“Multimedia skills” is a sort of mantra these days for many journalism instructors, editors and other working journalists as they weigh what beginning professionals need to bring to the table to be most successful. These skills are also increasingly linked to foreign correspondence.
“I mean basically I was originally a writer, but there were just so many writers, and so few jobs for writers,” said Deborah Bonello, a freelance journalist who now contracts with the Los Angeles Times in Mexico City, doing primarily video work and some blogging. “So it’s really important I think for students to develop multimedia skills because, as the old generation of correspondents sort of gets played out, if you don’t have those skills, I’d be amazed if you were considered for a job.”
Bonello said there is a wealth of tutorials available on the Web, and journalists just need to commit the time to learning skills that will help them in new media. Poynter Institute’s News University offers several free online courses on multimedia reporting, as well as a course on what equipment to buy, which costs users $24.95 to take.
Sarah Stuteville, freelance journalist and co-founder of the Common Language Project (CLP), which features multimedia reporting, said she believes the most important skills remain the basic journalistic ones—knowing how to report, how to tell a good story, being able convince editors to give a story good play. But she and CLP’s other two co-founders decided early on that they also needed to offer reporting in multiple mediums since their chief outlet was their Web site, and they taught themselves how to do audio and video reporting while they were on the road for their first major overseas project for CLP.
Some news outlets require or strongly encourage reporting that includes multimedia elements. Among those are GlobalPost and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, two emerging backers of international reporting. The Pulitzer Center encourages applicants for its grants to team up with other journalists in order to produce projects that include writing, photography, audio and video, as well as blogging. “Our money is better spent possibly funding two people who can really produce a volume of material that’s complimentary in broadcast, radio and print instead of really overtaxing one person who won’t be able to do any of the things quite right,” said Pulitzer Center Associate Director Nathalie Applewhite.
Veteran multimedia journalist, foreign correspondent and American University Professor Bill Gentile is particularly an advocate of what he calls “backpack journalism,” a one-man-band approach to reporting that emphasizes visual communication. It’s not an approach he recommends to every journalist, but only to those who can “properly speak the visual language” (B. Gentile, personal communication, September 24, 2009). He said its best use is for stories for which the journalist can spend some time with the subjects so they can create character-driven pieces. The equipment needed is mainly a handheld video camera, a Macbook Pro laptop, and a couple of external hard drives, he said. Gentile offers more information on this approach at his blog, http://billgentilebackpackjournalism.blogspot.com/, and conducts workshops on the topic with PBS’s NOW program.
“We are right now at an extraordinary juncture in the history of mankind, technology and communication,” Gentile said. “Even more important than the Gutenberg press, the advances of digital cameras and the Internet provide us unprecedented opportunity.”
Language skills are also an issue to consider before heading off to report from a foreign land. Ideally, of course, a journalist will speak fluently the language of the people he or she will be interviewing, and understand the language being used around them on the street and in the media.
Many travel guides offer very basic language guides that can be helpful for a novice in the language, and an array of free language learning resources are available online. One of the most extensive is the language Web site operated by the BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/languages/. It presents material on an impressive array of languages, with the sophistication of the educational material depending on the popularity of the language. For widely used languages like Spanish, French, German and Chinese, the site offers video and audio programs, news translations and games for beginners and more advanced speakers. It also offers “quick fixes” in 36 languages.
Journalists who are not confident in their fluency in the local language(s) will need to find a way to hire a translator, an expense some find difficult to absorb.
“Although I studied it for years, I wouldn’t ever rely on my own Hindi in interviews,” said journalist Miranda Kennedy, who lived in and reported from India for five years (M. Kennedy, personal communication, October 26, 2009). She said when she was going to areas where English was not widely spoken, she took a translator with her, relying not only on the language translation but also on the additional cultural information the translator could provide. A fellow with the International Reporting Project, Kennedy said she had spoken with other fellows who regretted not making the expenditure to obtain higher quality translators.
Networking with other journalists is one way to find translators.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Security concerns
Many of the most appealing sites for freelance news reporting work also present security issues that require journalists to be vigilant about the political and cultural environment, take appropriate precautions, and be aware of the best practices for staying safe in difficult situations.
