The Backroom Staff - Journalist: Tariq Miri

Journalist: Tariq Miri

Freelance journalism and sports media in Syria

One of the goals of The Backroom Staff is to hear about what jobs in football are really like, all over the world, especially from people who aren’t asked about it very much. When I hear ‘football journalist’, the first people that come to mind are the ‘celebrity’ writers at The Athletic, ESPN and the big UK newspapers (if you work there - let’s chat 🙂 ). In reality, there are thousands of journalists forging their careers in all kinds of unique ways.

Tariq Miri is one of these journalists. Based in his native Syria - Tariq has built an impressive career amidst especially harsh conditions for journalists, day-to-day life and football.

Alongside his work as a producer and sports editor at popular Syrian Radio channel SHAM FM, Tariq is a freelance journalist with regular gigs writing and reporting for beIN Sports and Sputnik News, among others. In addition to his experience, Tariq also holds degrees in media with specilizations in TV and Radio news from Damascus University.

In this interview, Tariq shares his views on being versatile as a journalist, unique challenges of reporting in Syria, and the future of sports media.

The interview has been condensed and lightly edited for grammar and clarity. 

[ Can you share a little of your background and how you became a sports journalist? ]

My name is Tarek Miri, a journalist from Syria in the Middle East. I never liked playing football at all when I was young, until one of my friends convinced me to try it. I loved it so much that I started playing football at school with my friends daily, and I followed matches and sports news regularly.

When I reached high school and approached college, I had to think about what I should study, and to stay close to sports, I chose to study media. While studying, I made sure to practice the things and hobbies I loved, such as sports and reading books and sports newspapers, because the internet was not easily available in my country at that time.

I succeeded in high school with a high grade and began studying media with a specialization in radio and television at the University of Damascus. While studying, I followed sports news and articles and everything related to players. One day, I was asked to write sports articles for an online website. The matter happened through one of my friends who knew how much I loved and cared for sports. When she contacted her friend and told him about me, he reached out to me immediately. It was a beautiful day that I still remember to this day.

Here began my journey in the world of sports journalism through writing articles and conducting sports interviews with various personalities. At the same time, I was taking training courses in the field of media. In 2015, I graduated from the College of Media, and after several years, I obtained a master's degree in media.

One day, I was returning home at night and saw an advertisement from "beIN Sports" seeking journalists to write articles. I contacted them, and when I published my first article, I remember that I didn't sleep that day. When I received praise for my articles, I felt ecstatic. I started writing sports articles about Syrian sports and some global sports.

I then began working at Sham FM radio and TV as a producer for sports programs, and through these programs, we discussed local and global issues. I also worked on filmed sports reports, covered the Syrian football league and basketball, and conducted reports from the field, in addition to working in social media. I also met and conducted interviews with sports stars and sports media figures in Syria and the Arab world. I prepared reports for Sputnik News regarding Syrian sports in its various categories. Then, I was offered a position as the media office director at the Syrian Football Federation, where I worked with a fantastic team and we provided outstanding results, interviews, news, and managed social media pages. This coincided with the training courses I was taking to stay updated on everything new in the media world and to diversify and enhance my sports culture. Recently, I was selected by the International Sports Press Association as a representative of Syria to talk about Olympic participation and achievements as part of the program "100 Olympic Stories Told by 100 Young Reporters from 100 Countries in 100 Seconds" to commemorate the centenary of the International Sports Press Association. Despite this, I still aspire to offer more and enter new fields of work in sports, providing distinguished content that adds value to the audience, whether through traditional media or social media platforms, with my dream of covering international sporting events from global stadiums and platforms.

[ What does your ‘normal’ schedule look like? ]

This is an interesting matter, haha.. It starts with following the news and the latest developments in sports in general, and I check the messages that come to me. Each day is different from the other; I might have coverage for a sports activity, a match, a press conference, or an interview with someone, and this is usually coordinated in advance. I also prepare the sports program and the topics we will cover, the guests who will be with us, and prepare the necessary report after discussing it with the team, so everything is ready on the day the program airs on "Sham FM." I also prepare and follow up on the news that will be published on social media and the website, and if there is a sports story that needs to be followed, I make sure to get a statement or interview. If I have coverage for a topic or an interview for the agency, I make sure to do it on time... I have specific working hours or I can work remotely, so things are somewhat convenient. I try to organize work matters appropriately in terms of time to meet the deadline. As for outside of work, I might go to exercise at the gym or go to the pool... and if I have an educational course, I attend it in the evening.

[ How do you decide which topics to report about? (Are they assigned?) ]

With the development of my work at "Sham FM," I became responsible within the sports department, which allows me to choose the topics I work on. However, I still enjoy covering any topics, especially since each subject has something unique that adds to the journalist's experience.

The same goes for the other places I work; I send a proposal along with its details and then work on it.

What I enjoy working on the most is behind-the-scenes coverage of sports events, as well as the personal stories of athletes, and searching for unique aspects of their careers.

I believe that a journalist should look at an event or match from all angles and discover noteworthy elements that others may overlook, and try to shed light on them.

