I am excited to be joined by seasoned multi-platform presenter, sports and news journalist, and media officer Mona Yeganegi today. Mona has reported on many major sporting events from around the world, including several Olympics games, FIFA Men's and Women's World Cups, and more. An expert in journalism, Mona discusses her strategy for balancing multiple deadlines, using emotion as a tool to engage readers, and building personal character through rejection among various topics.
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Brandon Wong: What initially inspired you to work in the field of journalism?
Mona Yeganegi: I am both a sports journalist and a news journalist. I've been working in the world of sports for more than a decade now. I, myself, was really involved in sports growing up. I was a swimmer that used to compete a bit and I loved football, also known as soccer in North America. These sports were a big part of my life heading into university and I wanted to continue with it because it was a passion of mine. Interestingly, I was also drawn into medicine because my entire family was in medicine, so I started in kinesiology. In grad school, I studied child psychology and became a child psychology specialist. I used sports as a tool in many of my treatments with children because sports isn't confined to traditional media portrayals. I believe sports can be transferred to many aspects of life to create a healthy environment.
While I was doing my school work, I was still heavily involved in sports. I wanted to get involved internationally, so I started working at events. I started out in basic roles as a university student, and then I started getting full-time positions. I went to the Olympic Games in Vancouver, and then I've been at every Olympics ever since. Tokyo will be the seventh Olympics event that I have been involved in. I've also worked more than twenty events in between. I was in an environment where I got to experience different parts of the world of sports - media, broadcast, journalism, operations, etc. I was drawn into the media and broadcast, the communication world, of sports. I worked both in front and behind the camera. There are many challenges in these roles, but it is an incredibly special opportunity because you get to meet so many people - the spectators, journalists, athletes, volunteers, stakeholders, and sponsors. It was an important thing for me to be able to work in a big and diverse team.
I wanted to be more credible in the field, so I went and did my post-graduate journalism degree in Canada. I started working in news, did some sports journalism as well, and became a team reporter at the FIFA World Cup because they were familiar with my work at other places and events. I am currently fulfilling my Master's in Journalism at Harvard University, so I'm doing this a lot more seriously than when I first started. That's my story in a nutshell.
BW: You are definitely a well educated and well traveled woman, having worked at multiple international events. You mentioned the Olympics and FIFA Men's and Women's World Cups. I know you were also involved with other high-profiled events like the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) Hockey Championships, Pan American Games, etc. Which would you say was your favourite experience and why?
MY: That's a really hard question to answer, and you're not the first person to have asked me this. I truly believe that every single event that I have worked at had taught me a lot, both personally and professionally. I met different people at every event. I learned a lot about the system in the world of sports. I befriended a number of individuals that I am still in contact with. I get to travel a lot because of these international events, which is nice, because I love learning about new cultures as well as seeing the different ways that people celebrate and stand behind their teams.
I would say one of the big events that I have worked at was my first Olympics at Vancouver 2010. That event would always have a special part in the history of my career and in my heart because it was one of the first. I had such a great experience watching the world come together here in Canada. For me, Vancouver 2010 was a little bit out of my comfort zone as I was quite young and one of the only out-of-province girls in my group, but I learned a lot by being active at the event. I also got to meet all the teams and officials from around the world by being at the welcoming ceremony. Vancouver was, and will always be, an important milestone for me.
My first Champions League game with UEFA was also incredibly special. My first World Cup with FIFA, too. I had tears in my eyes when I stepped on the pitch because it was an unbelievable experience. Another organization that you mentioned was the IIHF, and I was the media manager for their world championships, and that was also special. Every single event is unique, but these ones definitely stand out to me immediately. If I had to dissect every event that I worked at, each would have its own wonderful moments.
BW: It's definitely hard to choose. Each event is different, with the people that you meet and the stories that you get to tell. I'm sure that there are lots to take in and cherish as memories. Looking at the events themselves, these are generally pretty short events. The Olympics, World Cup, etc. typically last no more than a few weeks. From a journalist point of view, what are your deadlines like? What is the timeline for getting these stories from your sources and to the audience?
MY: For many of these events, I worked on the media and broadcast operation side of things. When I worked as a journalist, as I did at the World Cup, the timeline is essentially 24/7. Your work starts before the event and before you even get on the plane. You gather your stories and sources, plan and visualize the story ideas leading up to a game, create backup scenarios for when things don't go according to plan, etc.