“I think the issue of security support for freelance journalists, especially people doing international work right now, is one that is getting more and more attention, sadly as a result of a lot of freelancers and independent journalists getting into trouble and getting arrested,” said freelancer journalist and Common Language Project co-founder Sarah Stuteville (S. Stuteville, personal communication, October 5, 2009). “That’s kind of revealed this issue that well, when these folks aren’t working for a big institution, they don’t have a lot of money and clout behind them. What happens to them, and who looks out for them?”
Stuteville said security is an issue she and her colleagues at Common Language Project have been discussing frequently with other freelancers and independent journalists. In preparation for their recent work in Pakistan, the Common Language team got in touch with the Committee to Protect Journalists. “They’re a really great resource for independent journalists and freelancers,” she said.
The team also had a point person in the United States who knew their schedule and plans, and with whom they checked in regularly. “Beyond that, we really depend on the connections that we make with people, the collaborations with Pakistani people and Pakistani journalists, and we were really lucky to find some great people to work with,” she said.
Freelance journalist Miranda Kennedy admits she didn’t prepare herself much initially regarding security issues when she moved to India to begin her foreign correspondence career. She ended up covering stories in Pakistan a couple of times before she discovered the Rory Peck Trust, which provided grants for security training for freelancers, and got training with their help.
"I don’t think I ever took big risks, I’m not in to risking my life for a story. And I talked to a lot of other journalists who maybe lived in Afghanistan and Pakistan and weren’t just traveling there. It was that community of journalists, I think, that helped me be safe—everybody exchanging ideas for fixers and safe hotels and which area to go and that kind of thing." (M. Kennedy, personal communication, October 26, 2009)
The U.S. Department of State’s Traveler’s Web site, http://travel.state.gov/, offers the government’s country-specific assessment of safety concerns for U.S. citizens abroad, pinpointing areas of conflict or potential conflict, noting recent incidents of crime against foreign citizens, and making recommendations for safe travel and living in the area. It is, however, ideal to cross check the State Department’s assessments with those of people and/or organizations on the ground in your destination country to try to get an up-to-date, local perspective on conditions there.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is one of several organizations that promote press freedom globally, give free advice and country-level assessment of challenges to press freedom, including security concerns affecting journalists, and also offer support to journalists in the field. It was established by a group of foreign correspondents in 1981 with the intent of defending press freedom and journalists worldwide, according to its Web site, http://www.cpj.org/ (Committee to Protect Journalists, n.d.). It tracks reports of infringement of press freedom, and encourages journalists of all nationalities to contact CPJ when they are the victims or witnesses to press freedom violations, and when they need advice regarding assignments in potentially dangerous locations. It will attempt to intervene to aid journalists subject to press freedom violations by notifying news organizations, government officials and human rights groups. It is a membership organization, with annual membership dues that yield an annual report, “Attacks on the Press,” and an e-newsletter. But it also offers volumes of information on press freedom violations and advice on security for journalists for free on its Web site.
Included on the Web site is the special report “On Assignment: Covering Conflicts Safely,” recommended reading even for those not expecting to cover conflict, since especially in “newsworthy” locations, the potential for conflict is often present. Much of the advice also applies to safe operation in non-conflict zones. This guide covers topics like security training and protective gear, first-aid kits, how to dress in combat zones, the importance of knowing the local language or having an interpreter, and recommendations for making sure editors and other colleagues know where you’re supposed to be and when and who to call in an emergency.
Reporters Without Borders is another nonprofit organization focusing on press freedom that offers information and other resources for independent and freelance journalists, as well as those affiliated with mainstream media. The organization has offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, as well as several other Western countries, and has affiliates in several other countries, according to its Web site, http://www.rsf.org/. Like CPJ, it offers country- and region-level press freedom reports and news. It also offers The Practical Guide for Journalists, (Reporters Without Borders, April 17, 2007) for those going to dangerous areas of the world, which includes advice for staying safe, first aid, and listing international norms that protect journalists.
