The ‘World Sports Journalists Day,’ also known as the ‘International Sports Journalists Day,’ is observed annually on July 2nd. The day honours all sports journalists around the world and also brings awareness regarding the sports journalism to the common public.
What is Sports Journalism?
Sports journalism is a type of writing that focuses on sports-centered topics. Sports journalism developed in the 1800s, specifically the 1820s and 1830s. At the onset, reporting focused primarily on elite sports such as horse racing and boxing, mainly targeted at the upper class since newspapers were beyond the reach of the masses. However, the development of the penny press opened the door to affordable newspaper production, ultimately making them more accessible to the lower strata of society. The 20th century witnessed a massive boom in the popularity of sports journalism. In 1880, only 0.4% of space was dedicated to sports in newspapers. This figure rose to 20% by the 1920s, as newspapers began hiring reporters exclusively for sports coverage. Today, sports journalism utilizes not only print media but also radio, television, and the Internet.
History of World Sports Journalists Day
‘World Sports Journalist Day’ was first observed in 1994, when the International Sports Press Association decided to commemorate it in honour of its 70th anniversary.
Well the origins of first-ever sports journalism can be traced back to 1800s but professionally it became organized during the 1920s and on that time only the International Sports Press Association was founded in 1924 at Paris, France as L’Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive(A.I.P.S). However the association is now headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The A.I.P.S. is an independent organization with 160 member associations, from which it receives funding through membership fees and the contributions of other international bodies and federations.
According to its website, the aim of the A.I.P.S. is “to enhance the cooperation between its member associations in defending sport and the professional interest of members, to strengthen the friendship, solidarity, and common interests between sports journalists of all nations, and to assure the best possible working conditions for members.”
And thus it was celebrated for the first time in 1994 and today it has become a worldwide event observed by almost every sports journalist around the world.
Significance of World Sports Journalists Day
People did not take sports seriously at first, and neither did journalists, so there was little to no coverage of sporting events around the world. So because of the first steps taken by journalists to spread the awareness regarding the sports has created a global impact in encouraging more and more people towards sports. So the acknowledgement of that is very important in today’s world.
