Steve Simmons

Toronto Sun Columnist, Steve Simmons

By Laura Barney

There's a fine line between funny and insulting and finding that balance can be difficult, says Steve Simmons.

The veteran Toronto Sun columnist told sports journalism students at Centennial College on Jan. 22 that you must write for your audience and that you are always going to offend some people.

"No matter what you write, it will provoke negative feedback at some point," said Simmons, who has covered a dozen Olympics as well as every other professional and amateur sport imaginable.

In today's world of print, journalists must give the audience more than just stats because the numbers can be found at our fingertips in very little time, he says.

"Back in the day, if you had a story in the afternoon you wrote it for the paper the next day. Now you write it and put it online instantly and hope that someone will credit you for it and use it."

One thing he knows for sure is that if he or any journalist wants to write a piece on anyone, you have to muster the nerve to face them at any given time.
Simmons likes to tell stories and he has many of them to share. He also understands how much fun this life has been.

After being to 12 Olympic Games [13 if you include the upcoming Vancouver 2010] there are times I just sit back and think," he said. "I am humbled by the things I was able to do."

The Sports Journalism Program features 12 courses over 12 consecutive months and is unique in Canada. It offers training in print, online, radio and television and finishes with a six week professional placement.

For more information about the Sports Journalism Program, contact program coordinator Malcolm Kelly at mkelly@centennialcollege.ca.