The organization also gives out first aid kits, and loans out a small number of bullet-proof vests, helmets and GPS personal distress beacons, but only out of their Paris headquarters. A 24-hour SOS Press hotline is available for journalists in distress, (33) 1 4777-7414, provided through an agreement with American Express which also allows journalists to go to any local American Express agency to get assistance and get in contact with the organization. Another important service it provides is guidance on the signs and means for addressing psychological damage that sometimes comes with reporting from dangerous areas. The Web site includes a section devoted to this topic, and links to other sources of assistance.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has produced an extensive safety manual, Live News: A Survival Guide for Journalists, (McIntyre, P., 2003) which it makes available for free on its Web site, http://www.ifj.org/. It also offers an international press card which it says is recognized by journalists in 120 countries, and could be a useful credential. It can only be obtained through membership in one of the IFJ union affiliates in your country of origin, which in the United States includes the National Writer’s Union, the Writer’s Guild of America East, the Newspaper Guild – CWA, and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
IFJ is the founder of the International News Safety Institute http://www.newssafety.org/, a coalition of news and journalists’ organizations and individuals. Of particular potential use to freelancers is a section of its Web site devoted to insurance that explains the different types that might be important to a foreign correspondent, and lists providers of risk insurance. The site also includes more than one first aid guide and information on medevac providers.
The Rory Peck Trust, http://www.rorypecktrust.org/, supports freelancer safety and provides assistance to freelancers and their families in times of need. Named in honor of a freelance cameraman who was killed while covering the October 1993 coup in Moscow, the trust provides grants for freelancer safety training. It also has produced a report on the status, and dangers, of freelancing in Mexico, and offers an annual awards program for freelance cameramen and women.
Lightstalkers.org is a Web site that describes itself as a “network for unconventional travelers,” (November Eleven, n.d.) but its membership includes many photojournalists, as well as reporters, filmmakers and other professionals who travel the world. The online discussions on topics like credentials and how to get around in some tightly controlled areas could prove invaluable, and could provide helpful connections to other journalists or professionals with similar travel concerns. Visitors can read much of what is on the site without becoming a member, but membership is necessary for interaction. It is free, but is by invitation only. Visitors can request an invitation by sending the site some information about themselves and why they want to join, or they can be recommended for an invite by a current member of the site (whose names and profiles are listed on the site). While membership is free, donations are being sought for maintenance of the site.
Upon arriving in a new country, it is advisable to check in with the embassy of your home country. They may have good advice on living in the area, and providing them with your contact information will allow them to quickly alert you of security concerns as they arise, and also may help pave the way should you run into trouble and need the embassy’s assistance in the future.
Some contacts correspondents should keep handy in case of emergency:
· Committee to Protect Journalists: Tel. 212-465-1004; http://cpj.org/Briefings/2003/safety/mailto:info@cpj.org
· International Committee of the Red Cross: in Geneva, Switzerland, (41) 22-734-6001; emergency after-hours during weekdays, (41) 79 217-3204, and during weekends, (41)79 217-3285. The ICRC hotline via e-mail: http://cpj.org/Briefings/2003/safety/mailto:press.gva@icrc.org.
· Reporters Without Borders 24-hour SOS Presse hotline: (33) 1 4777-7414
Works Cited
Committee to Protect Journalists (2003, February). On assignment: Covering conflicts safely. Retrieved from http://www.cpj.org/reports/2003/02/journalist-safety-guide.php#read
McIntyre, P. (2003) Live news: A survival guide for journalists. Brussels: International Federation of Journalists. Retrieved from http://www.ifj.org/assets/docs/130/082/d325b82-f8ef152.pdf
Reporters Without Borders. (2007, April). The Practical Guide for Journalists. Retrieved from http://www.rsf.org/The-Practical-Guide-for.html
“I think the issue of security support for freelance journalists, especially people doing international work right now, is one that is getting more and more attention, sadly as a result of a lot of freelancers and independent journalists getting into trouble and getting arrested,” said freelancer journalist and Common Language Project co-founder Sarah Stuteville (S. Stuteville, personal communication, October 5, 2009). “That’s kind of revealed this issue that well, when these folks aren’t working for a big institution, they don’t have a lot of money and clout behind them. What happens to them, and who looks out for them?”
Stuteville said security is an issue she and her colleagues at Common Language Project have been discussing frequently with other freelancers and independent journalists. In preparation for their recent work in Pakistan, the Common Language team got in touch with the Committee to Protect Journalists. “They’re a really great resource for independent journalists and freelancers,” she said.
The team also had a point person in the United States who knew their schedule and plans, and with whom they checked in regularly. “Beyond that, we really depend on the connections that we make with people, the collaborations with Pakistani people and Pakistani journalists, and we were really lucky to find some great people to work with,” she said.
