What Makes a Good Reporter

What makes a good reporter for television is what makes a good journalist in any other medium, only more so.

The forces which drive most who embark on a career in the profession — a ‘nose’ for news, born scepticism, hunger for truth and knowledge, and the desire to communicate — have to be weighed against qualities of a more physically obvious nature. At the minimum these consist of a reasonable appearance and a voice of acceptable broadcast standard (see page 42). More than that you will need to develop a thick skin, a touch of arrogance, and the determination not to be deterred by the number of other news people who congregate at the scene of important events.

Persistence … and sensitivity

Do not expect to be able to hide in the crowd and still succeed, because no television organisation involved in the business of topical journalism could live for long with the regular failure of their man or woman visibly to get the story. The nature of the job is inherently high-profile, so it is sometimes necessary to push through the scrum to get the interview. Quotes cannot be invented for the camera.

In contrast, the good television reporter is expected to know intuitively how to react in situations which call for sensitivity and thoughtfulness. There must be tact, sympathy and an ability to recognise when the moment has come to withdraw discreetly from pursuit of a story in which, say, lives have been lost.

A love of language

It is taken for granted that every would-be journalist can write. The ability to spell is thought by some not to be as important. What is not in doubt is that good reporters should have a natural feel for language, an instinct for the right word at the right time. But since most television insists that its precious air time is not wasted, the pressure is on to produce material which is disciplined, spare and economical. The salient points of every item must be marshalled sensibly and coherently, the language stripped to its bare bones and put to work alongside the pictures.

An eye for illustration

Although it is the camera operator’s responsibility to gather the pictures, the good reporter develops an understanding of the visual element. The golden rule is that words and pictures must go together. Divergence leads to competition between the two, distracting the audience. In that case, picture-power will always win.

What makes a good reporter

Reporters, either alone or with the crew, must demonstrate both patience and tenacity. Some events are controlled (top) such as the grabbed interviews at a major event. But it is still a tight squeeze as newsgatherers jostle for position. The street scrum (above) as the subject appears and keeps walking makes it a challenge for the news people to try to ensure the best sound and vision. The reporter could have been waiting for hours for this, but when the event happens the battle for the best coverage begins and ends in a few minutes. In this situation a good reporter not only has to get the questions in, but should also watch the camera crew’s back.