Reporter Core Job Functions

[FTOJRLST]

I found this in a job listing for a reporter....

These are the core Job Functions of a Reporter. I highlighted 2 that caught my eye.

====================


Reporter
Purpose/reason for this Position:
The primary focus of the Reporter is to gather all necessary information and resources for various news stories either in person or via telephone.
Core Job Functions:


Writes, produces and prepares for air all news stories assigned, including the delivery of those stories on tape or live from the scene.
Ensures photographer takes necessary pictures to best illustrate the news story.
Producer aggressive, compelling, enterprising and exclusive stories for air and the web.
Develops personal contacts within our service area and maintains regular contacts with those individuals.
Works with photographer and/or tape editor to insure a factual, high quality, professional report.
Involved in community organizations and represents the station at functions and events as assigned.
Present an image that fosters public confidence
Enterprises ideas for News coverage on air and on other platforms from the station.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Contributes stories to the website and other platforms.

[rocky1138]

Ensures photographer takes necessary pictures to best illustrate the news story.


I didn't know we were being babysat.

That phrase really should read "Pays attention to visual aspect of story while working with photog to capture necessary pictures to best illustrate the news story."

[TXTechPhoto]

Producer aggressive, compelling, enterprising and exclusive stories for air and the web.
[/LIST]
Well they obviously don't know what they are doing anyway, since they can't proofread their own listing.

[Rad]

The way it was once explained to me...

Main Entry: Porter
Function: noun
Etymology:
from Latin portare to carry —

1: a person who carries burden

REporter
Means they carry the tripod back to the car as well!

[svp]

I didn't know we were being babysat.

That phrase really should read "Pays attention to visual aspect of story while working with photog to capture necessary pictures to best illustrate the news story."


I hate to play devil's advocate here but SOME photographers DO need to be babysat, especially the lazy ones. Those requirements aren't unreasonable for a station that hires new photogs with no experience. I'm not sure where, or what market, that posting came from but I would expect that in small markets. A reporter I used to work with told me when she was at a small Texas station, she had to tell her photog everything to shoot or they wouldn't have much at all for a story.

[photogguy]

I hate to play devil's advocate here but SOME photographers DO need to be babysat, especially the lazy ones. Those requirements aren't unreasonable for a station that hires new photogs with no experience. I'm not sure where, or what market, that posting came from but I would expect that in small markets. A reporter I used to work with told me when she was at a small Texas station, she had to tell her photog everything to shoot or they wouldn't have much at all for a story.

I don't disagree with the basic premise of your post, but...

The markets that are hiring inexperienced photogs are also hiring inexperienced reporters. So, who's watching whom?

[rocky1138]

I hate to play devil's advocate here but SOME photographers DO need to be babysat, especially the lazy ones.

no, lazy photogs should be fired, but until HR has all the right papers to fire them, the cheif should be doing the babysitting.

putting that line in a job posting says one of two things. either the ND has no respect for a photojournalist & sees us as camera jockies. - OR - that the ND doesn't know how to hire people to do their job, so they're wanting a reporter to do their own work PLUS the work of bad employees.

----

and since no one else has started w/ these

Reporter Core Job Functions:
- Refuse to do any work outside when weather condtions are mildly bad.
- Shop online & check e-mail from the moment you arrive back from your story until 30min before slot. Then & only then start to log & write your story. (To make sure photog's blood pressure increases on a daily basis editing your package in under 4min.)

[x31]

Ensures photographer takes necessary pictures to best illustrate the news story.
Works with photographer and/or tape editor to insure a factual, high quality, professional report.


Are you sure my reporter didn't write this?


...SOME photographers DO need to be babysat, especially the lazy ones. ...
The only reason a reporter has to babysit a photographer is so that the reporter can pad their tape. Reporters are no more important than photographers. If the photographer is unable to do his job, without the watchful eye of his/her reporter, that meets management requirements, he should probably reconsider his career path.

[svp]

Are you sure my reporter didn't write this?


The only reason a reporter has to babysit a photographer is so that the reporter can pad their tape. Reporters are no more important than photographers. If the photographer is unable to do his job, without the watchful eye of his/her reporter, that meets management requirements, he should probably reconsider his career path.


