Here are some useful tips for beginning TV journalists who are heading for a field coverage.

• Before going into the field for live coverage, prepare some background information and go through the objectives with the anchor and photographer.
• When coverage goes on air, any new information should first be provided in brief then elaborated on and explained, if time allows. It is a good idea, for example, to provide a summary of all information that has been previously gathered.
• If a critical moment in the event appears, pause in talking and let the actions speak for themselves.
• Getting extremely close to the location of the event will not bring any special acclaim. The reporter is there as a transmitter of facts and not a TV star or a war hero. For the reliability of reporting, it is sufficient to know that a journalist is present at the location of the incident. Always remember that the security and safety of the work team comes first.

Getting extremely close to the location of the event will not bring any special acclaim. The reporter is there as a transmitter of facts and not a TV star or a war hero.

• At the scene, the same information is available to many people at the same time. A reporter can try to distinguish themselves from others by their choice of expressions and points of view.
• Not all confrontations are violent and not all rallies are massive, so things should be conveyed with reference to their actual magnitude. Avoid blowing things out of proportion.
• Reporting is teamwork. The praise and fame for successful reporting are not for the reporter only. A fair reporter gives credit to the whole team.