In the ever-evolving landscape of sports journalism, few voices have risen to prominence as swiftly and distinctly as Kate Mason’s. With an impressive career that spans some of the world’s most prestigious media outlets, including Sky Sports News and beIN Sports, the TNT Sports and Eurosport presenter has become a respected figure in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

In an exclusive interview with The Executive Magazine, Kate opens up about the pivotal moments that shaped her path, the challenges she faced as a female journalist, and her vision for the future of sports media. From her inspiring start during the London 2012 Olympics to her thoughts on the impact of AI and the importance of diversity in the newsroom, Mason’s insights offer a compelling look into the dynamic world of sports journalism. As she prepares for her next exciting chapter, including coverage of the upcoming Winter Olympics and The Women’s Ashes, Mason’s reflections are not just a testament to her own journey but also a roadmap for aspiring journalists navigating this competitive field.

Your journey in sports journalism is both inspiring and impressive. What key moments in your career do you believe were pivotal in shaping your path to becoming a prominent sports presenter and journalist? 

“I think I would talk about two or three pivotal moments in my career. The first has to be London 2012, where I realised it was possible for female broadcasters to lead coverage for massive sporting events. The joy and energy conveyed by people like Clare Balding, who wasn’t an athlete but had a similar educational background to me, really resonated. Seeing her and other women at the forefront of that coverage made me feel like I had to pursue this path. 

“To go back a bit, my initial plan was to get into sports journalism after university. I graduated in 2010, and my goal was simply to get to London, where there were more opportunities in this space. Like Dick Whittington, I thought, “I just need to get to London.” I ended up taking a job at a tech company, which wasn’t related to sports at all, but it allowed me to support myself and be in a city with access to big media organisations. I knew if I could just find a way in, I could make it happen. 

“Seeing the coverage of London 2012, I realised how much I wanted to be a part of it. It was tough working a full-time job while juggling other commitments, but it really set me on my path. It also made me realise how difficult it is to earn money in the early stages of a media career, which limits who can succeed in this space. I’d like to help build a way to change that because I think it’s limiting talent. In my case, I found a way around it by working a full-time job while taking on internships and meeting people in the industry, but it was exhausting. 

“Eventually, I landed a job in Qatar with BeIN Sports, where I learned a lot and got plenty of on-air experience. This was crucial for developing my skills as a broadcaster. I also learned a lot about the planning of the World Cup and the differences between local culture and the culture in the UK, which was very instructive. After two years there, I made a documentary about Qatar in the run-up to the World Cup, which won an award. That’s really special to me because it’s something no one can take away—proof that I’ve accomplished something meaningful in my career.”

Sports journalism, like many sectors, is continually evolving. How do you see the role of a sports journalist changing in the next decade, and what innovations do you believe will drive this transformation? 

“The role of a sports journalist has changed dramatically over the past decade. Nowadays, everyone is either a written journalist or has to be a multimedia journalist. I’ve always focused on the broadcasting side, which is a slightly different form of sports media. Broadcasting is often about entertainment and how you communicate with your audience about what they’re watching. 

“I’ve come to see that the way sport is being streamed now allows it to reach so many people in very specific niches. For example, if you’re a cycling fan, you can subscribe to Eurosport, where I work, and watch all the races. You can focus solely on what you’re passionate about. One of my first jobs was commentating on Squash TV, which also caters to a specific audience—if squash is what you want to watch, you can subscribe just to that. 

“Looking at the future, I think this increasing specificity of sports fans is going to be fascinating, particularly in how people choose to access content. How streaming develops and how major companies adapt to these changes will be interesting to watch. And of course, there’s AI. Some people say they can create an avatar of me right now and send that instead of me going to work. That’s a bit scary. 

“There are a lot of conversations about AI at the moment. For instance, if you read a novel that you found really moving and then discovered it was written by a computer, would it have the same impact? Similarly, if an interview were conducted by a robotic version of me, I don’t think it would have the same effect. The human interaction between athletes and viewers is something that will last long after everything else has been mechanised away. It will be interesting to see how AI develops, especially since we often use things like 3D avatars in the studio nowadays.” 