Freelance journalist Miranda Kennedy admits she didn’t prepare herself much initially regarding security issues when she moved to India to begin her foreign correspondence career. She ended up covering stories in Pakistan a couple of times before she discovered the Rory Peck Trust, which provided grants for security training for freelancers, and got training with their help.
"I don’t think I ever took big risks, I’m not in to risking my life for a story. And I talked to a lot of other journalists who maybe lived in Afghanistan and Pakistan and weren’t just traveling there. It was that community of journalists, I think, that helped me be safe—everybody exchanging ideas for fixers and safe hotels and which area to go and that kind of thing." (M. Kennedy, personal communication, October 26, 2009)
The U.S. Department of State’s Traveler’s Web site, http://travel.state.gov/, offers the government’s country-specific assessment of safety concerns for U.S. citizens abroad, pinpointing areas of conflict or potential conflict, noting recent incidents of crime against foreign citizens, and making recommendations for safe travel and living in the area. It is, however, ideal to cross check the State Department’s assessments with those of people and/or organizations on the ground in your destination country to try to get an up-to-date, local perspective on conditions there.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is one of several organizations that promote press freedom globally, give free advice and country-level assessment of challenges to press freedom, including security concerns affecting journalists, and also offer support to journalists in the field. It was established by a group of foreign correspondents in 1981 with the intent of defending press freedom and journalists worldwide, according to its Web site, http://www.cpj.org/ (Committee to Protect Journalists, n.d.). It tracks reports of infringement of press freedom, and encourages journalists of all nationalities to contact CPJ when they are the victims or witnesses to press freedom violations, and when they need advice regarding assignments in potentially dangerous locations. It will attempt to intervene to aid journalists subject to press freedom violations by notifying news organizations, government officials and human rights groups. It is a membership organization, with annual membership dues that yield an annual report, “Attacks on the Press,” and an e-newsletter. But it also offers volumes of information on press freedom violations and advice on security for journalists for free on its Web site.
Included on the Web site is the special report “On Assignment: Covering Conflicts Safely,” recommended reading even for those not expecting to cover conflict, since especially in “newsworthy” locations, the potential for conflict is often present. Much of the advice also applies to safe operation in non-conflict zones. This guide covers topics like security training and protective gear, first-aid kits, how to dress in combat zones, the importance of knowing the local language or having an interpreter, and recommendations for making sure editors and other colleagues know where you’re supposed to be and when and who to call in an emergency.
Reporters Without Borders is another nonprofit organization focusing on press freedom that offers information and other resources for independent and freelance journalists, as well as those affiliated with mainstream media. The organization has offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, as well as several other Western countries, and has affiliates in several other countries, according to its Web site, http://www.rsf.org/. Like CPJ, it offers country- and region-level press freedom reports and news. It also offers The Practical Guide for Journalists, (Reporters Without Borders, April 17, 2007) for those going to dangerous areas of the world, which includes advice for staying safe, first aid, and listing international norms that protect journalists.
The organization also gives out first aid kits, and loans out a small number of bullet-proof vests, helmets and GPS personal distress beacons, but only out of their Paris headquarters. A 24-hour SOS Press hotline is available for journalists in distress, (33) 1 4777-7414, provided through an agreement with American Express which also allows journalists to go to any local American Express agency to get assistance and get in contact with the organization. Another important service it provides is guidance on the signs and means for addressing psychological damage that sometimes comes with reporting from dangerous areas. The Web site includes a section devoted to this topic, and links to other sources of assistance.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has produced an extensive safety manual, Live News: A Survival Guide for Journalists, (McIntyre, P., 2003) which it makes available for free on its Web site, http://www.ifj.org/. It also offers an international press card which it says is recognized by journalists in 120 countries, and could be a useful credential. It can only be obtained through membership in one of the IFJ union affiliates in your country of origin, which in the United States includes the National Writer’s Union, the Writer’s Guild of America East, the Newspaper Guild – CWA, and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
IFJ is the founder of the International News Safety Institute http://www.newssafety.org/, a coalition of news and journalists’ organizations and individuals. Of particular potential use to freelancers is a section of its Web site devoted to insurance that explains the different types that might be important to a foreign correspondent, and lists providers of risk insurance. The site also includes more than one first aid guide and information on medevac providers.
