What Makes a Good Reporter

1
What Makes a Good Reporter

• Advanced Reporting and Writing
• Journalism and Media Studies Centre
• The University of Hong Kong
• Gene Mustain

2
What Makes a Good Reporter

• Great reporters dont get that way sitting
  aroundeverything that is worth doing in life
  calls for resourcefulness, courage and devotion.
• Hsaio Chien, in Into the Wider World

3
What Makes a Good Reporter

• Resourcefulness. Creative use of capabilities.
  Trying more than one way.
• Courage. Standing up for your principles. The
  strength to make people unhappy.
• Devotion. Working hard to overcome obstacles.

4
What Makes a Good Reporter

• The only qualities for real success in
  journalism are rat-like cunning, a plausible
  manner and a little literary ability.
• Nicholas Tomalin, a good reporter

5
What Makes a Good Reporter

• Rat-like cunning. Its being resourceful,
  figuring out how to evade traps and get things.
• Plausible manner. The state of knowing little or
  nothing, but being willing to learn.
• A little literary ability. A little can be
  acquired.

6
What Makes a Good Reporter

• Reporters are the heroes of journalism.
• What they do is find things out, amid chaos and
  against obstacles.
• If they dont, who will?
  

7
What Makes a Good Reporter

• Shared beliefs about the job
• Information better than rumor and speculation.
• Resist and evade government management of the
  news.

8
What Makes a Good Reporter

• Scrutinize and hold government officials
  accountable.
• Monitor businesses and institutions for treatment
  of workers and quality of products.
• Give voice to people with opposing views.

9
What Makes a Good Reporter

• Reflect societys values and vices.
• Ensure justice is fair and open.
• Promote exchange of ideas

10
What Makes a Good Reporter

• Some common attributes
• A good news sense.
• A passion for accuracy.

11
What Makes a Good Reporter

• Never assume.
• Dont be afraid to ask.
• Skeptical.
• Unbiased.

12
What Makes a Good Reporter

• Empathize with people.
• Determined and compassionate.
• Independent, but realistic.

13
What Makes a Good Reporter

• There are many examples of reporters who changed
  history with their resourcefulness, courage,
  devotion, cunning, plausible manner and literary
  ability.
• Put more simply, however, what matters most is
  trying hard to do a good job, day in and day out.