Hey! TV Folks! Ask A Question!

Man, I was at a pretty major presser today. There were six TV stations/affiliates there - all with a cameraperson and reporter.

Collectively, they asked ONE question. ONE!

I and a radio reporter did all the asking.

It's ok local TV, don't be scared. No one's going to bite.

It just irks me that they're going to use the answers to my questions for their gain.

And, before anyone jumps on me, yes, I'd use answers to their questions if they asked any. But then, I'd feel like it was fair give and take.

But today, it was me and one other person doing the questioning.

I'm not sure if I should be frustrated, but I am.

 

You can't blame the reporter for being thrown into a situation, but in the days I worked a beat it would be irksome when a TV guy would come up to me before a press conference and try to get background, and by background I mean the most basic information imaginable.

Not all of them, of course, but it happened a lot more than I would've thought if I was just a viewer.

 

Were your questions really that magnificent?

If you desperately need exclusive quotes, wait until after the presser and ask additional questions.

 

That's not the point.

The point is they suck at their jobs.

 

I don't know that I've EVER been to a presser with camerapeople AND reporters for TV stations. In Lexington, pretty much all the reporters did their own camerawork at HS games and things like that. Hard for me to wrap my mind around 12 people from 6 TV stations at one presser.

Either way, just do your job, and know that you're doing what you're supposed to be doing. You can't worry about them, as infuriating as it may be.

 

You know, you're right. Now that I think of it, I'm shocked they all sent two people. Every single station. There wasn't one doing both jobs.

 

Yeah, my original point was going to be maybe it was just a cameraperson they sent out to get footage, but wasn't a reporter. Then I re-read your post and it blew my mind.

 

Were you and the radio guy the only other reporters there?
I've been to pressers that were kind of packed, and it's sometimes hard to get a question in because others pipe up the split-second the person stops talking. And after a few questions, most of what I was going to ask has already been answered or the thing is wrapping up.

 

Not that big of a deal. If you would have stopped asking questions and they needed more, they would have asked some, or at least I would hope so. But you kept asking. And they kept taping.

Like Moddy said, you should be happy. Most print guys would kill for such luck.

 

Pete, we've all seen this happen at sports events, too. Especially when the "other" reporter (print or TV) covers a huge area and doesn't know jack about the teams playing.

You'll ask all the questions and he/she will just stand there with a tape recorder and/or camera, capturing all those fine questions and answers. I try to take it as a compliment, and figure the player/coach/source can tell who's competent and who's not.

I've covered some "hard" news press conferences over the years, and like others have said, you probably should be glad the TV reporters kept quiet. They're often woefully short on good questions outside of "How did you feel?"

 

The hell's a radio station doing covering news these days? Can't they just pick that shit up from the newspaper and then slap their name on the end of it?