AJC Interview

‘Ask the Uncomfortable Questions’: Inside the Life of AJC Reporter Doug Roberson

By: Nicholas Eriksen 

The best piece of advice that Atlanta Journal Constitution reporter Doug Roberson ever received was to ask the uncomfortable questions. If a journalist hasn't asked questions that make  themselves feel uncomfortable, they haven't done their job. 

Roberson has plenty of experience with asking uncomfortable questions. Multiple times he has asked managers if they were afraid they were going to be fired. But it’s the gutsy questions that have produced the most rewarding responses in his lengthy career as a sports journalist.

Doug Roberson grew up in Mableton, Georgia, only a 25-minute drive from the city of Atlanta. After attending Pebblebrook High School, he went to Oglethorpe University, where he decided to pursue a career in the finance world as an accountant. It was a sudden change in heart that made Roberson want to become a journalist.

“I was going to be an accountant,” Roberson said. “But then I realized that I hated accounting.” 

His inspiration for becoming a journalist came from reading the Atlanta Journal, the Atlanta Constitution and the Marietta Daily Journal growing up. Columnists such as Len Pasquarelli and Ed Hinton inspired him. He saw them as two of the best writers in the United States.

After leaving accounting behind, Roberson found his journalistic stride at the University of Georgia when he transferred in September of 1990. Roberson attended Grady College, where he pursued a career in journalism, joined the Red & Black – the school’s independent student newspaper – and began covering men’s basketball. He learned that being ethical and organized was the key to being a successful writer. 

After graduating, Roberson landed a position with the Morganton News Herald in North Carolina. Despite Morganton being a small town, Roberson saw a big opportunity for his career. He covered high school sports, American Legion Baseball, and a handful of Minor League Baseball games. 

“It was the perfect place just to write and write and write and learn how to layout a newspaper,” Roberson said. 

When asked how he got to the Atlanta Journal Constitution from the Morganton Herald, Roberson laughed. There were a lot of steps in between. Roberson had worked as a sports editor for newspapers across North Carolina, including in Hickory, Wilmington and Greensboro. He later held the same role in Melbourne, Florida, before moving to Virginia to join the Newport News Daily Press. After that, he got his opportunity to move back to his home state of Georgia and work with the AJC. 

Now, after admiring the writing of Pasquarelli and Hinton, he finds himself in a similar position – reporting for one of his city's newspapers. After a company reorganization occurred in 2009 that eliminated every assistant editor position in the newsroom, Roberson was forced into a role he never expected: reporting. 

“It beat being unemployed,” Roberson said jokingly.

After several years reporting on various Atlanta teams, Roberson took over the beat for Atlanta’s newest team, Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United. His workload on the beat isn’t for the weary. Roberson’s work for a Saturday matchup starts days before the match. Two training sessions take place during the week, both including media availability for the team. Roberson is given what players and coaches will be available in advance to prepare for what storylines he will write about. After watching training and interviewing the players, he writes his first story of the week three days prior to the match. Once enough information is gathered, he’ll release a second story the next day. In all, Roberson produces four stories throughout the week that consist of injury reports, previews and various storylines. He also writes articles following the weekend's match.

With Atlanta United holding a record of 4-11-12 and ranking 14th in MLS, Roberson has been asking a lot of uncomfortable questions lately. Due to a poor performance in 2024, Atlanta United did not extend their then head coach Rob Valentino to a full-time managerial position because he failed to win the MLS Cup. With the team continuing to struggle in 2025, Roberson asked Atlanta United sporting director Chris Henderson if he would hold the same standards of not promoting current head coach Ronny Deila to a full time managerial position. He knew it would make Henderson uncomfortable, but he asked because it's what people wanted to know. 

“Are you satisfied with the job Ronny is doing?” Roberson asked. 

Although Henderson didn’t answer the question directly, it gave readers insight into his true feelings. 

Roberson continues to live by the advice he had previously received. In his 17th year with the AJC, he continues to ask the uncomfortable questions and deliver creative stories to his audience. Though the career of journalism is challenging, Roberson enjoys it and embraces the challenge.