videographer – Survive Your Job In Television News

Reporter Photographer Harmony

The reporter/photographer relationship is one of the most unique dynamics in the newsroom setting. Sometimes it’s the most joyous. Sometimes it’s the most volatile.

Sometimes being on assignment feels like being with a “working wife/husband” while other times the thought of spending an entire workday with that person is unfathomable. But, finding that happy medium and really jelling together as a team can help to produce some fantastic stories, the kind that make it fulfilling to be a journalist.

This is a little perspective from the photographer side, a look at how that guy/girl with the camera on their shoulder (and hopefully on a tripod) sees those daily assignments.

Every shop I worked in always claimed how much they valued the photo staff, but in the end, most of the higher ups see that value in a technical sense, not editorial, leading to a lower link In the newsroom food chain.

But, just like everyone else in the newsroom, photographers have egos too. Getting the most out of that photographer for the day may not be too complex and involves a few simple steps

Each day brings a new assignment. Once the crew leaves the newsroom, the first task the reporter faces is how to engage the photographer and get them onboard for the day. And it does not matter if it’s a double package/double live shot day or one of those rare times when you actually have a little time to craft a package.

Here are three simple tips to hopefully get things headed in the right direction so those “human mic stands” can get the most, visually, out of photographers. In return, the photogs can offer some simple things to shed the image of “camera guy.”

These may not be the most intricate points and can seem basic, but not starting off on the right foot can doom a story before that camera is ever fired up.

What the photog can/should expect from you?:

1. An introduction: Wow, this seems simple. Introducing the photographer to the people being interviewing. It’s a team effort, right? A simple, “I want you to meet ________”, seems pretty standard and just plain polite.

For me, no introduction meant game over, that easy. I checked out for the day. The job was still done to a solid standard, but nothing more. And the best part, the reporter would never even know. It was a simple matter of respect. If a simple courtesy couldn’t be extended, there was no extra effort from me.

Of course when it’s mass chaos or chasing down a hostile interview this won’t apply but, in general, the point is there.

2. Discuss the story on the way: Talking. Again, seems basic. But some reporters get busy on their phones and nothing assignment related is said on the drive.

There’s a chance the photog wasn’t in that assignment meeting and hasn’t been given much of a description about what it is you’re putting together. Well, what is the photog’s perspective on basic story structure, both visually and editorially?

Again, at the core, it comes down to a matter of respect for your co-worker. If my input isn’t in the end story, my effort probably won’t be there either.

3. Involvement/Reinforcement: Talk as the story evolves during the day. Not only does it keep the photographer engaged, it also gives you both an idea how the story is unfolding visually long before sitting down to log the video.

What is the opening shot? What is the closing shot? Any good nat breaks? These questions keep the photog involved and engaged, letting them know you’re depending on them to help mold the story.

Does the photographer have a wireless mic (belt pack kind)? How about offering to move it around for them from person to person. What a great way to send a signal those great pictures and sounds are being counted on to put the story together.

As a photographer, I fed off of enthusiasm, even on stories that were pretty dry. Seeing the reporter moving the mic around and getting involved in the technical end made me step up the effort, every time.

While simple, all this respect talk is a two-way street. Reporters aren’t baby sitters and have enough to handle for the day. The above are ways to get the photographer on-board, utilizing the “journalist” in photojournalist. So now that you the reporter is putting out the effort, the question is……

What to should expect from the photographer?:

1. Return Engagement: The job is done making sure the photographer knows the story is a team effort. Now it’s up to the phojo to get involved. In addition to all the technical aspects running smoothly, is the photog engaged in interviews? Asking questions (when appropriate)? Listening for sound bites and varying up the framing for different looks?

I have heard stories of fellow photogs being on their cells phones on personal calls, DURING AN INTERVIEW! For any photographers reading this: Not a good way to be taken seriously.

2. Professionalism in Dress and Attitude: No, photographers will not be wearing suits and ties to working on a daily basis. But for many GA stories, the people we talk to are in a business setting. Appropriate dress and attitude should be expected.

Yes, it is up to management to make/enforce dress codes, but perception in our business is reality. No t-shirts, no ratty jeans and good personal hygiene all go a long way. Society has changed and there are many new ways people express themselves. But, for photogs with excessive piercings and or tattoos, find a way to take them out/cover them up when in a business setting. It hurts the reporter’s credibility too.

