Josina Anderson Joining CBS Sports HQ
Josina Anderson has joined CBS Sports HQ and will debut on-air Thursday afternoon, OutKick has learned.
CBS Sports HQ launched in 2018 as a 24/7 streaming service formatted like a traditional SportsCenter. You know, the one that focused on the games.
Anderson's deal with CBS Sports is intriguing on the business side of the industry. She will continue in her other roles, which include USA Today Sports+ and Undefined, the show and website she launched last year. Anderson's path is similar to Ariel Helwani's -- Helwani controls his own YouTube channel along with deals with The Ringer, SubStack, and Vox Media.
OutKick spoke to Josina Anderson about joining CBS Sports and the business of media.
Enjoy:
OutKick: What appealed to you about CBS Sports HQ and this role?
Anderson: I love the people who are involved in the operation. The people who reached out to me with interest, that is. Feeling appreciated and welcome was a big part of it for me. As well as the opportunity to join this group. It's a talented group.
I'm going to be working for CBS Sports HQ. It is a 24-hour operation of streaming sports content. I'll be reporting for them, writing for them, appearing in their studio, and also appearing remotely from my studio.
In addition, I'll be traveling for the NFL, doing interviews, and integrating myself into their overall brand. I'll still be breaking news and getting back on the field.
It's exciting.
OutKick: I find media talents who build their own businesses fascinating. It's people without business backgrounds looking to monetize their work. What are you trying to build with Undefined on the entrepreneurial side of the business?
Anderson: It's still to focus on and evolve in my career, but also to grow as a businesswoman in this space. So it's adding to the reporter side.
It's learning how to enterprise yourself, grow a company, expand into different spheres. It ties into the name of my first podcast, Undefined, right? It's okay to be good at what you do but also grow outside of those lines. It's about expanding
Creating this path allows people to see me in spheres that they didn't before. It's about not being boxed into only one area.
It's really the same mindset, Bobby, I had when I left Denver as a local sports reporter. My job has always been about connecting with people in new ways. That was the foundation of how I grew as an insider. That's the foundation of how I view myself as a journalist and a business person.
OutKick: When you speak to people in the media industry who own some of or all of their content, they talk about the transition from content creating and business creating. Whether a media company is large or small, dealing with sponsors and business calls is usually eye-opening to media talents.
How has that experience been for you?
Anderson: Oh yeah, it's different. You go from sitting in front of the camera and going from there. When it's time, someone tells you in your ear: three, two, one. However, when you are coordinating a project alone or with a few people, you are involved in the full operation. Not just the on-air portions.
In addition, behind the scenes, you are looking at the opportunity to work with people who are allowing that spirit within me, while also contributing to the great things that they already have.
So you do bounce around from the business side to the talent side. It has kept me very busy, it was a big undertaking.
I agree with that totally as a journalist.
OutKick: Are you looking to hire or partner with people on Undefined, whether it's the company website, or adding new shows?
Anderson: You always want to grow yourself as an entrepreneur. If you have that mindset, you look for growth. Always.
I want to see women growing in the content creating space, the licensing space, in the entrepreneurial side of the industry. But I do like working as a team. I like to cover the NFL, stay engaged, but also working as a team, even if that entails a lot of independent work.
You try to build yourself as a creator. We have The Crew now as well. You see that more and more across our entire industry, with the way that social media has evolved, with the way that podcasting has evolved. Really in the entertainment industry too.
I think that is great, by the way. It's another service that could serve sports fans and expand their coverage options.