This article discusses 7 tips to become a good reporter, the skills needed, and how to appear confident in front of the camera.
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“…reporting from the scene. Back to the studio.”
Don’t you often hear that sentence when you’re watching the news? Usually it is the reporter who often talks.
What is a reporter?
Simply put, a reporter is a person who collects and reports news to the public through the media. Can print media, media on line, radio, or TV. For print media reporters, report news in written form, while TV reporters usually broadcast live, aka live report.
When you’re watching the news, have you ever thought “Hm, it’s really cool to be a reporter. You can meet the president, artists, football players, then you can travel around Indonesia.”
Okay, let’s turn that thought into reality. Be a real reporter.
“B-but I’m not majoring in Communication Studies or Journalism. Can you do that?”
You can, please. To be a reporter, you don’t have to be majoring in Communication, Broadcasting or Journalism, really. What matters is the willingness to learn and develop skills.
Najwa Shihab is one of them, he is a graduate of Law from the University of Indonesia who has entered the world of journalism. And success.
7 tips to become a reliable reporter
1. Diligently read
A reporter must have broad insight and also know the most information updates. One way is by reading. Can read a book or read the news through smartphone.
By reading a lot, you will be helped to understand various issues, topics, or events.
To be diligent in reading, you can include this activity in to do list. So there is a special free time for reading. It can be at night before going to bed, or in the morning after waking up. Usually a lot of new and exciting news. At first it may feel heavy, but after a while you will get used to it.
2. Don’t be shy to ask
Have you ever heard the proverb? “if you are shy of asking questions, you will get lost in your way” no? Well, if you want to be a reporter, that’s the way it is. Embarrassed to ask can’t get news. 🙁 How come?
For example, you cover and there is an interview with a source. Then you are embarrassed to ask, then you will not get the information you need. Yet this information is important to be conveyed to the public.
So, don’t be shy. Get the information you need. But you have to keep attitudeyes.
You can start from everyday life, ask the lecturer if there is something you don’t understand, or ask other people when you don’t know the way, for example.
3. Durable
So reporters don’t get slammed, really. Just calm down. What this means is that you must be prepared to report any news. Because, the location and conditions of coverage are usually unpredictable. You can cover flood, fire, coverage when it rains, blusukan, and others. Therefore, you can’t be spoiled.
You must be ready to face new challenges every day. Not afraid of makeup fading, the smell of the sun, or body odor.
“I don’t want flood coverage, the water is dirty”
Hmm, it’s best not to be like that, okay? You have to be professional. Even though the location and conditions of the coverage are uncomfortable, you have to be able to face it and still present the best news to the public.
Also read: These 5 Simple Things Can Help You Have a Resilient Mentality
4. Confident
“I like being nervous when I’m in front of the camera, I’m not confident like that.”
If you want to be a TV reporter, confidence is key. Because you will often appear in front of the camera and be seen by many people through the screen.
Reporters will often do live report or live broadcast. So nothing take repeat. Therefore, so that credibility is not in doubt, you must convey information in a straightforward and confident manner.
If you are nervous or have camera fever, the public will notice and think you are unprofessional.
You apply 5 tips from Rory Asyari and practice in front of a mirror, in front of friends, or recorded with a camera smartphone. Think of the object as a camera so you get used to it.
Take a class: Drafting and Delivering News for TV News Reporters
5. Join the community
Community, usually contains people with similar interests. In it, you can discuss with each other, exchange information, or build relationships.
If you want to be a reporter, you can join the journalist community, for example. That way, you will have study friends, discussion partners, and can share experiences, and job vacancies.
In addition, joining the community can also practice communication skills and build relationships with other people. Later, this will be useful because a reporter must be able to build relationships with colleagues, sources, and also the community.
6. More practice
To be smooth and not stiff, then you have to practice a lot. Practice reading news scripts, for example. Or practice writing a news script. These two things are very important if you want to be a reporter.
There are many news scripts that you can read on the internet. You can use it as an example to write your own script and then read it. You can also see on TV or YouTube how a reporter reads the script. His intonation, emphasis, and facial expression.
After that, just try to practice with your smartphone camera. After that, what value, yes, roughly what should be repaired. The way of delivery, facial expressions, speaking speed, and so on. You can also ask a friend to rate it and give suggestions of what you need to improve.
7. Learn the journalistic code of ethics
Every profession usually has a code of ethics. Reporters are included in the journalism profession, therefore this profession has a Journalistic Code of Ethics. It regulates the rights and obligations if you work in the world of journalism. Therefore, before jumping in, there’s nothing wrong with studying the code of ethics.
To get to know and understand more about the profession that you will be in later.
Well, that’s 7 tips to start a career as a reporter. It turns out that there are many things that must be learned to become a reliable reporter. Relax, you can learn more about how to be a reporter at IGAcademy. This is Work Success Class from IGAcademy. In this class, you will learn more about reporters together with instructors who are competent and experienced in their fields. Come on, keep improving yourself with IGAcademy!
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