The Rory Peck Trust, http://www.rorypecktrust.org/, supports freelancer safety and provides assistance to freelancers and their families in times of need. Named in honor of a freelance cameraman who was killed while covering the October 1993 coup in Moscow, the trust provides grants for freelancer safety training. It also has produced a report on the status, and dangers, of freelancing in Mexico, and offers an annual awards program for freelance cameramen and women.
Lightstalkers.org is a Web site that describes itself as a “network for unconventional travelers,” (November Eleven, n.d.) but its membership includes many photojournalists, as well as reporters, filmmakers and other professionals who travel the world. The online discussions on topics like credentials and how to get around in some tightly controlled areas could prove invaluable, and could provide helpful connections to other journalists or professionals with similar travel concerns. Visitors can read much of what is on the site without becoming a member, but membership is necessary for interaction. It is free, but is by invitation only. Visitors can request an invitation by sending the site some information about themselves and why they want to join, or they can be recommended for an invite by a current member of the site (whose names and profiles are listed on the site). While membership is free, donations are being sought for maintenance of the site.
Upon arriving in a new country, it is advisable to check in with the embassy of your home country. They may have good advice on living in the area, and providing them with your contact information will allow them to quickly alert you of security concerns as they arise, and also may help pave the way should you run into trouble and need the embassy’s assistance in the future.
Some contacts correspondents should keep handy in case of emergency:
· Committee to Protect Journalists: Tel. 212-465-1004; http://cpj.org/Briefings/2003/safety/mailto:info@cpj.org
· International Committee of the Red Cross: in Geneva, Switzerland, (41) 22-734-6001; emergency after-hours during weekdays, (41) 79 217-3204, and during weekends, (41)79 217-3285. The ICRC hotline via e-mail: http://cpj.org/Briefings/2003/safety/mailto:press.gva@icrc.org.
· Reporters Without Borders 24-hour SOS Presse hotline: (33) 1 4777-7414
Works Cited
Committee to Protect Journalists (2003, February). On assignment: Covering conflicts safely. Retrieved from http://www.cpj.org/reports/2003/02/journalist-safety-guide.php#read
McIntyre, P. (2003) Live news: A survival guide for journalists. Brussels: International Federation of Journalists. Retrieved from http://www.ifj.org/assets/docs/130/082/d325b82-f8ef152.pdf
Reporters Without Borders. (2007, April). The Practical Guide for Journalists. Retrieved from http://www.rsf.org/The-Practical-Guide-for.html
Health and safety
Issues related to health and safety can vary widely depending on where you work, but there is the potential in any location for traffic accidents, protests, crime, natural disasters and outbreaks of disease or violent conflict. None of these are matters to be taken lightly, and your preparation for them, or lack thereof, has the potential to radically affect the course of your life. Fortunately, it’s never been easier to get informed about conditions in cities and countries around the world, and take appropriate precautions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s traveler’s health site, http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx, is a good place to start. The site includes country-specific and regional information on needed vaccinations and disease outbreaks; advice on prevention and preparation, such as what medicines to take; description of symptoms for some diseases; a directory of travel clinics in the U.S.; and advice on what to do in case of injury or illness abroad. It also offers a podcast on safe and healthy travel. The World Health Organization also offers a site with information for travelers, http://www.who.int/ith/en/. It maps disease occurrence, lists country-specific health information, and offers a guide for safe food for travelers.
The U.S. Department of State’s Web site for travelers, http://travel.state.gov, covers a lot of information useful to U.S. citizens and others. For each country on the globe, it describes entry and exit requirements, including required vaccinations; provides a recent history of crime and security issues, particularly as they relate to tourists or expatriates, as well as resources for victims of crime; offers advice on financial transactions and avoidance of fraud; and assesses the medical facilities of the country.
Up-to-date travel guides also usually provide good basic guidance on health care and disease occurrence and prevention.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s traveler’s health site, http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx, is a good place to start. The site includes country-specific and regional information on needed vaccinations and disease outbreaks; advice on prevention and preparation, such as what medicines to take; description of symptoms for some diseases; a directory of travel clinics in the U.S.; and advice on what to do in case of injury or illness abroad. It also offers a podcast on safe and healthy travel. The World Health Organization also offers a site with information for travelers, http://www.who.int/ith/en/. It maps disease occurrence, lists country-specific health information, and offers a guide for safe food for travelers.
