Assisgnment Editor Qualities

[Latin Lens]

Well....we all know that there is no perfect assignment editor, but I think we can agree that some are better than others for whatever reasons. So what qualities would you look for in a good assignment editor?

[Corporate Management]

Easy: ORGANIZATION!

In some ways, it's more of a secretarial job than anything else. This means knowing what's going on at all times, and how long a crew needs to perform a given task.

All too often, I've worked with assignment editors who make mistakes so basic as having people scheduled to be in two different places at the same time.

"I forgot" or "Didn't I tell you that?" aren't excuses.

[cameradog]

Not just organization. Fanatical organization, coupled with superior multi-tasking abilities and an ability to re-evaluate situations on the fly and shift focus when necessary.

Also important is a lack of ego. The best assignment editors always remember that the important thing is the story (or rather stories), not their own feelings or interpersonal conflicts. If you called in with a problem, the best assignment editor I ever worked with wouldn't say, "Make it happen." He would say, "What can I do to help you get it done?" or "What do you need to make this happen?"

Strangely enough, I'm convinced that in general photogs make just about the worst deskies of all. That's because they come to the job with too many preconceived notions about what's happening out in the field, and the skills that make a good photog are not really the same skills that make a good assignment editor. The worst deskies I ever had the misfortune of working with were former photogs. The best actually got his job from his internship, because he demonstrated natural superhuman multitasking and organization skills.

Poor guy also smoked like a chimney and was nervous as hell. He'll probably be dead before he reaches 50.

[Foster]

Short term memory is a BAAAD thing for an assignment editor to have.

I think that some skills a photographer has, would seriously help some assignment editors. People skills are a big one! Knowing how to talk to someone in person, and then doing it over the phone goes a long way. I've often arrived to a scheduled shoot, and had the person I interviewed say that the person at the desk was super nice.. and easy to deal with, and that they will call us first next time.. because of it!

[CHIEFPHOTDOG]

I believe that the desk has to have some field experience, I took the helm for over a year and believe me my strongest tool was knowing what my crews needed in the field. It also helped that I one man banned, so when something happened instead of pulling my shooter from his/her assignment I'd grab my gear and take care of it.

[Lost in Alaska]

In additionto the above, the ability to think clearly when a big story breaks. I have seen deskies flip put when there is a three alarm fire and no one sitting around the newsroom to rush out to it. Having the ability to prioritize the stories and figure out what needs to be dropped sometimes can go a long way.

[photogguy]

In addition to what has already been posted...

A simple understanding of how to read a map, including understanding the relationship between distances and time needed to traverse the distances.

[Mighty Dyckerson]

So what qualities would you look for in a good assignment editor?

A pulse...

[INLANDNEWS]

Assignment Editors should be required to some "field hours" riding along with the crews so they get a perspective about whats really going on out there.

[Flairmarq]

Myself and a repoter were discussing this today....

Organization is a big key. Making sure we have time to get from one place to the next. This is something a photog can bring to the table as an assignment manager.

Also listening to the scanners, knowing what is going on, knowing your scanner lingo. Knowing who the PIO's are and how to get ahold of them.

Setting up stories is something that we would like, but our desk a lot of times make the repoter do it. However, the night crew don't get in until 2 p.m. (we are a Fox affiliate) and it is sometimes hard to get stories set up so late. So more anticipating what is going on that day and setting up stuff is great too.

Follow-ups, follow-ups, follow-ups. Making sure certain stories that are continuing get checked. Any new info on the murder? Any more info about the city ordinance? Also making sure that interviews and events are at the time set day of, just in case they need to be reschedual and something was written down wrong.

If you get phone info into the news room--name, number, where to meet for a possible interview. Ask the important questions, who what when where how. Be a field producer at times basically.

My two cents....

[shade]

as said above "field experience" but also common sense, the ability to make his/her own decision without following all the other stations around and to listen to the crews out in the field.

[pre-set]

The ability to take a phone call from an irate driver who was nearly run off the road by a marked news unit, quickly put them on hold, disguise their voice, then pick up the call again as the News Director - who will them apologize profusely for the reckless behavior of the driver of the vehicle, and promise they'll be dealt with harshly upon their return...... All with a straight face!


That's a damn valuable real-world skill for anyone on a desk.