Who is a correspondent? What does he do? What is good about this profession? How to become a correspondent? What skills and personal qualities do you need to have? Let's figure it out.
Who is a correspondent?
Deciphering the meaning of the word "correspondent",the explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova, gives us three possible answers: this is a person who is in correspondence with someone; correspondent author; media officer.
Regarding the latter definition, the sensibledictionary dn Ushakov describes it more accurately. According to this dictionary, the correspondent is not just an employee of a periodical, but the person who transmits information from the scene. This is probably the reason why the opinion is spread that the journalist is “sitting” in the publishing house, and the correspondent leaves for places to gather information.
В какой-то степени это так.A journalist is a broader concept than a correspondent. This is a universal specialist. He may well be a correspondent, but in general he must be able to carry out not only the collection and processing of information, but also other types of journalistic activity.
What does the correspondent do?
Based on the foregoing, the correspondent isa person who travels to the scene for interviewing, shooting the plot, reporting. He can also participate in the installation of finished material, write text for the transfer or articles, coordinate the work of the photographer and the operator.
May be on the staff or be a freelancer. In the second case, the correspondent is not tied to the editors and has the ability to work remotely.
Advantages of working as a correspondent
- There is a chance to gain fame. Although this advantage has its drawbacks.
- A great opportunity to meet interesting people, make useful connections.
- Active lifestyle. Correspondents often travel, they are always in the center of events.
- The work is creative, interesting and certainly not boring.
Cons of a correspondent
- Work can be dangerous.
- You can forget about a clear timetable.Sometimes it is necessary to work on weekends and holidays, and overtime on weekdays is the norm. Sometimes it is necessary to "break" to work on the call of the chief in the middle of the night.
- Very fast pace of life. It is necessary to follow the events, find interesting material in time and be able to work in a stressful environment.
- Over time, correspondents are beginning to look for material for the article. And even on weekends their brain is not disconnected from work. Therefore, the correspondent is more a lifestyle than a profession.
How to learn from the correspondent
You can graduate from the faculty of journalism orFaculty of Philology, but in general, 70% of media employees have no special education. The ability to write articles is not the main thing in the work of a correspondent. The ability to find useful information, conduct interviews, analyze some events is much more important.
However, the collection and processing of information, and even in the time trouble, is an occupation for an amateur. If this is not to their liking, then working as a correspondent will be unbearable.
In the comprehension of the skill of interviewing university lectures will also be of little use if the person does not feel the interlocutor, is closed and cannot boast of sociability.
As you can see, the correspondent is more a way of life than the ability to perform a number of professional tasks, and not everyone will be suited for such work.
