ABSTRACT
Although the phone and the internet have become much more important as a way of contacting sources, many reporters still spend a lot of time on the road. This is particularly true of broadcast reporters, who still need to speak to people to get that all-important sound interview or video footage, but newspaper and magazine reporters also prefer to sit face-to-face with their interviewee whenever possible. Sometimes you will be travelling with a camera crew, sometimes alone, and sometimes with a pack of other reporters. During all this travelling you need to ensure you make the best use of what is available to gain the maximum advantage in getting the story, especially if there are competitors. For the best stories you will often be working alone, trying to build an exclusive. But this may mean tracing sources who don’t want to be traced, or tracking people who would prefer not to talk to you. Other big stories might not be exclusive, and being able to get to the source first can be vital. Learning how to find people quickly and work well out on the road can make the difference between always being first with the story and just being one of the pack.
