Speaking to Your Audience

OUTdrive Episode 89 with Ben Frederickson

Sports columnist Ben Frederickson returns to OUTdrive to chat about all things sports and writing. Ben shares his hot takes on Mizzou Basketball, the possible outcomes of the MLB lockout, and the Blue’s chances at another playoff run. We also dive a little deeper into storytelling, such as creating content for several multimedia platforms, using personas to reach consumers, and developing an ongoing dialog with your audience.

Ben, better known as the columnist behind “BenFred,” is a sportswriter for the St. Louis Post Dispatch. He graduated from Mizzou’s school of journalism and had reporting stints at news outlets across the country, including Wyoming and Tennessee before landing back in the Show Me State in 2015. Originally from Sedalia, Missouri, Ben got his start in journalism writing an “inside the huddle” column for the Sedalia Democrat on Sunday after Smith Cotton football games.

Tune in to this episode of OUTdrive for an update on your favorite teams and perspective from a writing professional when it comes to messaging that resonates with your audience.

SHOW NOTES

• 2:45 – A quick overview of Ben’s background
• 4:15 – Details behind the multimedia outlets Ben creates content for, including newspaper articles, online columns, radio shows, podcasts, videos, and how they are organized.
• 6:00 – Ben describes the ongoing dialog he has with his readers and how good discussion can change opinions
• 11:40 – Ben and Cliff talk Mizzou basketball and Ben offers some hot takes on coaching staff and players
• 16:30 – Ben shares an update on the MLB lockout and a look at spring training
• 23:30 – Ben talks about the challenges of keeping tabs on several sports
• 27:45 – Ben shares what his writing schedule looks like between what ends up online and what goes in the paper
• 33:40 – Ben and Cliff discuss writing for certain audiences and using personas in storytelling