Stringer is a profession that came to Russia relatively recently (20-25 years ago). Naturally, until that time, the media resorted to materials provided by freelance employees. Now there are workers in this area who are not afraid of danger for the sake of a good shot. These are free journalists (freelancers) who do not have bosses and get rewarded for unique pictures or shots.
History
They started talking seriously about this profession only after the disaster that happened at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. After all, it was then the stringers who were not officially in any edition who reported the terrible truth about this tragedy. It was the Chernobyl disaster that became the starting point from which the movement of stringers in our country begins.
The press calls them differently: both “free arrows” and “lone wolves”, plowing only upon themselves. What is the difference between unofficial journalists and regular ones? Stringers are those people who can make an independent decision without waiting for the permission of the higher management, and immediately bring them to life. We can say that they balance on the verge of adventurism, risk, law and lawlessness.
Professional Features
To the question “Stringer - what is it?”, There may be two possible answers. The word comes from the English stringer, that is, "bind", "fasten". Firstly, it’s a person whose responsibilities it is to pull the strings on the rackets in tennis and other sports. Secondly, the stringer is a freelance journalist who works for the media. He is hired to collect photos and video reports in troubled areas or hot spots where riots or fighting take place. When the media post their information, they don’t usually indicate a link to the source.
Stringers - who is it?
First of all, suppliers of visual materials: independent photojournalists, teleoperators. There may also be radio and television reporters who interview or cover events. Their work is very extreme: war, terrorist attacks, natural disasters and more. Stringers are professionals. For the work done, they get a decent fee. Colleagues from official publications do not like workers in this field because they are efficient, independent, mobile and receive a lot of money. The authorities do not favor them, the military often get the task from above: "These are not allowed!"
But, despite numerous obstacles, despite the prohibitions and threats, real stringers bring their classes to the end. You can rely on them in any business, they will never let you down and do the work on time, whatever it costs them. Stringers invest a lot of money before they start to make a profit. Special equipment, travel, accommodation, meals and more - all this is done at the expense of the journalist. Broken equipment "lone wolves" he repairs or get a new one.
The working process
An independent, free journalist lives on his own fees. He creates his own labor process and is responsible for his safety. After some time, he may be credited to the staff of a magazine or television channel. But most stringers value freedom, because they have the opportunity to work for two or three companies at once.
There are television companies that conclude an agreement with freedom-loving journalists, according to which they will be compensated for travel expenses, except for paying a high fee. The amount of remuneration of the "free artist" depends not only on the number of pictures and footage, but also on the degree of risk to which he exposes himself. There are stringers who earn many times more than their full-time colleagues.
So who is a stringer? What is this profession? And who does she fit?
A person who wants a quiet life with a stable salary cannot be a stringer.
Sometimes journalists in this area do not live to old age. Every person who wants to become an independent journalist should remember this information.
What characteristic does the stringer have
- Courage and a sense of self-preservation.
- Initiative and determination.
- Living intelligence.
- The ability to understand people, elements of psychology.
- Developed intuition.
- Speed of reaction, mobility, excellent physical fitness.
- Ability to conduct dialogue with people and find a common language.
- Organization and attentiveness.
- Ability to work, relying only on one's own strength.
What should know and be able to "free journalist"
- Interest in current events related to politics, the global economy and international relations.
- If you work abroad, you need to know several foreign languages.
Medical Inhibitions
- If a person experiences nervous and mental disorders.
- Suffers from a violation of the musculoskeletal system.
- Diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory system.
- Chronic visual and hearing impairment.
- Infectious diseases.
Illegal activities
This profession does not seem to exist, and the people who are engaged in this business are outside the law. They are often accused of venality and terrible cynicism and called stringers - this means "free hunter." What they are actually doing is shrouded in a romantic and heroic halo.
It is the stringers who can show the war as it really is, with all the horrors and real history. Such personnel cause the greatest discussion and aversion to war. Thanks to these people, we see what is happening in reality. They shoot under bullets, their cameras can be broken, journalists can be beaten and arrested. There are about seventy employees worldwide in this area. In Russia, no more than 15 professional stringers. Who is this profession, we briefly told you in this article.