At it’s very essence, sports is driven by the basic principle of entertainment. And though they often don’t receive the same level of credit that their more buttoned-up news cohorts receive, sports reporters who understand how to report and produce their content deserve the same recognition. All it takes it one click on Chicago-based FOX Sports Reporter Lyndsay Petruny’s website to realize that she’s one of those reporters.
Petruny’s home page includes a brief profile next to an updated resume reel, which you can immediately see isn’t like a regular news reel. From the feel-good background music to a well-edited montage of on-air product, Petruny immediately shows she’s the perfect mix of professionalism and goofy to be an energetic and informative sports broadcaster. Soon enough, the music fades and the montage becomes highlights of her work– showcasing a reporter who is equally as comfortable previewing a Patriots football game as she is sliding down an Indianapolis zip line attraction.
Her style is perfect for sports journalism. Sports is an escape from reality, whether it’s a Friday night basketball game or a Sunday in the fall huddled around the television watching football. Fierce competition, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat can take us away, if briefly, from the tragedies erupting around our world. Sports are fun. It’s fun to root for your team and against another. It’s nothing more than entertainment, and from her reel, it’s clear to see Petruny is all about entertaining.
But that’s not to say she’s so silly she loses points for professionalism. Her reel isn’t strictly salsa dancing and throwing footballs through hoops. She has a serious side, and it shows in her stand-ups, interviews and anchoring responsibilities. It’s not all fluff for her, she has a real sense of how she should cover her teams, and her website reflects that.
Her past work page has numerous embedded videos of reports, interviews, and interactive reports. And to me, it’s that interaction that makes her work so appealing. She’s not going to stand there and tell you about what makes the Indianapolis zip-line so cool, she’s going to zip-line herself and bring you along for the ride. Want to know what goes into preparing a stadium for gameday? Lyndsay Petruny’s got you covered.
There’s nothing particularly stellar about her about page. It’s simplistic, detailed, and organized in chronological order. Though most of what you want to know about reporters can be found in their work, it’s nice to ascertain a reporters skills, background, and previous work experience, and she has those listed in an easy to read format.
Though it seems an obvious addition to any reporters website, I love the fact that she has her Twitter account embedded at the bottom of her home page. What better way to show some of her up-to-date viewer interaction than through her Twitter?
At it’s core, her website it what every sports match should be: fun. Someday, I hope mine can be as well.