While many of us who work as reporters and videographers actually enjoy operating solo, there are many disadvantages to doing so.
Many news organizations are starting to implement the model into their newsrooms. While smaller US outlets, and many overseas networks, have been doing it for years, it's only now becoming more common in the United States.
It was back in 1997, when I was working in radio at Independent Television News in London, that the organization began employing Video Journalists. However, these reporters did not appear on screen. They simply acted as producers with cameras - shooting b-roll and interviews for inclusion in correspondent packages. Things have changed, and such video journalists are now very much part of the on-air talent pool.
So if you are considering introducing video reporters into your newsroom, or you are a journalist looking to move into this field, I have drawn up what I see as the pros and cons of one-man-band reporting:
PROS:
1) Independence.
You can operate how you want, within the rules of your employer. There is no possibility of conflicts between members of a crew on how to do things. You do what you think is best.
2) Efficiency.
It is much easier to move around quickly, especially on breaking news assignments, if there is just one person. A large crew can be a hindrance to mobility.
3) Cost.
Employing one person is cheaper than employing more than one! In a traditional crew you may need a reporter, producer, shooter, sound engineer and editor to put together a finished story. It's obviously less expensive to have one person doing all tasks.
For organizations who want to use a one-man-band reporter located somewhere as a solution to a bureau, it dramatically cuts costs. I coined the term "pajama bureau", meaning a reporter working from home rather than an office, significantly reducing the cost for the employer.
4) Speed.
Not necessarily the speed of getting around, rather the overall time it takes to get a project done.
Having the same person responsible for shooting, writing and then editing a story makes things much quicker. For example, as a journalist, you should have in your mind how you would like the story to go in terms of pictures. You are therefore in a great position to shoot the pictures you know you are going to need. When you come to write your script, you know exactly what b-roll you have because you shot it! Similarly, when you come to edit the piece, you will have a better idea where the pictures you shot are, than you would if someone else shot them. This will save time viewing rushes and so on.
CONS:
1) Lack of company.
Sometimes, everyone needs a colleague to shoot the breeze with. As a one-man-band reporter you don't have that.
2) Large amount of work for one person.
There are certainly benefits to having one person responsible for all the elements of putting together a story. But that can also have its drawbacks, in that it means one person has to work very hard. It's sometimes tough to have to think about the story you are covering while also shooting b-roll. Dealing with the technical aspects of the job means a solo TV journalist may have less time to interact with the people they are doing a story about. The 'news gathering' element is harder to achieve. Being a one-man-band can be exhausting.
3) Technical problems.
Reporters are often not trained shooters. While many of us do our best to educate ourselves on what looks good and what doesn't, not much can replace the expertise of a seasoned, quality videographer. In reverse, a shooter is not necessarily a journalist by trade. But in a solo operation, they will need to ask questions and gather the story. Often the one-man-band reporter is a jack of all trades, and a master of none.
When you're learning by trial and error, obviously errors occur. And that is never good.
4) Idea sharing.
When you operate alone, you are entirely responsible for the creative input. You are the only one responsible for the story. It's often nice to have someone else to bounce ideas off, or a fresh pair of eyes to help with, or look over, a script you have written. Not having that can put the one-man-band reporter at a disadvantage.
I'd like to hear what readers think of this - anyone who is a solo TV journalist and can add their experiences to the ones I have here.
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