You’ve worked with some of the most prestigious media organizations in the world, including Sky Sports News and beIN Sports. What strategies have you employed to navigate and thrive in such competitive environments? 

“Prestigious media organisations are definitely competitive environments. I’m naturally a very competitive person—maybe it’s because I’m an only child and always wanted to win. I’ve always been passionate about sports. When I was little, I wanted to play football and cricket, and later I got into triathlons. Ultimately, I found my passion in squash and played quite seriously until I was about 20. So, those competitive aspects of my nature are definitely there. 

“However, I don’t think being competitive in the workplace is necessarily the best strategy. In fact, I believe that trying to compete with everyone around you isn’t the most effective way to succeed. Personally, I’ve found that getting to know everyone and being friendly with colleagues is the best way to navigate these environments. In TV, there’s often a very hierarchical structure, which can be helpful because everyone knows their role. But it also means that every single job, no matter how small, is crucial to keeping everything running smoothly. If even one person isn’t performing their role to the best of their ability, the whole operation can fall apart. 

“I’m sure this is true in other organisations as well, but I’ve seen it firsthand in the media industry. I think the best strategy is to be curious about all the different roles, many of which I’ve done myself, from being a runner all the way up. It’s important to be respectful of the different talents that people bring, even if they’re very different from the skills of those on screen. Often, the behind-the-scenes work—whether it’s storytelling, formatting, or asking questions—is vastly significant and, in many ways, more important than what’s done by what we call “the talent,” even though that term isn’t my favourite.” 

The sports media industry is traditionally male-dominated. Can you share some of the unique challenges you’ve faced as a female journalist in this field, and how you have successfully overcome them? 

“You are very very right. As my career progressed, I noticed the environments I worked in became more equal, with more women in the room. This was especially true at the Olympics, where there was often a pretty even split between men and women and a really diverse range of people. I personally think this is the best scenario because when you have a 50/50 balance of men and women, and a range of backgrounds that reflects what you’d find naturally in, say, the UK, it creates a more inclusive environment. It means that people who might typically be in the minority, like women in sports, are better represented. They aren’t just seen as a token or the sole representative of their demographic. 

“When things are this balanced, life is good. The real challenge arises when you’re the only woman in the room, which still happens but not as much as it did at the start of my career. One of the main reasons I got into sports broadcasting was to help make women feel more welcome in sports and to promote the idea that this space is for women too—as spectators, participants, and contributors to sports culture. 

“Later in life, in particular, I found so much joy in sports, and I wanted to share that. Given my passion, I feel a responsibility to advocate for female-specific stories and other important issues related to women in sports. However, it can be tough when you’re the only woman in the room because it feels like you’re constantly fighting for these issues alone. 

“To address this, I’ve used a strategy in editorial meetings where I teamed up with a colleague who was also a friend. He was from an ethnic minority, which made him aware of what it feels like to be underrepresented, but you don’t necessarily need to be in a minority for this to work. He and I would support each other by pushing for the other’s perspective. For example, I’d bring up issues related to race or be mindful of them in discussions, and he’d do the same for issues related to women. Sometimes we’d plan this in advance, but often we just stayed aware of these perspectives to ensure they were covered. This approach helped us create a more inclusive and comprehensive dialogue.” 

Your coverage of significant events, such as the Paris 2024 Olympics and England’s Test series in India, highlights your versatility. What advice would you give to aspiring journalists about the importance of versatility and adaptability in their careers? 

“Thank you. I think the key point, which relates to what we talked about earlier, is that the sector is continually evolving. It’s a mistake to think you can just focus on one area and that will be enough for your entire career. This is true for many professions, not just sports media. You can’t expect to start in one space and continue doing the same thing forever. 

“When I left Sky Sports News, I had a very clear idea of what my daily routine looked like. Even though there was a lot of variety in the topics we covered, most days were quite similar. I really enjoyed it; we had four hours of live presenting where we covered all the big sports stories of the day, did interviews, and worked with the team. Everything was pretty straightforward in terms of how it operated. When I left, I thought, “Wow, I just want to keep doing that.” 