3. Offering a visual blueprint: Photogs, feel free to speak up as well during the day. Let the reporter know what’s been going on behind that lens. Any good nat breaks or sound bites you heard during the interviews? Ideas how you can make it work visually with their words?

Most of the time the reporter doesn’t see/hear what’s been shot until it’s logging time. During a time crunch, the chance to log all the video is long gone. Help them out. Know what can be weaved into the story. Is a key shot missing? Fess up early so a script doesn’t show up that “writes you into a hole”. We’re in the communication business. That starts in the field, long before the story is sent out to a television or web audience.

So, none of the above is earth shattering and most seems pretty basic. Yet, day in and day out, these things are not done in newsrooms in all sized markets.

Of course there are variables. Some days, and things, don’t go as planned. But the above points are basic ones that are often missed. When missed, they not only affect the product, they affect attitudes. If these mistakes are made day in and day out, bad attitudes often take over.

After 20 years of doing this, I’m not naïve. One of the questions (from either side) is probably, “I’ve tried this every day for a long time and person X just won’t respond, what should I do now?”

Honest answer, we can’t all get along and sometimes we’re just on a different page from one another. Try to not take it personally. Try to get a good lunch in. Keep it simple and live to fight another day with another reporter or photog.

One thing I do know, is that when the opportunity to really produce that special story comes along, it takes a team effort. Teams aren’t built overnight. It takes time and effort. Yes, there’s a lot more that goes into to hitting home run-type stories. But one thing for sure is if there isn’t a mutual respect from the beginning, it will be a struggle just getting up to the batter’s box.

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Andy Benton is a 20 year veteran photojournalist who’s won 2 National Murrow Awards, 3 Gabriel Awards and 25 Regional Emmys.

Is there such a thing as… too in your face?

“60 Minutes” and later tabloid journalism began the push for ”in your face” confrontations between a reporter and a person considered caught red handed. Now it is the norm for investigative reporters to use ambush interviews after laying out tons of evidence against a company or person who may have crossed the line. Don’t get us wrong, these interviews can be very effective in this type of package. What’s interesting is how the concept is bleeding over into everyday news coverage more and more.

Case in point, the Casey Anthony trial down in Orlando. We won’t spell out the details of the case because everyone in the news biz has some idea of the trial and surrounding media circus. We are taking a closer look at recent headlines about an interesting walk shot into the courthouse with reporters, photojournalists, and attorneys. In case you missed it, watch the video courtesy of WESH TV and the Orlando Sentinel. “Courthouse Confrontation” Make sure you let the video play out all the way to the end. There is a lull, but in the end it gets interesting again.

Now look at some of the headlines on the internet after the walk shot you just watched. The Orlando Sentinel called it “ A Bizarre situation with reporters…” The Florida News Center headline read, “Anthony attorneys are annoyed by Orlando media.” Now consider the News Blues headline, “Orlando reporter harasses Casey Anthony attorney.” See a common link? In all of these headlines, the sympathy characters were the attorneys, not the journalists.

Now, let’s consider why fellow TV journalists should care that the reporter gets little love in the coverage of the walk. It’s an example that shows when there are confrontations, the public tends to sympathize with anyone but the journalist. Yes, there are some exceptions especially in investigative reporting. But, remember, we are talking about general news coverage here. The reporter is described as the aggressor and gets less sympathy in coverage of a situation like this.

Partner this with the fact that, increasingly, news managers are trying to differentiate coverage by “being more aggressive” and you have an entirely new set of ethical issues to consider. There’s also the matter of there now being so many cameras around that your actions can easily go viral on the internet. The incident we just linked you to above did, and quickly too.

So here’s what you need to consider when you get into an intense situation.

What is your stations news philosophy?
How far is too far? (i.e. – What is management’s threshold?)
Will you be typecast? (Will it hurt your professional image?)

Your station’s news philosophy must come first because it is the best gage you will get on how far you can take questioning and still have management’s backing. Some newsrooms are very against confrontational interviews. Some thrive on them. News philosophy also determines how you phrase everything you say. For example, some stations encourage the use of slang to try and relate to the viewer. Some are completely opposed to it and would be horrified if a reporter used a word like “jerk” in this type of setting. Some want action no matter what. They want you to yell. Others define that as highly unprofessional.