The U.S. Department of State’s Web site for travelers, http://travel.state.gov, covers a lot of information useful to U.S. citizens and others. For each country on the globe, it describes entry and exit requirements, including required vaccinations; provides a recent history of crime and security issues, particularly as they relate to tourists or expatriates, as well as resources for victims of crime; offers advice on financial transactions and avoidance of fraud; and assesses the medical facilities of the country.
Up-to-date travel guides also usually provide good basic guidance on health care and disease occurrence and prevention.
Travel documents, credentials, etc.
The basic passport fee is $75, and as of October 2009, the State Department reported that passports were being processed within about four to six weeks from the time of application (U.S. Department of State, 2009), http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html. You can have your passport processing expedited for a fee of $60, and overnight delivery of the passport, which is recommended by the Postal Service for all passport books, comes with a fee of $14.85.
The World on a String recommends looking “respectable” for the passport photo to prevent hassles with border guards, and getting extra copies of the photo for use with credentials and other identification needs that may arise (Goodman & Pollack, 1997, p. 54).
News University’s “International Reporting Basics” course points out that many countries require journalists planning to work in their country to get a journalist’s visa. “Though these can be time-consuming to procure, this is the recommended way of entering a country. Being anything less than honest in your paperwork can get you into serious trouble.” (News University, n.d.).
Journalists going abroad will need to find out what the visa rules are for their destination, how long it is expected to take to obtain a visa, how best to go about obtaining it, and how long the visa allows you to stay in the country. Those considering being based in one country and traveling to others in a region may need to obtain a multiple-entry visa. The country’s embassy Web site may provide information on the requirements and procedures, and a phone call to the embassy may also do the trick.
Press credentials are handy and are sometimes necessary for foreign reporting. They may not be worth the trouble for journalists focusing on things like travel writing, but they may be important for reporting on political developments, and are a necessity in war zones, where journalists are sometimes mistaken for spies, note authors Goodman and Pollack in World on a String, who offer a variety of suggestions on how best to deal with the issue (1997, p. 57).
Other journalists who have traveled to the country might be able and willing to provide helpful insights into the visa and credentialing process. During inquiries about and application for visas and/or credentials, the embassies of some countries may seek details of your plans.
Journalist Dan Baum, in his series of Tweets on his experience as a foreign correspondent, suggests that a journalist planning to start corresponding from a foreign country write to the country’s ministry of information and ask for permission to open a freelance news bureau (Baum, 2009). Some countries may refuse, and Baum suggests just moving on to the next one. “It’s one thing to drop into a country for a week to write a story, without local press credentials. We do that all the time,” Baum said. “But to live in a country as a journalist, it really helps to be legit.”
Business cards are also recommended by the authors of World on a String (Goodman & Pollack, 1997, p. 60) and News University’s “International Reporting Basics” (News University, n.d.) as being useful for getting into events and securing interviews.
Works Cited
Baum, D. (2009, September 10). African bureau Tweets. Retrieved from http://www.danbaum.com/Nine_Lives/Africa_Bureau_tweets.html
Goodman, A. & Pollack, J. (1997). The world on a string: How to become a freelance foreign correspondent. New York: Henry Holt and Company Inc.
News University. (n.d.). International reporting basics: What you need to know before you go. Retrieved from http://www.newsu.org/angel/content/irp_intreporting06/introduction/courseIntroduction.html
The World on a String recommends looking “respectable” for the passport photo to prevent hassles with border guards, and getting extra copies of the photo for use with credentials and other identification needs that may arise (Goodman & Pollack, 1997, p. 54).
News University’s “International Reporting Basics” course points out that many countries require journalists planning to work in their country to get a journalist’s visa. “Though these can be time-consuming to procure, this is the recommended way of entering a country. Being anything less than honest in your paperwork can get you into serious trouble.” (News University, n.d.).
Journalists going abroad will need to find out what the visa rules are for their destination, how long it is expected to take to obtain a visa, how best to go about obtaining it, and how long the visa allows you to stay in the country. Those considering being based in one country and traveling to others in a region may need to obtain a multiple-entry visa. The country’s embassy Web site may provide information on the requirements and procedures, and a phone call to the embassy may also do the trick.