“But since moving to Warner Brothers, working with Eurosport and TNT, I’ve found that the more you meet different people, the more you realise there are many ways to do things. There’s always the potential to figure out the best way to operate, no matter how different the environment might feel. 

“So, the key point is to retain your curiosity. Even if you’re an expert in presenting a live breaking news segment on a sports news program, that doesn’t mean you know the perfect way to conduct an interview for a live sports broadcast or make a documentary. If you continue to be curious about different mediums and sports, it makes for a really fulfilling career.” 

As someone who has achieved significant milestones, including hosting acclaimed documentaries and co-hosting a popular podcast, how do you balance the demands of such a diverse portfolio while maintaining high standards across all your work? 

“This is actually closely connected to point five, which is about meeting the demands of the job while maintaining high standards. It’s similar to what I mentioned earlier about covering events like cricket or the Olympics—there are so many different people with diverse views working in this space. My approach is to try and identify who the real experts are in a given area. 

“For example, when I was making my Qatar documentary, I reached out to the production company that makes Louis Theroux’s documentaries. It wasn’t anything formal; I just wanted to get some ideas and insights from people who have years of experience. They’ve tried all these different things, and you can learn so much from them. So, I think the key point is to build a network of people you can talk to. Look out for people whose work you genuinely value—not just those who are widely considered valuable. Often, those people are great, but it’s important to use your own judgment to decide whose work resonates with you. 

“Once you’ve identified those people, try to connect with them and learn about how they do things and their perspectives on various topics. That’s been my strategy. In terms of ensuring I do well day-to-day, it’s about constantly striving to improve. It might sound a bit cliché, but it really is about putting in the time and effort beforehand. That’s always been my plan—to make sure I’m well-prepared before going out and doing the job.” 

Female leadership in sports journalism is on the rise, but there is still much progress to be made. What opportunities do you see for women in this sector, and what can organisations do to better support and promote female talent? 

“You’re right; female leadership is on the rise, which is fantastic. However, as I mentioned earlier, I believe it would be better if there was more balance. Specifically, in sports media, I still don’t see many women in leadership positions, such as heads of sports media organisations or sports editors. It’s not something I come across often. 

“Last year, I attended a meeting with someone in a significant position whom I wanted to work with. After the meeting, I realised that it was the first time in my career that I had pitched myself as a presenting option to a female leader. It struck me as odd because, even though I’ve worked in other industries before, like tech, I had never experienced that in sports. How crazy is that? 

“One of the reasons I enjoy presenting and being a broadcaster is the performance element and the conversations I get to have. At this point in my career, I’m not fighting to run a sports TV channel or station. That could change in the future. 

“I’ve noticed that many older women who have been in the sports media industry for years have had to adapt to fit into a predominantly male environment. As a result, they often don’t stand out as leaders because they’ve had to be careful not to draw too much attention to themselves—simply because they already stand out for being female. 

“It’s a classic scenario where people don’t necessarily consider those who are different from the traditional leaders as potential leaders themselves. There’s a lot of research showing that empathy and understanding employees’ emotions are critical leadership skills. While I’m not saying only women possess these traits, they have traditionally been more associated with women or valued in women. 

“I think there needs to be a broader understanding of what leadership can look like. Also, it’s important to support women in this space to help them have the confidence that their ideas and their presence are valued.” 

Your career has spanned various sports and media formats. How do you approach understanding and engaging with different sports cultures and audiences, and what insights have you gained about the intersection of sport and culture? 

“It’s so interesting to explore different sports communities, cultures, and audiences. As a sports fan myself, I know that while these communities can appear diverse, at their core, they often share similar characteristics. Sports fans tend to be deeply passionate about one particular sport and are sometimes reluctant to follow others. They might even find reasons to argue why a sport similar to theirs is completely different from the one they support. For example, football and rugby fans often dismiss each other’s sports as not worth following. 

