On this week’s episode of the Awful Announcing podcast, host Ben Heisler is joined by ESPN NFL reporter Dianna Russini to talk about working in DC, life at ESPN, women in sports media, the XFL, and a whole lot more.

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Here’s the full breakdown.

  • 2:45 – Intro
  • 3:50 – Her start at ESPN, struggles on SportsCenter and how it changed her career
  • 7:00 – How management was committed to helping coach her up and improve
  • 8:55 – Her parents and how their tough love was instrumental early on
  • 12:20 – On being an open book and living her life on-air
  • 15:40 – If her producers have been receptive to her looking for more fun in the shows she’s a part of
  • 17:19 – On her famous impression of her mother and how she owes Stugotz the credit for it
  • 20:00 – Her transition from DC to ESPN + why ESPN has found so much on-air talent in DC
  • 24:03 – Where her “newshound” instinct came from
  • 26:05 – If there’s a lack of representation for women in sports media
  • 29:50 – On the networking side of the business, and develop sources
  • 33:15 – Has she found any insiders or newsbreakers that have found a work/life balance + how she met Woj
  • 35:40 – Does she have a preference between being a host or being the analyst/insider
  • 37:50 – On a type of show she’d love to pitch/be on – The NFL version of “The Jump”
  • 40:25 – What is she most excited about for viewers to learn about the XFL
  • 42:55 – Her recent interview with Oliver Luck and what he anticipates the message of the XFL to be
  • 45:40 – RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed the show, be sure to subscribe on iTunes and leave us a positive review.

About Joe Lucia

I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.