I disagree. I'm going to take the reporters side on this one. If a crappy package airs with jump cuts, no video, and just looks bad, nobody sitting at home knows anything at all about the photographer responsible for it. The reporter, on the other hand, has their face attached to it. A bad package reflects poorly on the the reporter in the eyes of the viewer, not the photographer. Why do you thiink some reporters hover over photogs making sure they get certain shots? Its because its THEIR face in the story, not YOURS. And its not the reporters fault that media companies are so CHEAP these days that they hire people that don't know what the hell they're doing. I'm all for fighting for the rights of photogs but you can't assume every person out there employed as a photog is professional and knows what he/she is doing. There are some pretty bad photogs out there folks just like there are some pretty bad reporters.

[x31]

I disagree. I'm going to take the reporters side on this one. If a crappy package airs with jump cuts, no video, and just looks bad, nobody sitting at home knows anything at all about the photographer responsible for it. The reporter, on the other hand, has their face attached to it. A bad package reflects poorly on the the reporter in the eyes of the viewer, not the photographer.

A viewer could care less who's face is on it. All they are going to remember, IF they didn't gain anything from the story, is that it was a waste of their time to watch. They don't know who shot it, and they don't care. They will, more than likely, turn the channel if the story is of no intrest to them.


Why do you thiink some reporters hover over photogs making sure they get certain shots? Its because its THEIR face in the story, not YOURS.

Like I said before... it's to pad their tape. You show me any reporter who cares about the video in their story when they're not motivated by the story. A majority of my great stories, have been when the reporter slaps some words together, halfway making sense, and says "Here ya go!" That's when photographers "babysit" reporters... and that's when I do that voodoo that I do and make it a good story. Stop putting reporters on a pedestal. They are your equal. They will put out as good of work as you give them.

I'm guessing you haven't had good experiences with reporters since you ventured into television news. Or maybe you haven't worked with any good reporters? It really gets better. It all depends on who you work with, who likes to work with you, and the quality of work you turn out.


...I'm all for fighting for the rights of photogs but you can't assume every person out there employed as a photog is professional and knows what he/she is doing. There are some pretty bad photogs out there folks just like there are some pretty bad reporters.

I'll be the first to admit I was in that boat. I never saw myself growing up to be a tv news photographer. I was horrible at it when I first started. It was just another job to me, and I didn't care what reporters thought of me.. or the work that I did. I was even fired from my first station because I was such a bad photographer. But after I left my first station, I fell in love with what I was doing and decided to get back in the game. My career found me. This business isn't for everyone. And that's what small market is for! And ultimately, it is the responsibility of the chief photographer to weed out the bad ones from the good ones. And to make sure the video on air is consistent.

[long521]

Works with photographer and/or tape editor to insure a factual, high quality, professional report.

What insurance company do I have to use to ensure that I get proper coverage? How high are the premiums?

[Lost in Alaska]

I won't quote it, but I do agree with svp about the reporter's face and name being attached to the story. When I worked in Boise the station I worked for had the photographers name and a title to every package that aired. We would get the name recognition out there from that station. I wish more stations would do that. It gives us the recognition, but also holds us accountable.

[rocky1138]

since this thread now mentions svp in every post... ;-)

I agree w/ svp in that it is the reporter's (or anchor's) face & name that gets tired to any story that airs. BUT, while they should be a team player & try to make sure everyone is doing a good job, it is management's core job function to make sure people are actually doing their job, not the reporter's core job function.

[WillyG]

Here is a reporter description I read recently:

"supervises photographer in the field"

No this wasn't a small market...it is top twenty. Go figure.

[Mighty Dyckerson]

I didn't know we were being babysat.

Believe it or not, photogs are not in charge of the newsroom.

[LuccaBrazzi]

MY reporter "core job functions:"
-Carry my tripod.
-Deal w/the desk & producers when we're out in the field.
-Deal with security guards, obnoxious bystanders, and P-I-O's/P-R flaks.

That's it. I can handle everything else.

[photogguy]

Believe it or not, photogs are not in charge of the newsroom.

True, but it would run a whole lot better if photogs were in charge.

[rocky1138]

MY reporter "core job functions:"
-Carry my tripod.
-Deal w/the desk & producers when we're out in the field.
-Deal with security guards, obnoxious bystanders, and P-I-O's/P-R flaks.

That's it. I can handle everything else.

Sounds like you have a reporter who knows that good TV needs great pictures & great pictures take time to get, so the reporter clears the way for you to do the best job you can. Thus making a better story.

A shorter way of saying that would be...
Reporter core functions:
- Be a team player.

Now I only hope that you are a team player too & help your reporters w/ doing their job better, thus making a better story.

Otherwise you're just a self centered jerk who is in love w/ their camera & not into covering news.

[LuccaBrazzi]

Rocky...I was just kidding!
(but not really)