Kristen Ledlow
“It can seem a bit trivial,” Kristen Ledlow says of internships. “However, internships were hugely instrumental for me because of the people I met there.”
Kristen Ledlow, host and sideline reporter with NBA TV and TNT, emphasizes that entry level positions are not all about the work you’ll be doing. They are about having the opportunity to make connections and asking questions. She says one of her internships was almost entirely printing scripts and handing them to anchors, but the sports director from this job played a huge role in her career development.
Kristen talks about how to make those connections, as well as key skills for sports journalism and connecting with other women in the industry.
Resources
Kristen shouts out her own podcast, co-hosted by Candace Parker, as well as EJ’s podcast with Charles Barkley.
Time Stamps
3:57 - Favorite player to interview?
4:58 - Favorite team?
5:19 - What was your first job in journalism?
5:39 - How much do you miss Candace?
6:08 - Would you interview players on the bench, like the XFL?
6:44 - Can you talk more about working at 92.9
7:35 - Advice for women who want to be an NBA reporter
9:26 - How do you keep up with sports news?
10:40 - Do you see the 19/20 season carrying on or being cancelled?
12:51 - The best way to make connections and build relationships as a young reporter?
14:00 - Where did you get that mic?
14:23 - The best way to prepare for this career
16:28 - What was it like commentating a summer league game? Would you do it again?
18:14 - How do you balance family and relationships with the crazy schedule that reporters have?
19:03 - What are some of the ways you gather information on players or topics you don’t know much about?
20:58 - Can you get buckets?
21:00 - For you, what was different about reporting on football and basketball?
22:15 - Tips on maximizing internship experiences
24:21 - What was your first awestruck moment when you first started working in professional basketball?
25:10 - Is Kyle Anderson your husband?
25:33 - How did you build chemistry with Grant Hill and now Candace Parker?
27:05 - Has living in Atlanta made you somewhat a fan or more interested in Atlanta teams?
28:08 - How was the experience of the live Ledlow and Parker show in Chicago?
19:54 - What advice would you have for a high school senior looking to get ahead in the business?
30:52 - What are some things to keep in mind when creating a demo reel?
33:13 - How would you describe your style as a host and sideline reporter?
34:18 - The higher you get in the industry, how do you remain true to who you are?
35:45 - Was broadcasting something that happened along the way or a lifelong pursuit?
37:07 - The best way to hone your skills while on this break from sports
38:24 - What kind of an impact did Craig Sager have on you?
40:04 - Where did you get the [Inside the NBA] t-shirt?
40:19 - Have you thought of having another shootout with Shaq for ownership of Papa Johns?
42:25 - Do you have talks with other female sideline reporters to help each other out in this industry?
43:23 - Will Inside Stuff ever return?
43:31 - Best moment on the NBA sidelines?
44:59 - Which software do you use to record your podcast?
45:22 - Describe a day in the life of covering an NBA game for TNT
48:44 - Are the 2016 Cavs the best team in league history?
49:44 - How has traveling from game to game worked for you?
50:03 - Have you gone back to visit your Alma Mater?
50:41 - What’s a tv makeup routine like?
51:46 - What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given from someone in journalism?
