Internships: Following Crews on Breaking News

BiB Contributor | George Howell

Here I am in Seattle, Washington working with award-winning photojournalist Katie Johnson at a breaking news scene. On this particular day, we were covering a head on collision caused by a drunk driver that resulted in the death of a young Seattle Police officer. As is the case with breaking news, our goal was to get on the air quickly, but more importantly, it was to be respectful of the tragic situation by being responsible in our reporting – every step of the way. If you’re working as a newsroom intern, be sure to follow a crew out on breaking news, because it can be an incredible learning experience. You’ll get a behind the scenes look at how reporters and photographers work closely together under pressure, in order to provide the best video and most accurate information to their viewers.

There is very little room for error during breaking news. If you’re shadowing a reporter under these circumstances, pay close attention to the way they separate facts from fiction. One of the basic rules of responsible journalism is to avoid reporting about rumors, or second hand information. You will find that this sort of gossip swirls around in abundance at developing scenes: one guy heard one thing from some other guy; a neighbor thinks his friend was somehow involved in the crime! It’s all information you can’t go with on the air. While it makes sense to investigate these rumors (off camera) to see if there’s any truth to them, reporters must report about facts: things they can see for themselves, along with eyewitness accounts, and information that has been confirmed through more than one source or the appropriate authorities. To quote a former a news director’s opinion about unconfirmed information, “when in doubt, leave it out!”

There is usually very little time to conduct interviews during breaking news, so crews must move efficiently to meet their deadlines! Decisions about what’s appropriate to air must also be made quickly. Take notes about the process. Offer to help the reporter and photojournalist however you can, and be sure to ask plenty of questions when it’s all done. You will walk away with a wealth of information.