“Personally, I really enjoy the sociological analysis of these communities. It’s fascinating to see how people exist within these spaces and to be able to join in on that experience, even as a broadcaster. While you’re not necessarily trying to be a fan when broadcasting a sport, you’re aiming to channel the enthusiasm of the fans, express compelling narratives, and highlight the most interesting stories. 

“When I started leading the mountain bike coverage for Eurosport, it was an introduction to a whole new community for me. Again, it was about talking to the people within that community, but more importantly, listening to them. It was about understanding the vocabulary, key stories, and historical significance of the sport to its fans, and trying to be respectful of that. It’s about earning the right to be a part of that community every time I go on screen. 

“That’s how I approach every sport I work on. I truly believe that the connection between sport and culture is significant because sport is culture. For instance, “Swifties” are very similar to Tottenham Hotspur fans in their passion and dedication. It’s interesting how society and literature sometimes don’t value sports fans, especially football fans, in the same way they do connoisseurs of other cultures. Yet, there are more similarities across these dimensions than one might expect.” 

Looking ahead, what future projects or roles are you most excited about, and how do you envision your career evolving over the next few years? 

“Having recently returned from the Olympics, I am most excited about working on the Winter Olympics, which is a couple of years away. That’s something I’m really looking forward to. What I loved about these Summer Olympics was how so many different sports and their fans coexisted and brought out the best in each other. I just love being around athletes and people who are at the pinnacle of their careers, peaking for those really special moments. It’s one of the most special experiences of my life—working at Paris 2024. 

“The Women’s Ashes are coming up on TNT at the start of next year, and just thinking about presenting an Ashes series gives me shivers! There’s also the potential for covering the Men’s Ashes, although these opportunities depend on who has the broadcasting rights. Hopefully, that’s on the horizon. I’d also like to get back into football. I worked in it a lot at Sky and was part of a big independent football podcast. The challenge, of course, is that focusing on one sport can mean being away a lot, so you can’t just jump in and out of different sports very quickly. 

“However, what I’d like to do is cover a broader range of sports. If I can continue to do that, I’ll be a very happy person. I’d also like to follow in the footsteps of great sports broadcasters like Mark Chapman, who do work outside of sports as well. I made a Radio 4 documentary and would love to do more in that vein, comparing different spaces and cultures. I was involved with the National Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Theatre as a kid, and I’ve always had interests outside of sports. I studied English at Cambridge, so it would be brilliant to do something in the literary world. 

“These are all still somewhat unformed ideas, but there are lots of things I’m trying to build on at the moment. There’s a particular show I’m hoping to create in the next couple of years as well.” 

Finally, for business executives and aspiring leaders reading this, what qualities do you believe are essential to becoming a successful and respected leader in the competitive world of sports journalism? 

“At the risk of sounding like an HR pamphlet, I would say that passion for sport is important, but so is passion for sports journalism, the history, and the culture—the heritage, if you like—of what sports media has looked like. It’s also crucial to have curiosity and an innovative mindset about where it’s going because there are some really quality things happening in this space. Sometimes, the focus on clicks and trying to find the next big thing can almost limit the focus on the real bread-and-butter elements of what makes the sports media industry great in this country and around the world. That’s knowing how to tell a story, how to get the facts, and how to excite people at home, regardless of the medium—whether it’s TV, TikTok, or wherever. 

“Wherever people want to find the sport, they will, and if you can connect with them with enthusiasm and love, and if you treat the people you work with—or those who work for you, if you’re in a leadership role—with respect for their skills, they will support you. They will be excited to work on whatever you’re passionate about because this industry is made up of people who didn’t get involved in it to become multimillionaires or to make their friends jealous. They’re here because they think it’s amazing that they get to talk about, work on, film, and communicate moments like a 100-meter final at the Olympics, the Champions League final, or even Reading against QPR on a cold Saturday in October. 

“That’s the thing to remember, even though a lot of the challenges in the industry are about how you can get as many eyeballs as possible on what you’re doing. Some of that focus isn’t really real; it’s apart from the human core of what we’re doing. I think it’s about valuing the work that people put in and the connections they’re trying to make to make people really love the sports and stories they’re working on. That is what it’s all about, and in fact, that’s what life is all about.”