Press credentials are handy and are sometimes necessary for foreign reporting. They may not be worth the trouble for journalists focusing on things like travel writing, but they may be important for reporting on political developments, and are a necessity in war zones, where journalists are sometimes mistaken for spies, note authors Goodman and Pollack in World on a String, who offer a variety of suggestions on how best to deal with the issue (1997, p. 57).
Other journalists who have traveled to the country might be able and willing to provide helpful insights into the visa and credentialing process. During inquiries about and application for visas and/or credentials, the embassies of some countries may seek details of your plans.
Journalist Dan Baum, in his series of Tweets on his experience as a foreign correspondent, suggests that a journalist planning to start corresponding from a foreign country write to the country’s ministry of information and ask for permission to open a freelance news bureau (Baum, 2009). Some countries may refuse, and Baum suggests just moving on to the next one. “It’s one thing to drop into a country for a week to write a story, without local press credentials. We do that all the time,” Baum said. “But to live in a country as a journalist, it really helps to be legit.”
Business cards are also recommended by the authors of World on a String (Goodman & Pollack, 1997, p. 60) and News University’s “International Reporting Basics” (News University, n.d.) as being useful for getting into events and securing interviews.
Works Cited
Baum, D. (2009, September 10). African bureau Tweets. Retrieved from http://www.danbaum.com/Nine_Lives/Africa_Bureau_tweets.html
Goodman, A. & Pollack, J. (1997). The world on a string: How to become a freelance foreign correspondent. New York: Henry Holt and Company Inc.
News University. (n.d.). International reporting basics: What you need to know before you go. Retrieved from http://www.newsu.org/angel/content/irp_intreporting06/introduction/courseIntroduction.html
Strategy and budgeting
Journalists considering the launch of a freelance foreign correspondence career would do well to first read The World on a String: How to Become a Freelance Foreign Correspondent, a book by Al Goodman and John Pollack that provides recommendations from experienced journalists on a broad range of topics related to getting started in foreign correspondence. Unfortunately, the book has not been updated since 1997, so there are sections that are out of date and uninformed by the changes in the news industry and international relations since that time. Nonetheless, it is a wealth of insider information on the word of international news reporting, including advice on pitching stories, networking with other journalists, avoiding turf issues with other journalists, credentials, and strategies for making ends meet. It also offers important guidance for working in a war zone.
Another more basic, but more up-to-date overview on embarking on foreign correspondence is News University’s free online course, International Reporting Basics: What You Need to Know Before You Go, found at www.newsu.org, which was developed with the International Reporting Project and its professional journalist fellows (News University, n.d.). It covers packing and other preparation before heading out; health and safety; how to operate upon arrival, including information gathering best practices and lining up fixers and translators; and story development.
In terms of considering where to go to kick off a foreign correspondence career, personal interest, family or friend connections to an area and language skills are among considerations that might help in narrowing the literal world of options. But two key qualities of an ideal destination are a reasonable expectation for unique news opportunities, and a reasonable level of expense.
As writer Dan Baum explains in a recent series of Tweets on his start as a foreign correspondent, he and his journalist wife, Margaret Knox, had three criteria for choosing the country where they would be based: it had to be “at least a little bit newsworthy”; it couldn’t be popular with other journalists, especially Americans; and it had to offer a low cost of living, including travel expenses (Baum, 2009).
Not surprisingly, they found it difficult to find a spot on the globe that met all three qualifications, so they reasoned that, “If the place is cheap enough to live and travel in, you don’t need to sell many stories. So it doesn’t have to be super-newsworthy.” They ended up making a living, and making names for themselves, in Zimbabwe in the late 1980s.
To research potential workplaces, one of the first steps for a would-be correspondent should be following the international news as reported in the major news outlets, making note of which regions are covered well and which are not, and watching for developments that might hint at places where events or issues in the news could change a low-profile country into a news hotspot in the near future. Many online news outlets offer the option of looking at news by country or region, including the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/) and the New York Times (www.nytimes.com/pages/world/index.html). The Times also offers an array of useful links to maps and information on the country’s economy, government, education and health statistics, demographics, weather and travel.
