Qualities of a good Reporter

Pushker Srivastava
B.Tech., MBA, PGDCA, MMC, Ph.D.
Director (Projects), ADIWISE Incl, USA Director (Projects), City360 News Network Chief Advisor, Ceasefire magazine on Defence Journalism Ex-Production Manager, Steel Authority of India (SAIL), Govt. of India Ex-Sr. Manager (Media services & Post-Production- O & M)

Visiting Professor - Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Delhi, GGS IP University,
EMPI Business University, AMITY International University

Consultant UNICEF, BBC, SIEMENS, CNEB TV Corporate Trainer Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Armed Forces, Indian Police Academy, BSF, Indian Information Service Subject Expert
Cyber Journalism and New Media Technologies at UGC and NCERT

Intelligence: to be able to understand complex issues. NOSE FOR NEWS

Knowledge: broad general knowledge and experience in order to understand a number of different areas and have the ability to go from one area to another easily.

Effective: the ability to get things done; work under pressure; work well with others under pressure; be well organized.

Curiosity: the need to be curious enough to go beyond the surface; look at things in a questioning manner; to seek information to find out about people, events, activities and to understand them; to be skeptical at times.

Comprehension: the ability to analyze information, sort the important from the unimportant; understand what you're writing about.

Unbiased Ability to be neutral and unbiased. Should not report in any bodys favour, report the actual happenings and the facts only. He should not mingle his own opinion in the story and also must try to find all sides to a story.

Judgment: gather information and learn to sort the important from the unimportant effectively; be able to weed out information, determining what readers need to know, what will make a complete, accurate article.

Guts You need to be brave enough to write the truth, no matter what the consequences. Sometimes its not easy. You end up almost becoming friends with your sources over time, and then one day you may be forced to write something negative about someone who thought they were your friend. Thats just the nature of the business. Also, sometimes you have to get mean with people who try to stonewall you and hide the truth.

Persistent: knowing when to continue to seek or push for information, when to give up; the need to be energetic; not stopping just because someone says "no"
(remember reporters Woodward and Bernstein and the obstacles they encountered unraveling the Watergate scandal, which forced the resignation of U.S. President Richard Nixon in 1974).

Literacy: grammatical skills; reading ability coupled with comprehension; acceptable writing skills.

Motivation: the drive to work beyond the normal 8-hour day; journalists must cover the story when it occurs; news is a perishable commodity.

Personal Stability: keeping your head when the world around seems to be falling apart; ability to remain professional and do the job even though you may be witnessing unpleasantness.
One still-famous example is the radio reporter who was broadcasting when a large dirigible (blimp), the Hindenburg, exploded just before landing in 1937 in New Jersey. Although emotional, he kept reporting. In addition, the more stable you are, the more apt you are to treat people fairly and write objectively.

Good PR good reporter should know and make good relations with all the famous personalities of his or her defined area.

Meeting Deadlines: He should have an ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines.

News Sense He should have an ability to ask critical questions to the source.

News Sense Reporters have to have an eye for what is newsworthy, what the hook is in a story. Editors are there to help reporters develop good news judgment, but there are times when reporter will have to make snap decisions on their own and find the proper focus for a story.

Communication Skills You have to be able to communicate with people, interpret what information they give you, and present it to others.

IntegrityThis goes without explanation. Be loyal to your profession.