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Show some respect: don't type near the mic

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by johngregory, Jun 7, 2013.

  1. schiezainc

    schiezainc Well-Known Member

    Is it really that hard for professional media people to work TOGETHER instead of only selfishly caring about themselves?
    This thread is absurd.
    There is absolutely no difference between what this print guy is doing, what the obnoxious TV/radio people who interfere with the ability of other print journalists to get quotes are doing and what parents at prep games do when they try to get in the way of photographers so they can record little Johnny's base hit for his scrapbook.
    It's all juvenile bullshit.
    Sometimes you're not going to be able to avoid getting in someone's way/interfering with someone's ability to do their job in the normal and routine course of you doing yours but if one simple move makes it easier for EVERYONE to do their job, then do it.
    As long as moving two rows isn't affecting this print guy's ability to record quotes and do his job, he has no argument here.
    It's no different than when you're doing an interview with multiple reporters/outlets. If there's a finite time for you to do your job and you need to step on people's toes to get your quote, then have at it. You have a responsibility to get your work done. Everyone can understand that.
    But if it's a routine postgame presser and you're in a small group, there's no shame in taking turn asking questions and being mindful of others so that everyone can get their work done.
    This "I'm the only one that matters," horseshit is juvenile and anyone who subscribes to this theory needs to reevaluate their professionalism.
     
  2. schiezainc

    schiezainc Well-Known Member

    And I actually dealt with this very thing this afternoon while shooting a local HS graduation. There was a guy from the local yearbook company taking photos of each individual graduate after they received their diploma. My job was to get shots of the entire ceremony and part of that was to take similar photos of graduates receiving their diploma.
    We were standing about three feet apart and it would have been easy for me to say "screw him, I'm the only person that matters," and shoot wherever/however I wanted but, instead, I chose an angle that allowed me to do my job and him to do his.
    It's a simple common courtesy that too often gets overlooked.
    You're there to do a job. So are others. Act professional or GTFO.
     
  3. JRoyal

    JRoyal Well-Known Member

    First off, it is, mostly. There are plenty of non-journalists, and some, like me, are former sports journalists who are in other fields of journalism. And then there are a lot of former sports journalists who just got the heck out of the biz. I don't get how people not liking your question means they aren't journalists. Seems rather arrogant for you to determine someone isn't a journalist just because you don't like what they had to say.

    Second off, read the board a little. There are a lot of smartasses on here. I'm betting some of these replies were at least partially that. Grow a thicker skin or get out of the business. If this board is so upsetting to you, I'm shocked you've made it as long as you have.

    Third off, when you post the question in terms of how much it damages things for TV and radio folks, then ask if print reporters could ever be right in this situation, you set yourself up for print reporters to lash out. You basically said it was a jerk move, then ask if a jerk move could be justified. There are people on this board who have had to deal with plenty of crap from TV and radio (and in fairness, TV and radio who have had to deal with print people's crap). You make assumptions that moving wouldn't prevent someone from doing their job, when as a print person some people prefer being closer. There could be reasons that they see it as helping (I pointed a couple out). You basically said anyone who criticized what radio people do doesn't get that they're doing their job, but there's no way sitting so close could be helping the print guy do his job better. Well, it could.

    Bottom line, you were right that we need to be more respectful of people during press conferences, games and other situations where we're not always as nice as we should be. And part of that would be you not coming onto a board and saying people aren't "sports journalists" because you don't like what they have to say.
     
  4. JRoyal

    JRoyal Well-Known Member

    Agreed, mostly.

    I know in some situations, the print people are under a tighter deadline. I've been there when I covered OU and we had to get things turned around quick after a night game. The TV people didn't have as tight of a deadline because the late news was already over, so they weren't going to make it anyway with press conference stuff, and outside of one station, the radio guys weren't going on right away with what they were getting either. So, in those situations, I can see print folks being a little pushier because they need to get quotes put into their stories ASAP so they can get it filed.
     
  5. schiezainc

    schiezainc Well-Known Member

    And that would be more than reasonable to think.
    In 10 years of doing interviews/postgame pressers/etc, I've only had a handful of bad experiences with other media members and most of those have been of the "My questions are the only questions that matter so to hell with you," variety where another reporter will either keep asking question after question and refuse to allow anyone else to get in a word with the subject or will cut off the person after he/she does finally try to answer your question. (Sorry, Rhody but you remain the worst person I've ever seen in this category).
    By and large, I have a great deal of respect for my peers in this industry and have worked with most long enough that we've established a fairly great working relationship where everyone is able to get what they need without stepping on other's toes.
    Is it perfect? No. Last week alone I shot four lacrosse championship games and in the moment of truth all I cared about were my shots and no one else's but, even then, I was still mindful to at least TRY to stay out of other people's way when possible.
    The bottom line is we would all be better served being a little more professional. It's bad enough that we have to put up with shitty parents/readers/publishers/coaches/athletes, we should at least treat other with respect.
    /Rant Over
     
  6. johngregory

    johngregory New Member

    Actually, I was referring to the fact that according to some in this thread, *I'm* not a sports journalist because I work in radio.... or at least less than one compared to the print and digital folks (both of which I've been in the past anyway)-and you're damn right I'm going to take offense to that.

    Like one poster has said, too many comments here were just of "the print guy is always right" variety.
     
  7. deskslave

    deskslave Active Member

    When I was a kid, I used to hear the pitcher's line or something being read on a broadcast and wonder why I never heard that at the stadium.
     
  8. Johnny Dangerously

    Johnny Dangerously Well-Known Member

    I started in the business at a time when it was considered a badge of honor to do something to annoy the electronic media. Now we're all electronic media, aren't we?

    Heck, three years ago I was recording, editing and posting audio clips with postgame interviews while others were writing their stories on deadline, and the quality of the audio started to matter to me like never before. I'm not in the trenches these days, but I imagined print reporters had become a little more sensitive to the needs of radio/TV folks because they were having to walk the proverbial mile in their shoes in some ways. I say that in general, not about this specific thread, and without judgment here -- because I don't fully know everyone's circumstance in the situation that prompted the initial post.
     
  9. Oggiedoggie

    Oggiedoggie Well-Known Member

    I was going to suggest that perhaps it might be possible to make the "KBLB K-Blab Action Sports for all your sports action" placard on your microphone stuck right at the front of the podium or held in the coach's face a little larger to shield out some of the ambient noise, but then I realized that would probably not be in line with out new-found sense of community and harmony.

    When I was a young bozo photographer, I used to get all bent out of shape that all sorts of folks were "ruining my shot" during press conferences and interviews. An older, wiser editor pulled me aside and suggested that the clutter and activity was the shot. And, if I wanted studio quality, I should figure out a way to get the coach or player into a studio.
     
  10. PaperDoll

    PaperDoll Well-Known Member

    Having been in two major press conferences this week, I realized the clicking of cameras created a surprisingly high level of ambient noise while the principals were speaking. The photogs were gathered on one side of a small and very crowded room, and I happened to be sitting in the first row on that side.

    The TV cameras were all the way in the back -- and I didn't seen any microphones -- so I don't know if it made a difference. But I wasn't about to ask a photog to turn off the sound on his camera so I could more easily use my iPhone recorder.
     
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