Web and Social Media
Reflection:
Technological fluency in a growing world is a valuable asset.
Being able to navigate social media platforms like Twitter has become one of my strong skills when it comes to reporting and covering various events. It’s a quick and easy way to send and receive information, as some consumers want their news short and to the point.
Screengrab of Twitter account showing follower count. Click on the image to view Tommy’s Twitter profile.
Social media is easily where I’ve showcased most of my work as a journalist. In a growing digital market, reporting on platforms such as Twitter gets information out to consumers faster. It’s easier on the eyes to consume since there’s a limit on how much anyone can write.
I stepped foot on an NFL field to cover a game for the first time at the age of 15. Since then, I’ve gone back to NFL Stadiums two more times, including a four-game slate at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas. I’ve covered the NFL Draft from an account with over 14,000 followers and provided live game updates from an account with over 36,000 followers on a weekly basis as part of my internships.
My overall engagements can be found on the Marketing and Audience Engagement page.
Here’s a look at how I covered a variety of different events:
Live Coverage of District School Board Meetings
With uncertainty surrounding what the 2020-21 school year would look like in the district, I took it upon myself to cover each board meeting scheduled to reveal the plan for both in-person and at-home learning. Of course, my first two meetings were the longest in district history, but I was able to tough it out in order to get parents and students the information they needed.
Click on the tweets below to see the thread of coverage.
Live Sideline Coverage
My main job as a sideline reporter is to give live score updates during games. Using a device that allows me to upload videos from a SD card to my phone in seconds, I post a video of each scoring play along with a short description including the score and time remaining.
Click on the tweets below to view examples.
Tommy’s Takeaways from Live Coverage:
Effectively and efficiently reporting on the event taking place.
Portraying the atmosphere of the event to the audience.
Providing quick, real time updates as they happen.
YouTube Channels During Quarantine
When summer hit, I wasn’t able to go out and watch many 7-on-7 football games or watch athletes work out with trainers from around the area because of COVID-19 restrictions. I decided to start my own sort of talk show called “Tommy’s Talk” featuring local rising-star athletes.
For all episodes, visit my YouTube channel here.
As the school year ended but quarantine kept everyone couped up inside, my friends Ashton Lux, Millan Jain, and I collectively came up with the idea to start a sports show on YouTube, called “After the Buzzer.” The show gave us the opportunity to give opinions on the happenings around the sports world while bringing on special guests as well.
To watch all of the After the Buzzer episodes, click here.
Tommy’s Takeaways from YouTube Channels During Quarantine:
Learning to build a brand using social media.
Producing and editing videos remotely and on a schedule.
Being able to create short and long duration shows.