According to veteran journalist Deborah potter, the best journalists are life-long learners.They are good at their craft but they never think they know it all. But, in Calcutta, some journalists including you think that you know everything and don’t need any further training or workshop.you think that they are from the Mars.You write or broadcast stories against corruption, nepotism,pubic nuisance, atrocities against women but in personal life, they behave differently.Please shade your ego and try to lead normal life.
Theresa Collington Moore,the news researcher of CBS affiliated WTSP 10 TV,St.Petersburg,Florida, whom I consider my mentor.From my early days of journalism,I learnt a lot about news research from her works.She is my Guru Dronacharya,I follow her like Eklavya with out the painful one.I try to follow her style with my own interpretation.According to her,news researchers of local TV stations should have the ability to provide background checks for the reporters in the field.They work side by side with the reporters but unlike reporters they work behind curtains.They don’t get enough credit for their work.But,as information junkies they enjoy every bit of it.They check and recheck every information and follow the journalism mantra,when your mother says she loves you check it out.News researchers believe that facts are more important than adjectives.I also consider Deborah Potter,Preside nt of NewsLab,a broadcast training and research center and a former network correspondent as my mentor.I was inspired and motivated by her works and learnt a lot from her about media ethics .But even now local TV stations in Calcutta don’t think that they need a newsroom researcher.But when regional news channels are competing each other,they should have create their own identity.A news researcher who is associated with a local TV station, helps reporters to develop their stories ,search stories-news items for producers.He or she should maintain his or her own data bank,story bank.The concept of news researcher has changed in recent years because local TV stations now a days concentrate on hyper local news. I don’t consider myself as a good reporter, but always wanted to be a good news researcher.
News Researchers don’t consider themselves as a knowledgeable person but they only know how to provide quick authentic information.They only use subscription based online archival materials.As a researcher for local TV station,you can not expect to get ready made information from the net.I stop goggling years ago.When a major story breaks out you don’t have the time to search google or other search engines.You should maintain your own archives.. In India the internet penetration is 12.4% where as in America the penetration is 22.2% so we should learn from them how to use internet.
In case of breaking news,a good news researcher can help reporters or news desk at the initial stage(AVO).For example,when a major accident occurs,a capable news researcher of a local TV station collects necessary informations or phone numbers and passes it to reporters or news desk.
T.C. Moore,the news researcher of CBS affiliated TV station,WTSP TV, Tampa Bays , Fl orida, whom I c onsider my mentor.From my early days of journalism,I learnt a lot about news research from her works.
Always remember,when reporters are always chasing the news or when they always out the door,they get little time to concentrate on the finer points of the story.like track the people in the news first, backgrounding, detailing, harding the news.News researchers do that on reporter’s behalf.Therefore it is not only necessary but essential to have a news researcher.It saves time.
In the age of cut throat competition, news channels in Calcutta should use vastly different approaches to attract viewers specially younger ones who are not interested in news and current affairs. For this purpose, they should try to blend entertainment with news. Purists may criticised these efforts. But, the ultimate goal is to shore up revenues and create a self identity.As professional journalists, we sh ould know how to use the Internet. We should have knowledge that online research is an art and we must do it properly.Small or mid sized newspapers or magazines who have not afford to buy news from news agencies and other sources should not use copy righted materials.Social media and blogs are important elements of journalism. They narrow the distance between journalists and the public. They encourage lively, immediate and spirited discussion. They can be vital news-gathering and news-delivery tools. As a journalist you should uphold the same professional and ethical standards of fairness, accuracy, truthfulness, transparency and independence when using social media as you do on air and on all digital news platforms.
As professional online news researchers, we should always use extreme search engines and subscription based online archives rather than popular search engines like Google and others.In any from of journalism plagiarism is not acceptable.Already Radio and Television Digital News Association provides some guidelines.They should know how to honour the intellectual property of others, including text,video and audio materials.Online journalists should also respect the dignity, privacy and invasion of privacy is acceptable when necessary in the public interest.