I have many international friends from travelling and living abroad, and many of them ask, "When is your day off?" when I'm flying in for an event. I like to tell many people who are entering this industry that there are hardly any days off at these events. A lot of people see my social media and think that I'm living the life by travelling and seeing the country. They don't see the full picture and understand that these photos are taken on the street as I'm heading to or from work. We don't get much sleep at these events as deadlines are around the clock. A coach might decide on something before a game and we have to immediately put it into a story. Nowadays, you have to put it on social media too, so it goes up on Twitter or Instagram or Facebook. As the person on the ground with access to the athletes or the coaches, the headquarters relied on journalists like me to have the story ready to go.
There's a lot of pressure that surrounds the job. A journalist might spend three days to create one story, but at the end of the day, it's just one story for the viewers. We might think we did a lot, but we have to balance multiple stories to keep up with the demands. I do stories with the spectators, the coaches, the families, etc. We need the photographs or videos ready to go out with the story. For me, visuals are a powerful tool. Another thing is to make sure that the right hashtags go out with our Tweets. Before this world, I cared less about the hashtag and more about the content, and I hoped that it would trend for all the right reasons. In this business, however, depending on your role, you're not just a journalist but also responsible for some forms of marketing. The best form of marketing, though, is being confident in your work and making sure that it's the truth with no exaggerations, and that you are simply amplifying the excitement or the news that you are sharing with the public.
BW: You mentioned planning your stories as being part of the work of a journalist. At these international events, sometimes a story can be easily visualized when an athlete wins gold or reaches a historic milestone. Other times, it might not be easy to conceptualize an interesting topic. How do you decide which angle to approach an article?
MY: You plan when you go into these events, but that doesn't always work, because sometimes you expect a team to win and they end up losing 8-0. I was working at an event at UEFA and the coach was fired at the end of the match, so the media crew had to deal with that. Other times it's not easy to grab the information needed for your story, because maybe the coach might not want to speak to you, so who do you talk to for the article? As a journalist, you need to know more than the public.
I like to make sure that I paint a clear picture for both sides - how they came into the match, how they performed during the match, and their mood after leaving the match. I bring in a little bit of light from the spectators and their expectations for or against the teams. I also try to find some positivity in each game. For example, if it is a player's international debut, I make sure to mention that in the article. I look for things that makes the story more unique by adding emotion. I like to give emotion to my written work. I don't want the information to be dry. Statistics, though critical at times, can be dry. When you are writing something, people have to see and feel themselves being there. It's not easy. It's an art. Writing is an art and everyone has a different gift or a niche to how they write or express themselves.
I don't try to go after controversial issues when I'm writing a story. If it's something very controversial that had to do with the match, then I'll write about it through the lens of the match. If it's something that had nothing to do with the match, then I won't include it in the story following the match. I'll probably write in a follow up story, because I need to have those attributions and sources that will give me a better understanding of what unfolded and back up my story. For instance, if I was writing when a coach left a team, I would mention that it was the coach's last game but I won't go into detail of why it was their last game, unless it was very clear as to why it happened. I'm really careful about just providing information and not speculating. Some people want their written work to be noticed quickly and have too much information in there, but they would lose the essence of the story. It might catch a lot of attention, but I feel it just devalues the event that they are covering.
BW: Let's talk about putting too much information in an article. Is there an optimal length to your articles? With the increased usage of social media, is there more appetite for shorter or longer form articles?
MY: Think about it from your own perspective. As a journalist, you have to look back and reflect on what kind of articles you prefer to read. Do you like reading a ten page article or a one page article that has all the important information? At Harvard, I have great professors. One professor in particular is very high on attribution and sourcing, and encourages putting hyperlinks within the content, providing an option for those that are seeking more insight into the information provided. Sometimes articles can be lengthy. It depends on who you're writing for and what platform you're using. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and even LinkedIn are platforms that you want to keep your articles short. News articles should be kept to a maximum of one thousand words, but some news agencies have preferences, whether they allow you to go longer or want you to keep it shorter. I don't like my articles being too short, as I do like to go in-depth with my writing, but depending on the story, sometimes shorter is sweeter.
BW: Once you have that perfect story, given the finite amount of coverage and the audience's limited attention span, what are some of the tools that journalists can use to increase the visibility of their articles?
