The work of a newspaper reporter

Newspaper arc the windows of the world and give citizens an idea of what has happened and what is happening. The success of a newspaper depends on how swift and reliable the news it gives to the public. There are times when details of news are anxiously awaited and this is where newspapers must help. If this is done ably then that paper is popular. There are very many great newspapers in the world like the Times of London, the New York Times, Manchester Guardian, Le Monde, The Times of India, The ‘Hindu’ and so on. These papers depend on the reporters and their representatives for the news.

A reporter may be permanent or special. Big papers have their permanent representatives in important cities. A reporter must be well qualified and must be proficient in the language he uses and must have a university degree, especially in literature and humanities though there arc reporters who are proficient in sciences. He must have an eye for news and report it in attractive language. He must have a taste for many kinds of arts too to be able to give a critical view. He must be an outgoing and sociable man and a reporter should have a thorough knowledge of current history and should know something about the personalities on the scene. He should also have a flair for language.

A reporter should be able to cover the day-to-day incidents quickly. The reports must be genuine and reliable, otherwise, very soon the paper will lose its name. He must be capable of meeting important persons and if need be, interview them. He must be capable of getting local news so that the public will be aware of local happenings. Report on the general election or budget session of the Parliament may be important.

A reporter may be able to give an inkling as to why certain things are happening the way they do or likely to take place. Sometimes it may be investigative reporting. This is very important because it helps to alert people and to warn those who are the wrongdoers. In fact, a good reporter may help to sway public opinion.

A reporter should also be a good photographer in order to be able to catch the best of the person or the incident. A quick correct flash of an important event will be valued very much.

A reporter has to travel. He must have an idea of what different people do and live in different countries without affecting the philosophy and stand taken by his paper. His reporting must be unbiased.

A reporter is responsible for the paper he represents. The paper’s name and fame depend on its news. The reporter must be aware of his responsibilities.