Former Detroit Sports Radio Host takes experience into the classroom

Former Detroit Sports Radio Host takes experience into the classroom

If you have been a Detroit sports fan and have listened to Detroit Sports talk radio, then you probably know the name, Matt Dery.  Dery has worked at every top sports radio station in Detroit from 1130 WDFN the fan, to 97.1 The Ticket and the former Detroit Sports 105.1. Today, he currently teaches 21st-century media and communications and Journalism at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School in Detroit.

For Dery, it’s a fresh start and a new beginning. Getting perspective from someone that has been in the business for over 20 years is something that high schoolers at U Of D are taking advantage of. “The situation that I have with U of D has been amazing, great staff, great kids, and a fresh start which has been good,” Dery said. When Dery was laid off by the former Detroit Sports 105.1, he then pointed to the reason why things didn’t work out at the former sports station. “None of us got the job done and we weren’t good enough in all areas,” Dery stated.  

Dery’s job in his journalism’s classes is to teach the next generation of writers and for the ones that want to pursue a career in the business of journalism, Dery tells them what they have to do to survive in the business. “You have to know how to write, learn to run the board, and produce your own content. You can’t just do one thing,” Dery said.  “You have to be versatile in this business to survive. You can’t just host your own show and not be able to know how to write,” Dery said.  Dery went on to say that even though the media business has changed, you still have to know the tricks of the trade on how the sports media business works. “It’s good to see all of the changes in the business with Twitter. It’s great and all but it can be dangerous as well. You have some people that post stuff on social media and they call that journalism. Sometimes it is and sometimes it’s not,” Dery said. “These guys here at U of D need to learn the tricks of the trade and that’s why newspapers are still important. There are good writers out there, and I’m trying to make sure we still have good writers,” Dery continued.

Dery likes bringing in his friends from the media world to come in and talk to his journalism classes. “I love bringing in those people,” Dery said. “It’s important for the kids to see the names and faces that they know and be able to share their experiences with them,” Dery said. Matt has brought in names like Mike Valenti, Amy Lange, and Dave Lew Allen to name a few. But one person he has not brought in is U Of D grad and FOX Sports announcer, Gus Johnson. “It would mean a lot if we could get him to come in and talk to the students and see someone like that return home,” Dery said.  “It would mean a lot U of D if we can make that happen,” Dery continued.

Matt Dery is also the color commentator for the Oakland University basketball games and fills in from time to time on 92.3 the Fan in Cleveland.  He also hosts a daily Detroit Lions podcast called “Locked on Lions.”

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