Reporters using phone or tablet to show pics & docs before cutting to a liveshot pkg

prosheditor

Well-known member
Reporters using phone or tablet to show pics & docs before cutting to a liveshot pkg

Other than going live shortly after exiting the truck with very little to no prep time, why do reporters hold up their phone, tablet or laptop and lean into or walk towards the news camera's lens or the camera zooms into it to show a picture, document or whatever on their small, dim, fingerprint-smeared screen when it could be shown from the control room full screen as most supporting story elements are displayed in a package?

The times I've seen it done it looked very planned and the reporter didn't seem rushed. Assuming it's not rushed, just how long could it take to e-mail a pic to the control room or graphics department to do it the right way?

Especially in a top market, it really looks bad and amateurish and I've never seen that done by network reporters. Could this be called prop reporting? Thanks
 
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svp

Well-known member
Its called being active and demonstrative in the live shot. Its just some BS that idiot consultants have convinced news managers they have to do to be more engaging and keep the audience interested. Its complete crap but if we are told to do it then we have to do it.
 

prosheditor

Well-known member
Yeah, I agree. It just looks really desperate & lazy, IF it's not in-the-moment, breaking news.

I forgot to mention laptops being used too but I have added that in the original post. I've actually seen phones & laptops used more than tablets which doesn't make sense because a tablet would be easier to hold with its large display. It's funny to watch them sometimes briefly struggle with balancing their clamshell laptop in one hand & the mic in the other.
 
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