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“Reporter related Frequently Asked Questions by expert members with job experience as Reporter. These questions and answers will help you strengthen your technical skills, prepare for the new job interview and quickly revise your concepts”



69 Reporter Questions And Answers

41⟩ Tell us what do you bring with you on a typical day of reporting?

Stakeout food. Years ago I had this girlfriend who pointed out that I lived off of slices of pizza, Chinese takeout and beer, and that this would eventually kill me. She was right. She turned me onto yogurt and muesli. It tastes like paste, but it’s clean, it’s cheap and it’s fuel. So everywhere I go I got this container of yogurt and muesli.

I also carry cameras, flashlights, binoculars, notepads, pens, unread mail. I got bills in my bag and a newspaper to read. I have an iPad, which, in theory, I can file stories on, but that’s been a bad investment because the iPad connection just doesn’t really work when you need it. I have a charger, some plastic gloves, a Hagstrom map of the five boroughs, an umbrella and a checkbook, because the dirty side of the business is that sometimes I have to buy pictures. One time I got in a bidding war with the New York Post for footage of two police officers being killed. Another time I bought security footage of these killers. Before they went out to basically kill people, they went to a Popeyes Chicken. I went to that location and let’s just say I bought $1000 worth of chicken.

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48⟩ Explain me why will the reader or viewer care about the story?

Yes, I’d like to know why a reporter is curious about a story idea. But I’d also like him to step outside of his reporter’s role and think as a reader or viewer. How can we frame the story in a way that’s relevant to the average person? This is where the reporter considers why the story would grab the attention of his parents or, say, his friends at a bar (or his parents at a bar).

Not that his parents or friends are average people, but they live outside the newsroom (which can sometimes become fixated on a story that’s not relevant to others). Ordinary people are most concerned about their finances, health and safety. And if they have kids, they’re probably concerned about all of that, plus education. Does the reporter’s story idea touch upon any of these issues?

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49⟩ Tell me what’s the glimpse of wisdom we can offer?

The best stories for me are those that not only tell readers something they don’t know, but also resonate with readers because they touch upon a universal theme. They offer readers a “glimpse of wisdom” -- an important lesson that the people we’re writing about have learned -- whether it’s about love or loyalty, betrayal or resilience. Those are the most satisfying stories for me. Equipped with cable TV, laptops, tablets and smart phones, our readers are lost in a sea of information. They are hungry for context and meaning. The “glimpse of wisdom” is one of the most important things we can offer them.

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51⟩ Tell me have You Any Questions About This Post Of Journalist?

Remember that two key traits of journalists are an inquisitive nature and the ability to ask the right questions so demonstrate these at interview! The best questions to ask are those that you really would like to know the answer to, rather than those you can find in books on interview skills. If you research the company well enough, you will find a number of questions naturally arising that you wish to be answered.

You should, though, concentrate on questions that show your interest in, and motivation to do, the job itself, rather than the rewards it will bring. So, for example, you should ask about training and career progression in preference to pay and pensions!

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52⟩ Tell us what’s new about the story, and why do you want to tell it now?

I want the reporter to have done enough research to understand where the story lies in a timeline. What previous events have led to the current situation? Give me that context. Then let me know what’s new about the situation. Does the story reflect a new trend, a turning point, the start or the end of a conflict? Do we need to tell the story in advance of an upcoming decision, meeting or event?

Such “news pegs” can be limiting, and I’ve often argued that we should be able to publish stories just because they are good stories. But given how busy readers are and how many distractions they face, it helps if a story -- even “just a good story” -- has a compelling reason to be told today.

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53⟩ As you know what Are Reporter Credentials? How Are Credentials Obtained?

There is no standard for a reporter's credentials; the only thing I ever had was my employee ID card issued at the time I got the job, and that was always fine. There may be something issued for entertainment or sports journalism, but I do not know those areas.

Some venues may require that you send in a request on corporate letterhead (stationery) for a special event's credentials, but those standards would vary from event to event.

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55⟩ Tell me how would you tell this story to a friend?

I like asking this question because it encourages the writer to think about the most interesting and relevant nuggets of the story. We’re good at considering the news value of a story, but we’re not always as good pondering the “Why should the reader care?” part. Having the writer imagine telling the story to a friend can help him or her think about why we should care. This approach can also help the writer move away from any jargon and bring a conversational tone to the piece.

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56⟩ Tell us what Should An "editors Note" Contain? How Does One Write It?

An editor's note is usually found in the first several pages of a magazine, and can contain anything from the editor's most recent experiences to his/her opinion on the contents of the magazine. Editor's notes can also contain responses to readers' letters, new research on whatever the subject of the magazine is, event tips.

Editor's notes usually reveal the editor's personality, which makes readers come back for more!

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57⟩ Explain me how do we bring something new to this story?

Your best reporters want to be challenged. And chances are, if they are veterans, they have tackled a story similar to the one they are tackling now. What better way to challenge them than to ask them to come up with a fresh approach to the story? The approach could involve words, but it could also involve photography, graphics and online elements. This question will also help writers think about collaborating with visual journalists across the newsroom.

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58⟩ Tell me what Are The Different Leads Of Journalism?

For the news lead, you should have the 5 W's & H (who, what when, where, why, and how). However, if it is for a feature lead then there are wide varieties. Magic Three, Descriptive, Anecdotal, Narrative, and Teaser are the main ones.

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59⟩ Tell me what’s your take on blogs and the burgeoning online media culture?

I don’t have a lot of time for that. I’m busy. This aggregation thing, it’s a bad ethos. If people are not producing original journalism, why should people pay attention? Overtime, they won’t. But by then the real institutions are going to be gone, and you just don’t build those overnight. Everyone’s going to be locked into these aggregators until they get bored and realize they don’t serve their interest, and they’re going to look around for the real newspapers and the real newsmakers, and they’re not going to be there anymore. Then what are we going to do?

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