It is the most essential tool for any journalist, of any age or
experience. The reporter's notebook is a small, compact tablet of paper
for a reporter to write down facts, quotes, thoughts or anything else that
may be useful for the story.
This is a picture of a reporter's notebook.
It is the most essential tool for any journalist, of any age or
experience. The reporter's notebook is a small, compact tablet of paper
for a reporter to write down facts, quotes, thoughts or anything else that
may be useful for the story.
This is a voice recorder. It is very useful to record an interview so that quotes and facts will be as accurate as possible. Remember to ask the interviewee if it is ok to use a voice recorder before you record an interview!
The picture to the left is a digital camera and the picture to the right is of a camcorder. It is a useful skill for all current journalists to have ths skills to shoot their own pictures and even shoot video of an event. Being multi-skilled is an important attribute in today's highly competitive world of journalism, where there are fewer jobs than ever. Being able to just report and write is not the only skill necessary to be a successful journalist anymore.
This is a radio microphone. Often times, successful journalists do not just report news and record their opinions in print. Continuing the theme of being multi-skilled, it is often useful to have experience in radio or TV broadcasting. For instance, writers for ESPN often take part in the network's hundreds of TV shows and radio programs. Once again, being a journalist nowadays entails much more than reporting and writing.
Finally, above any gadgets and technology, a journalist's brain is his/her most important tool. Journalists must be sharp and receptive, able to find and interpret news, disseminate the facts, ask the right questions, and put it all into a story that effectively communicates the crucial facts to the reader. Thinking critically is vital to being a successful journalist before anything else.