Which leads to our next point: You need a clue as to management’s threshold. Managers cannot and will not give you black and white answers about this type of situation for legal reasons. You can get good reads though, by discussing scenarios ahead of time with a boss. The video of this reporter covering the Anthony trial can also be a discussion point with a manager. Ask your managers what they think of the situation and try to talk it out.

Take another look at the video of this walk scene and consider your personal reaction to it. This is a good opportunity to gut check whehter you are being true to your view of what being a journalist is all about. In this day and age, you have to worry as much about the next possible boss reacting as you do your current news director. There is so much turnover, you need to be true to yourself in these situations. Many times I saw reporters act in a way that seemed very unlike their journalistic style. When I would talk with them later, I got the same answer each time: “I thought that’s what the ND wanted me to do.” Most ND’s will push you and tell you to be “aggressive.” Most bosses also understand that “aggressive” for one type of person is different than for another. Remain true to your heart and your carefully cultivated professional persona. You do not want video of your out of character attempt to impress the ND, to go viral on the internet. It will live forever in the digital world and may come back to bite you one day with another ND. Even if only the other stations in town see you doing an ambush type interview, this is a small biz. The other ND’s in town will soon know how you act in the field. Often ND’s considering hiring you, call your competition to learn more about you and see if you are a commodity. Keep that in mind. You are trying to impress all the ND’s in town every day. The only way to do that and not go crazy with stress is to stay true to your personal limits on what’s acceptable. You do not want to be typecast as something you are not.

One final thought: if something like this happens to you in the field, call your immediate manager right away. This is very important. You want to give management time to come up with a reaction before they start getting calls. We suggest calling your boss even if you aren’t the TV station directly involved. Just witnessing and recording the whole thing, could mean your ND will get a phone call. The last thing you want is your ND or GM getting blindsided, by something you knew about, then having to “save face” for you and your station because of an ambush style interview, no matter how common they’ve become.

The Station called. The job’s yours. Now what?

So you got the big call. The news director throws a few compliments, says he/she needed you there yesterday, then offers so-so money. How do you react? Be polite. Don’t sound excited. Say you have to think about it. In other words make the news director sweat just a little bit. Why? You want to eek out as much money as you can and this is your last chance to see if there is any wiggle room. Remember if you don’t get the money when you first walk in the door, the odds are about as good as playing the lottery that you will ever “see the money” in that shop. Eek out as much as you can immediately. The other reason to not jump for joy is to see how the news director acts towards you. Remember, be polite. Say you feel complimented. Just don’t say yes right away. Play a little hard to get. If the news director starts firing off that 10 other people are dying to be in your shoes right now and you better make up your mind fast, you know this person is will be hard to deal with and you should probably turn the job down. If the news director says take some time and think about it (usually that’s a day, maybe two) he/she knows this is a big decision, the odds are higher you really will be working for someone reasonable.

Then, before you decide to take the job, research two things: The management team and the cost of living where you might move.

Do Google searches and find out where this news director worked before. You want to find out as much as possible about the news director and assistant news director. Cold call old TV stations if you must and ask for people who worked under these managers. If you are told the person is amazing, demand to know the bad things. You need to figure out if you can handle this person’s quirks. News directors and A.N.D.’s can quickly make or break you. Don’t trust that they checked you out and know you will click. He/she is overworked, overstressed and mostly interested in getting through each day without being eaten alive. Your personality means little to nothing. Filling the job means one less headache for management.

Next, if you haven’t already, research the heck out of the cost of living in this particular city. Check out various cost of living calculators online, like the one at Monster.com (http://monster.salary.com/costoflivingwizard/layoutscripts/coll_start.asp). Better yet, get online and read the local newspaper. Find out the average cost of renting an apartment by looking at the classifieds and take a look at the grocery store flyers to try and gauge the cost of food. It can vary wildly and may make a huge difference to your bottom line. Also, call your car insurance company and find out what rates would be like in that city. You need to make sure that raise you think you are getting will really be there once you factor in these things. If you live in the south and are considering heading north, check out tax rates. One place we lived had state income taxes, county income taxes and city income taxes. A nearly 30 thousand dollar jump didn’t look so glamorous after that was factored in. You can use this information to try and eek out more money. Even if you end up getting only a little more, every bit helps.