If you're still falling asleep each night to dreams of TV news stardom, you need to make sure you're looking through the lens as much as you're looking at it. Backpack Journalists or BPJ's are here to stay.
No longer are just small-market stations expecting their young reporters to shoot and edit their own materials. Now, medium and large-market stations are expecting anyone who can walk and talk to be a "one-man band."
What USA Today predicted four years ago: has now come true. Recently, USA Today's parent company, Gannett, added "outstanding backpack journalist" as a category to its Best of Gannett Awards.
Still think BPJ's are just a rumor?
So as you're preparing those audition tapes and resumes for that first job interview in a TV newsroom, here's a few thoughts to make sure your backpack is ready to go:
Learn the basics of operating a video camera. Just because you can shoot Aunt Betty's 80th birthday part with your home VHS doesn't' mean you can shoot news. Can you also white balance a camera? Can you steady a tripod? Can you pan or zoom without the finished product looking like an earthquake?
If you can't shoot (or even if you can), it's best to get some guidance on videographer basics before you head off to that interview. If you've had an internship, go back and find a videographer who can share the basics with you. Even better, find a BPJ at one of those stations and have them show you the ropes. Then, get out on the weekend and practice.
If you're still in college, sign out a camera from your university's communications department. If nothing else take mom and dad's VHS camera and practice finding a mark, hitting "record" and running around in front to shoot a standup.
Be prepared to answer BPJ questions as part of your first job interview. Don't be surprised if that News Director leans across the desk and says, "OK. Let's see what you can do. Grab that camera, head out and get some interviews on the street about (choose a topic), shoot a standup, and come back and write a package for me. Go!"
Use the net. There are quite a few good blogs out there written by BPJ's about the daily grind of their job as both videographer and reporter. Google them and find a good one to read daily.
Remember, this isn't to say that BPJ is your long-term future in TV News, but you have to survive the short-term if you're still hoping to be on-air.
