The Complications of Location News Reporting

There are many things that make on location news reporting difficult. There are many things you would think about off the top of your head, such as tiredness, writing on the fly, transmitting video and language barriers. In addition to these complications, knowing where to take the story next becomes even more problematic when you have to deal with producers or bosses who want to go one direction when you feel the story goes another direction.

When you are following a story it is important that you know how you are going to communicate. Often if you don’t speak the local language you have to hire an interpreter. It needs to be someone you can trust. They need to translate your questions accurately as well as the answers you are receiving. Your entire newscast can be pointless if you are getting bad information.

Cameramen are key when it comes to reporting on the scene. They not only handle all the lighting and filming but also they are in charge of the sound feed. In normal production terms, these are typically two totally separate jobs. It puts a lot of pressure on one person and the more trustworthy and knowledgeable your cameraman is the better your reports will be.

A reliable set of SNG trucks is also imperative. If you don’t have a way to transmit the footage back to the studio, you are never going to see the air. Even if you are working straight from the computer, you have to be able to connect to a satellite in order to go wide with your information. When fighting breaks out or mother nature takes over, a reliable means of transmitting information can mean the difference between filing a report and being stuck a day behind everyone else.

As you prepare to become a news reporter, consider if you are good at thinking on your feet. If you are, this might be the right way to start your journalism career, a way to prove your worth and how good you are at developing and producing stories on your own.