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Since she was in school, Carly Weinberg knew she wanted to be a sports journalist. To further her dream, she studied towards a BA in Media Studies and English at University of Johannesburg (formerly Wits). Crucially, she backed up her dream with determination; securing an internship with SoccerLife Magazine during her third year of study. After that, the only way has been up.

This 24-year-old Sandton resident has an exciting job at The Times, working as a multimedia sports journalist. One project she is currently working on is an Olympics special report which will feature on The Times website, consisting of video and audio interviews with athletes she is currently working on, which she records, edits and produces.

Learning the technicalities of working with multimedia resources proved challenging at first for Carly, but over time she has picked up valuable skills, and is enjoying her ability to do things she otherwise would not have, had she just been a print journalist.

Carly is one determined young woman, and there is no doubt she knows what she wants, and she works hard to achieve her goals. Despite her hectic schedule, gsport managed to catch up with Carly to find out how she turned her teenage dream into reality.

Introducing gsport's August Woman in Media; Carly Weinberg!

Carly, when and how did you get into sports media?

When I was still at school I decided that I wanted to work in the media industry and, because of my love for sports, I knew that sports journalism was what I wanted to do.

So when I was in third year at Wits (doing my BA in Media Studies and English) I contacted SoccerLife Magazine to see if they were interested in having an intern work for them. It turns out they did, and a few months later I found myself working in the sports department at the Sunday Times, writing for SoccerLife and occasionally for the Sunday Times.

What are your current projects and what do you enjoy most about them?

I am currently working on an Olympics special report page on our website. It will consist of video and audio interviews with our athletes that I film/record, edit and produce, as well as breaking news.

It's hard work at the moment, but I'm enjoying familiarizing myself with, and getting to know, all the athletes who will be representing South Africa at the Olympic Games.

In addition to that, I record a weekly sports podcast called Fan's Corner with my sports editor, Archie Henderson. We have a lot of fun recording it because we get to give our own, sometimes biased, opinions of the weekends sporting action.

Tell us about a typical busy work day at The Times?

We have a diary meeting at 9am every day where we put forward a story idea for the day. If, for example, the Springboks are having a training session, I will go along to that with my camera and a photographer. There I'll film them training and get comments on camera from a couple of the players. When I get back to the office, I edit and produce the video before uploading it onto our website.

There will usually be an accompanying print story and photograph that appears in The Times newspaper the next day. If it's a particularly busy, I'll have two videos to produce for the next day as well as a podcast. Blogging is also an important part of multimedia so I try to blog on our sports blog (called Sports Shorts) as often as I can

 What's it like working with multimedia in your job?

At first it was challenging because we all had to get used to using new equipment. Instead of going out to an interview with just a pen and notepad, as I had done previously, I now take a video camera and tripod. And because The Times is a daily newspaper, we're all on daily deadline. This makes filming, editing and producing a video each day rather tough!

But now that multimedia is being taken more seriously, people are more understanding when it comes to daily demands. So I'm really enjoying working with multimedia now because I've picked up a number of very valuable skills that I doubt I would've picked up anywhere else.

What did you do before joining The Times?

Before I joined The Times I was working as a junior sports reporter at the Sunday Times and SoccerLife magazine.

Where does your love for sport come from?

I've asked myself that question many times and, to be honest, I'm not sure! But what I do know is that when I was at school, I cared more for my sporting achievements than I did about my academics! I participated in all sports - swimming, athletics, tennis, netball, even cricket - and I loved it all. I only wish there had been girl's soccer when I was at school!

Unfortunately I don't play much sport anymore, only action netball, but I've made up for that by the amount of sport I watch! For me, Saturdays are meant to be spent watching Tri-Nations rugby, English Premiership football, a bit of Test cricket and throw is some tennis!

 What are your favourite sports to report on?

I absolutely love soccer, especially the English Premiership. International rugby comes a close second and then ODI cricket.

