Cricket is among the most popular beats of journalism and sports reporting. Here’s how reporting of the sport has evolved.
The growth of sports media is a function of industrialization, modernization, and telecommunication. Modern sports journalism began in the 1920s. As radio and newspaper coverage expanded, sports departments became vogue, and the public consumed cricket content ever-increasingly. Consequently, sports coverage became an integral element of media organizations, and “the beat reporter” role became a staple in sports media. The situation grew evermore with the advent of play-by-play coverage, radio growth, and television.
The sport of cricket benefitted, as did all other sports. Known as a “Gentlemanly Game,” there was and remains global interest in the game. Take India, for example. Played by many since childhood, cricket is often considered synonymous with ‘sports.’ So it is no surprise that those who play the game follow the sport when it is played by others, including the national team. To enable followership, cricket journalism includes reporting and commentary, feature articles, interviews, opinion pieces, and statistics (individual and team).
The presence of cricket in newspapers and radio commentary can be traced from the late 19th to early 20th century. The onset of ball-by-ball commentary revolutionized cricket reporting because it enabled fans to follow the intricate movement of the ball and a batsman’s skill set. All of that was enhanced when television broadcasts began in England in 1938, even though technical and other issues plagued early broadcasts, including concerns that broadcasts would hurt live attendance.
Despite those challenges, cricket broadcasting gradually gained popularity, especially following the resumption of televised matches following World War II. Technological advancements and the advent of color TVs enhanced the viewing experience, as did further technological advancements (e.g., the introduction of spider cams, drones, ultra-HD replays, on-screen graphics, and animations)
In a sports-loving and enthusiastic nation like India, every newspaper gives at least half a page to cricket events, and cricket-related programs often hog television airtime. In the 1980s, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) paid Doordarshan (DD) for cricket matches and sold the broadcasting rights to Sony ESPN. Radio had broadcast live cricket games earlier, but only through All India Radio (AIR).
Since the beginning of the 21st century and the rise of online and social media options, a decline in print cricket journalism has led to the widespread adoption of internet and digital cricket journalism. Digital cricket journalism began in the mid-1990s, with ESPN creating the first website in 1995. In 1996, Rediff began ‘ball-by-ball text commentary.’
Initially, digital cricket journalism covered broad topics, but convergence took over the space as the internet became more global. The Cricket Monthly, launched in 2014, was the world’s first digital-only cricket magazine. Since then, numerous online sports and cricket-specific news websites, social media outlets, sports/cricket-centric apps, decentralized Over-the-Top streams, and YouTube channels have emerged to meet the growing public demand for cricket. They post live match feeds with scores and audio-video commentary and offer instantaneous access to news, updates, and analyses. There are also in-depth articles, features, blogs, opinions, and highlights clips.
The advent of the interactive web has revolutionized and democratized the flow of information across media industries. Previously limited to newspapers alongside electronic mediums, Next-Gen audiences now have instant access to real-time news updates on single-converged devices like tablets, computers, smartphones, and social networking apps/sites via the internet. However, implementing new technologies doesn’t signal the disappearance of conventional ones; instead, they coexist in today’s media scenario, leading to a new era of media convergence.
While traditional mediums, such as print newspapers & RTV broadcasting, once dominated cricket coverage, today, digitally converged platforms are prominent. Cricket journalists now have the opportunity to provide real-time updates, match analysis, interviews, previews, and post-match reviews through conventional and new media forms. This immediacy enables them to engage with audiences globally and keep fans informed as events unfold.
Cricket journalism has evolved considerably into a vital and full-fledged component of sports reporting. The way cricket stories are told and consumed has expanded, and that transformation is good for fans and the sport.
