one of the first factors he attributed his success to, he revealed that he landed one of his jobs as a reporter just before the ‘Great Recession’ in the late 2000s, which adversely impacted the newspaper industry. He even attributed the opportunity to work for the BBC to luck and networking as Nick believes he “spoke to the right people at the right time.”

Football Journalist AND a Football Agent 

With “bog standard hard work” being one of his other keys to success, it might seem rather obvious, however, it gets ‘easier’ to work hard only when people are truly passionate about and committed to their craft. In Nick’s case, such was his commitment to his craft, that he went on and became an FA and FIFA certified agent last year just because he thought that it would make for a “great, insightful piece and help make contacts.” Jokingly, he recalled, “I did not expect to pass, and I was surprised I did as the pass percentage was only about 40%.”

Even though he originally did it just for the article titled “How to become a Football Agent?”, he later understood that it was an opportunity to upskill and “too good of a qualification to simply forget about.” He acknowledged BBC Sport’s supportive work culture and went on to express his gratitude for their understanding, noting that they provided him with the time required to prepare for the ‘Football Agent’ exams.

Trust and Credibility

However, the word “trust,” is a luxury in the media industry these days. Nick believes “the trust in the mainstream media has decreased.” In his opinion, “It is exactly why what we, and by we, I mean the BBC, do, is so important.” He believes it is the responsibility of established and prestigious media outlets to regain the trust of the public. Upon being asked what could’ve caused this, he believes that in the age of social media, speculation and false information spread quickly, and the sports media industry isn’t immune to it either.

He used the January transfer window as an example to suggest that “to write the truth and just to be accurate consistently had become a challenge, as there was a lot of noise without substance and people found themselves writing about things that just weren’t going to happen.” In other words, the sports journalism industry currently faces a huge challenge of sticking to the core principles of truth and accuracy and the need to check and cross-check with credible, reliable sources is greater than ever.

Sports Journalism at Odds with Online Fan Content

According to a few independent online content creators, the “mainstream media” struggles to uphold the core principles of fairness and objectivity too. The burning questions in their minds being; “Are journalists too concerned with maintaining relationships that it affects their ability to report objectively? Are journalists scared to ask these football clubs difficult questions? Are the many well-poised and sharp questions asked by the fans simply going unheard? Lastly, is this why people don’t trust the mainstream media these days?”

Nick believes that being a journalist is all about “treading that fine line between maintaining professional relationships and asking the difficult questions.” He thinks that “maintaining relationships makes it easier for journalists to ask these difficult questions further down the line.” In other words, when you ask these questions, they play an important role too, and although he understands the frustration of the fans, it takes time to get multiple perspectives and build a story to ensure fairness and balance.

Other Contributing Factors

Ultimately, Nick’s commitment to these core principles of fairness, objectivity, accuracy, and upholding journalistic standards makes it easy to understand why he retains the trust of his readers and employers in an industry that has little to spare. Despite the challenges of a rapidly evolving media landscape, his journey exemplifies the lasting values of trust, integrity, and relentless hard work in sports journalism.

His willingness to adapt, upskill, and prioritize journalistic standards underlines why he remains a respected voice in the industry. While luck may have opened a few doors, it’s his dedication to his craft that has helped him navigate a challenging industry for nearly two decades. In an era where public trust in the media is fragile, journalists like Nick Mashiter prove that the foundations of honest and credible reporting are not just relevant but essential for the future of sports journalism.