MY: Some journalists are incredibly good at marketing their articles to bring more audience into their work. For me, I think the work should speak for itself. I am into photojournalism so I use pictures a lot in my articles. I think images have a lot of power. Sources also have to be solid. I put a little bit of spice into my work by using concrete emotion, and I say concrete emotion because I am using concrete information and facts. I am not writing poetry for it to be emotional. It's more of a human emotion. People can imagine themselves being in that kind of situation.
One thing about being a journalist that I am a strong believer in is that I write the truth. I write what matters from a neutral standpoint and I give a voice to all parties. I respect organizations who give the full picture and allow journalist to report on all news and not specific items that push an agenda. I think it's really important that journalists are given the respect that they need. We go through a lot of schooling and field experience to get to where we are, but we don't know everything. That's the beauty of it. That's what makes journalists better at their job. If everyone thought they knew everything, then they will just write what they felt. It is the hunt for information that makes journalism exciting. It's also important for journalists to be respectful to those that are reading their articles or those that they are writing about, and not make any assumptions or want everyone to share the same opinion. Instead, let the sources and the story challenge people and their ideas and move forward that way.
BW: As mentioned, you've been to quite a number of international events. Looking ahead, are there any events that you haven't attended that you would like to report on as part of your journalist bucket list?
MY: Yes! When I started, I was excited to be at the Olympics. I fell in love even more with sports and media and journalism. Now that I've been through this journey and met so many people at so many different events, I realize how much more I want to experience and do. I want my voice to be heard across the world. Not just locally, not just nationally, but internationally. I want to make a difference, as that is the reason why I became a journalist. I had this passion since I was young to be a journalist and it was always with me. There are so many events to choose from. At the Olympics, you get to experience all the sports. At IIHF, I was concentrated on the world of hockey and it was amazing insight into how internationally renowned teams work. I got to work with all the teams and all the athletes and it was just incredible. Working at the French Tennis Federation, at Roland-Garros, was also eye-opening.
There are so many sports that I love. I love motor racing, so Formula 1 would be one of my interests. I love aquatics, so FINA is an organization that I have great respect for. I don't really limit myself. Sports for me is a true passion. I am more specialized in football and the Olympics events, but there are many other sports I would love to experience and see what they have to offer. I also hope I can make a positive difference directly or through humanitarian organizations. I hope to become a more renowned presenter and anchor at the international stage, where I can be the bridge from the story to the audience that are watching and waiting for the true information that is out there.
BW: I wish you the best of luck and I look forward to seeing your articles and media appearances everywhere. In terms of our aspiring journalists, what is one piece of advice you would give to someone starting out in this field?
MY: One piece of advice that I believe is incredibly important is to believe in your abilities. Do not quit unless you are sure that there is something else you would like to do. But if you are quitting because you think there is no way to move forward, you shouldn't quit. Do not let other people's negative opinions break you. Do not let other people's positive opinions change who you are and make you forget why you became a journalist in the first place. You get to deal with fame and shiny red carpet events, so it's really important that you stay grounded and true to yourself. Throughout my career, no matter who I worked with, that was one thing that people recognized and appreciated. My character hasn't changed - it has evolved, of course, but it hasn't changed - and that's incredibly important to me. That's how my family raised me, that's the family environment I grew up in, and I respect these values. Don't limit yourself. Go out there. Go international. There is so much you can do and learn. You might not know the road, but write to other people and find more information about your path. Don't be afraid. The worst thing that could happen is people ignore you and don't respond to you, but what if they do? What if they shed a light on the road that you're about to step on? Of course, you have to be ready for rejections. You are going to have so many rejections but these will build you and make you stronger. In life, we are rejected on so many levels but in this career, specifically, you will be rejected so many times. Your applications might not even get looked at. People might not know what you have to offer. Don't sell yourself short. Let your qualities speak for you. Don't try to change yourself to fit a certain box. Failure is a good thing, because it gets you closer to what you really want. The road will not be easy but it will be worth it so do not be discouraged or compare yourself to others. Stay focused, stay humble, stay determined, and don't forget to relish as you go through this journey. I certainly hope that my path will continue to inspire others to follow their hopes and dreams.
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You can connect with Mona on Twitter (@MonaYeganegi) or Instagram (@monayeganegi_news) to stay up to date with her latest articles and stories!