Introduction to Television Reporting

10. Press Conferences

(This is the final article in the Ten part series on 'Introduction to Television Reporting', this series is part of an online course taken by CBA)

Not many journalists like press conferences. They often seem to be a necessary evil in our lives.

This is partly because so many press conferences (also called news conferences) are surprisingly boring and unimaginative in how they are presented.

Sometimes journalists are pressured by the organisers of the press conference to ask certain questions — whether they are launching a new mobile phone or a political campaign. Or journalists are discouraged from asking difficult or awkward questions. Or sometimes not even allowed to ask those questions at all!

This is why it is always important to remember when you go into a press conference your role as a journalist: to find the true information and report it to your audience!

Types of press conference

Press and news conferences can be on many topics — a government department announcing breaking news, a political candidate announcing her campaign platform, a visiting foreign minister answering questions to the local press, an international car company presenting a new car that they claim is environmentally friendly...the list of reasons for press conferences is very long.

Always understand the purpose behind any press conference and cover it accordingly.

How to prepare for the press conference

Arrive at the press conference with as much research and background information as possible about the subject matter and personalities that will be involved. Search engines such as Google allow you to prepare yourself thoroughly. Research the main people involved and research the topic of the press conference.

After you have done your research, prepare a list of concise questions that you and your audience want answered.

Top tip

Don't forget the simple trick of getting to a press conference early. You will have time to read any hand outs which are given to the journalists before the press conference. And it will allow you to find a good position for your camera crew — always important!

At the press conference

There are two types of reporters at a press conference; the ones who are taking notes and the ones who are not.

Journalists should not go anywhere without their notebooks! Ever, ever! You will need to take detailed notes with timings for efficient editing afterwards and to note down questions and answers that are worth using.

Sometimes you will be attending a press conference knowing it is unlikely that anything important will be discussed.

However, simply being there allows you the opportunity of approaching the person giving the press conference and requesting a short interview afterwards.

You will then have an exclusive interview and be able to ask the questions that you really want to hear answered. This is an old technique but it still works.

Working as a team with other journalists

Sometimes at press conferences, journalists are so keen to ask their own questions, they forget to listen to other journalists. Never be guilty of this!

Always be ready to follow up other journalists' questions especially when the answer they have gotten is vague or ambiguous or evasive. What is not said can often be the real story, so don't be afraid to ask for clarification if you suspect someone is hiding something important.

Think of a press conference as a football game. You and the other journalists are one team, and the people giving the press conference are the other team. In order to get the ball into the goal (which means getting a good answer) you have to pass it back and forth between the players.

Imagine a football team where each player was only thinking about themselves and not as a member of a team. They wouldn't score many goals!

Make it look interesting

Look for creative and unusual ways to shoot the press conference. Get your camera team to shoot a variety of shots; low shots in front of the podium, shots of journalists, reaction shots, top shots....

If possible move the camera around to collect shots from a variety of positions. (This is not always possible at busy press conferences.)

Remember that communication between the reporter and camera is essential for question and reaction shots.

A Few More Tips

·         The story in a press conference is usually the effect of the news rather than the news itself. So be clear who is affected!

·         Listen to what is being said – and to what is not being said

·         Think carefully about the reason this company, person or government is holding a press  conference