[ Can you share how the editing process works? (e.g. from idea to publication) ]

In the various places I have worked, we functioned as a single team, with tasks distributed among each person, and everyone carried out their responsibilities. Different matters were discussed to ensure the final product was attractive and beneficial to the audience. I enjoyed enough freedom to present my thoughts, as a plan was established for any work that included tasks, requirements, and deadlines. When the final product was delivered, if it needed adjustments, the matter was discussed. I try to think about the story or topic from a unique angle as well as from the audience's perspective and what they need to know from the story, so that I can create a product that leaves my mark.

[ What are some of the challenges working in journalism in Syria? ]

In Syria, a war has been ongoing for 13 years, causing many social and economic disasters. This has imposed numerous limitations and obstacles, including long power outages that can delay work, weak internet and other problems that affect a journalist's work. However, I believe that a dreamer can challenge difficulties and work on self-improvement to prove themselves and achieve their goals and dreams.

Over the years, I have learned more about how to deal with these issues and solve them without affecting my work and its quality, even though things can be more difficult. Another challenge is that athletes may not respond to your calls or agree to meet and then not show up. I believe that such challenges allow journalists to gain experience in these situations and learn how to handle them if they occur again in the future.

When dealing with athletes and having a network of relationships, it is important to prepare a second guest who is available immediately when you contact him. These are people who are mostly available most days, for example, and easily agree to communicate. As for problems related to the internet or electricity, you must equip your home with things that help you work, such as batteries, or go to a friend who may have internet and electricity available.

[ How important is networking as a journalist? ]

Communication is very important in a journalist's life, as it is essential to build a network of relationships, whether with players or coaches, to obtain an interview, news, or information. If the relationship with them becomes like a friendship, this is beneficial for discussing matters and deriving ideas to work on concepts for programs or reports. I believe that communication with the audience and the journalists is very important, as it allows for the presentation and discussion of any ongoing events and leads to ideas that the journalist may not have considered. This is what I strive to do in my work, especially since I consider the audience to be fundamental in obtaining sports issues and ideas.

[ You have covered many sports including basketball and handball, do you prefer this or would you rather specialize on football (or another sport)? ]

I believe that a sports journalist should be knowledgeable about various sports, even though the audience primarily follows football, basketball, and tennis. The diversity in covering sports allows the journalists to gain significant experience and learn different aspects of each sport, which positively reflects on their work and their ability to meet the audience's need for knowledge, provided they are proficient in every sport they cover. A sports journalist may have a particular interest in one sport over another, but they should be aware of different sports and capable of covering them. I have many distinguished colleagues who cover only a specific sport and have extensive experience in it, which is a wonderful thing as it allows a person to focus on a particular subject without scattering their thoughts.

[ You write a lot on LinkedIn & Twitter as well - how does the platform impact your writing? ]

Journalists these days must be able to keep up with technological advancements and social media, as they are the closest way to communicate directly with the audience. It is important to adhere to the specific standards of each platform regarding news and its features, or the news story or report in terms of length or timing and its accompanying elements. For example, one can write a summary of a story, and if the audience wants to know more about it, they can be directed to another platform that suits the matter. These platforms have facilitated communication with the audience and understanding their needs and what they want to know, thus allowing for the creation of distinctive stories that engage the audience.

[ What qualifications or education has helped you the most? ]

Academic study in the field of media and journalism enables journalists to understand the fundamentals of the work and provides them with a good idea of the skills needed to become a good journalist. However, practical experience and training courses from distinguished individuals make journalists more professional and capable of working in the field.

I believe that a journalist faces a mix that requires 40% academic study and 60% practical experience; only then will they be able to produce work of good quality.

Despite this, there are individuals in the journalism field who have not studied journalism and are successful in their work. This stems from a love for the profession, passion, continuous self-development, and a commitment to keeping up with everything new. These aspects are important for new journalists or those wishing to enter this field, and if academic study is added, we will have an outstanding journalist.

We must not forget that journalists are always required to develop themselves, their tools, and expand their knowledge to continually provide the best.

[ How will football journalism change in the future? ]

The past two decades have witnessed significant changes in the sports media landscape, as decades of reliance on newspapers and television reports have given way to blogs, podcasts, and social media. Digital media has had a major impact on sports journalism, providing new ways for fans to follow and engage with sports content.

Sports websites, podcasts, and mobile applications have made watching games and accessing news, results, and analyses easier than ever from anywhere in the world. Social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram have also changed the way sports journalists interact with fans, creating new opportunities for engagement and storytelling.

Therefore, I believe that the future of sports journalism, or focused on football, will increasingly rely on digital media, with more personalized and interactive content designed specifically to meet the needs and preferences of individual fans.

Data analysis has also had a significant impact on sports journalism, offering new insights and perspectives on athletic performance and strategy. Today, we see sports journalists increasingly using data analytics to inform their reporting and analysis, creating more objective and evidence-based stories.

In the future, we can expect to see more data-driven journalism in sports, with reporters and analysts utilizing advanced statistics and data visualization tools to provide deeper insights into the sport.

Also, artificial intelligence will have a greater impact on sports journalism, providing new ways to analyze sports and allowing journalists to focus on more in-depth and creative reporting. Therefore, the future of sports journalism is exciting and full of potential, and with the rise of digital media, data-driven journalism, and artificial intelligence, sports journalism is evolving to become more interactive.

Follow Tariq on Twitter and let him know you enjoyed the interview!

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