Top Tool for a Journalist
Friday, September 24, 2010
Every journalist needs what is considered the top tool in some form.
There is a list of the top five tools for journalists, and the voice recorder is number one.
They are crucial to a journalist's writing.
So many mistakes can be made if the journalist doesn't have this tool.
When writing an article that involves interviewing, which I've found that most do, having some form of voice recorder is an absolute necessity.
If a journalist doesn't happen to have some type of recording device on them, they may be in a critical condition later on when trying to write the story.
The reason for the voice recorder is to make interviewing and jotting notes simpler. If something is missed it may be listened to later on to see what was said.
Another reason voice recorders are important is that when quoting somebody, a journalist must use exactly what they said. If the journalist merely jots notes instead of writing word for word then there will be no quotes to use.
Without quotes the article or story will be bland. The public will not want to read anything they can't relate to.
To avoid these mishaps, get some form of voice recorder.
Now, get out there and start interviewing.
7 comments:
Let me be the first one to support your post. Having a tape recorder during Nathan T. Wright's speech helped me get my story done faster than I would have done by memory. My recorded notes helped me get more accurate quotes and allowed me to review a few topics I missed while taking handwritten notes.
I completely agree with this story. While working for Simpson College's newspaper my freshman year, I didn't always have a voice recorder. Now, a year older- and more wise- I always carry around my own voice recorder at all times.
Another quick tip: have extra batteries. This has saved me numerous times in interviews.
Recordings really help with writing stories, that way you know you have the quote right. Tara, I will definitely take that tip into consideration.
Interviewing without a voice recorder is a nightmare! It is impossible to catch and right down everything a person is saying and you're more than likely to make mistakes. I couldn't live without my voice recorder.
Tara you're more than right about carrying around extra batteries. I just bought myself a new pack yesterday.
I will be the first to say that the first story I have had to actually work on for anything is the one for our Beginning news writing and reporting class. I found that without a voice recorder that it made it hard for me to specifically quote Nathan.
With a voice recorder I think most of my problems with my first story could have been prevented.
I agree with everyone! Having a voice recorder is an essential tool now a days. I did not have one at the time of the Nathan T. Wright Forum and really wished I did after the fact. Being able to be 100% sure on the quote makes you feel more confident as a writer. Hoping you got the right quote makes you not even want to put it in your story in fear it will not be word for word. And yes extra batteries is always a good idea Tara!! :-)
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