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

There have been two highlights so far, and they both involve going to Paris! When I was at the Sunday Times I traveled to Paris for the 2006 Champions League Final between Arsenal and Barcelona. I'm a huge Arsenal fan, so despite the fact that they lost the match, I managed to meet many of the Arsenal players. It was incredible.

Then last year, I went to Paris for a few days during the rugby World Cup. I watched the Springboks beat Argentina in the semifinal, which was brilliant. Even better than that, though, was that I stayed at the same hotel as the Boks. That might just be my all-time career highlight because I'm not sure if anything will come close!

 How do you deal with the challenge of being a woman in a male dominated environment?

As many women in a male dominated industry know, the biggest challenge is to be taken seriously. The only way to earn respect is to take yourself seriously and to believe in your own capabilities. I follow many sports and I always make sure that I formulate my own opinions about them. At the beginning of my career, I was too shy to express myself because I was scared that I wouldn't be taken seriously. But now I am confident in myself; I know that my sporting knowledge is more extensive than most men and I'm not afraid of entering into a debate. 

I think some women make the mistake of trying to be like the men in their industry. But women are not supposed to think like men, so it's okay for us to have different views and opinions. Very often, we are able to see things from a completely different angle and I think that's what makes us extremely valuable in any male dominated industry.

Who are some of the people who have supported you most in your career?

My family has always supported me, even if they haven't fully understood my crazy passion for sport! I also have to mention the guys in the Sunday Times sports department, who gave me my first chance in this industry.

Who are your favourite sports stars?

Shaun Pollock was my always my favourite - I used to try copy his bowling technique when I was in primary school! These days I'm a big fan of John Smit, who I think is the most amazing captain, and Cesc Fabregas. I'm also very happy to see Neil McKenzie back in the Protea setup because I've always been a fan of his.

Which is your favourite stadium and why?

I have to say the Stade de France in Paris. Visually, it's magnificent. But I also have great memories of the Champions League final and the Rugby World Cup. Another stadium I have fond memories of is Arsenal's old home in London - Highbury. It's been knocked down now, but it was this amazing old stadium squeezed between houses in North London. I was fortunate enough to watch Arsenal play two matches there.

How do you keep fit?

I don't do as much physical activity as I would like, but I do play netball once a week and I do yoga. I'm just not a gym person; I find it a bit boring.

What five words best describe you?

Ambitious, motivated, reserved, restless, loyal.

How can we improve the state of women's sport in South Africa?

I think the most important way to improve the state of women's sport is to raise the profiles of sportswomen in South Africa. They need to feature more in newspapers, on TV and in magazines. Sports editors also need to make the decision to ensure that women's sports events receive adequate coverage in the media.

Media coverage is vital, because it brings with it exposure and, most importantly, sponsorship. I think gsport is doing a fantastic job with this and hopefully it will encourage more people to take women's sport far more seriously.

gsport strives to celebrate femininity. How would you define femininity and what role does it play in your life?

Femininity is about not forgetting your softer, dynamic, female side no matter what environment you happen to be in. So for me, watching the rugby on a Saturday afternoon isn't accompanied by biltong and beer, but rather a cup of hot chocolate and ice-cream! And if I feel like painting my nails at half time then that's fine because, despite the fact that I'm a major sports fan, I am still a woman who likes to pamper myself and maintain my femininity.

What inspires you?

People who manage to achieve against all odds. Oscar Pistorius and Natalie du Toit inspire me because, despite their physical disabilities, they have achieved more than most people could dream of and yet they remain so incredibly humble and down to earth.

Traveling also inspires me; I love experiencing different cultures in strange and unfamiliar locations.

Who are your role models?

I admire different things about different people, because I don't believe that anyone is perfect, nor should they be. I hope to inherit the focus and eccentricity of my father and the commitment and dedication of my mother. I'm incredibly fortunate to have parents who, together, embody everything I'd like to be.

What do you hope to be doing in 2010?

Ideally, I would like to be a TV correspondent reporting on the 2010 Football World Cup.

What is your greatest ambition?

To raise a family while balancing a successful career in media.