Beyond the news media, a wealth of easily accessed information on most, if not all, corners of the world is available on the Web. Journalists need to keep in mind that like information from other sources, the information posted on Web sites likely reflects to varying degrees the biases determined by the political or business interests of the sponsoring organization. Still, many such sites offer useful facts and analysis. For basic information on countries, try sites such as the CIA World Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/, and the U.S. State Department Web site, http://www.state.gov/.
Thinks tanks including the Council on Foreign Relations (http://www.cfr.org/), Brookings Institution (http://www.brookings.edu/World.aspx) and the International Crisis Group (http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm) offer analysis of foreign policy and current affairs, and may provide a means to get in contact with experts on a particular country or region. Worldpress.org and World Net Daily (http://www.wnd.com/) offer extensive listings of news outlets by country.
The Web sites for the Committee to Protect Journalists (http://www.cpj.org/), Reporters Without Borders (http://www.rsf.org/) and the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (http://www.ifex.org/) provide reports on press freedom for most countries. Lonely Planet offers a fair amount of free information on its Web site (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/) as well as the option to buy portions of, or whole, guide books online. And Global Voices Online, http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/, a site offering posts of more than 200 bloggers around the world, offers easy by-country searching, and the blogs, of course, provide the option to post comments and thereby interact with bloggers from your potential destination.
Don’t forget about books. It’s likely that the history, culture and politics of the area in question are presented in the form of books by scholars or memoirs by residents or visitors (including foreign correspondents). These may help in choosing a location, and will also enrich future news judgment and reporting. Watching films made by natives of the country and studying up on other elements of popular culture may help a newcomer to get their cultural bearings.
Once you’ve honed in on a potential base for your foreign correspondence, a useful next step would be drafting a budget. For most freelance correspondents, budgeting will be crucial for getting a career abroad off to a successful start. Getting to your target country, getting around once you’re there, obtaining safe but affordable housing and food, buying and maintaining equipment, obtaining medicines and vaccinations (which can be costly), securing the Internet and phone communications you’ll need, and acquiring life and health insurance—these and more are the expenses a freelance journalist will need to plan for when locating abroad.
“When I came out here, I had to invest in equipment, I had to go into debt, because I don’t come from the kind of background where someone was supporting me,” said Deborah Bonello, a multimedia journalist who moved from Britain to Argentina to become a correspondent in 2005. “You have to be prepared to put your money where your mouth is and hustle, because that’s what it’s all about.”
If you can track down other journalists, or other professionals or students, who have worked or studied recently in your target country, their intelligence regarding costs could prove invaluable.
Recently published travel guides focused on your destination country will usually include a good base of budgeting information related to short-term housing, transportation and dining.
In The World on a String (Goodman & Pollack, 1997, p. 35), the authors recommend checking with the embassy or consulate of your destination country in the country where you currently reside in pursuit of housing leads. They suggest calling the embassy and telling them that you want to study their language, or that you are taking an extended vacation rather than saying you will be seeking work in the destination country. Information officers at American, British and Canadian embassies in the destination country might also prove helpful, they say. Other potential sources of housing information and other tips include study abroad programs, students and/or professors at your university who are from the destination country, and alumni who are living in the destination country.
Craigslist, http://www.craigslist.net/, has housing classified listings in many international cities and countries, including places like Lebanon, Pakistan, Malaysia, Russia, Ecuador and plenty more. Though the service is offered in many, many places, its use/visitation seems to vary greatly. And of course you’ll want to use extreme caution and take a look at the Craigslist recommendations on avoiding scams and fraud or other crime.
The Web site Numbeo, http://www.numbeo.com/, offers some basic cost estimates in categories like food, housing, and transportation for world cities and countries, although information is volunteered by site users and is spotty. It also provides cost index tables for world cities and at the country level that might be helpful in making quick comparisons of relative expense. The Web site Man vs. Debt,
http://manvsdebt.com/cost-of-living-abroad-international-bloggers-share-expenses/, also posts the results of a solicitation for some basic costs from cities around the world. The responses come from bloggers based in those locations, and links are provided to their blogs, thus also offering more potential on-the-ground contacts.
Choosing a location where you will be able to secure a decent Internet connection will save a lot of time and hassle on the communications front. Skype allows video phone calls, or just audio, between online computers at no cost, and can also be used to place calls to phones at cost. Veteran correspondent and journalism professor Bill Gentile refers his students to the Vonage Web site for deals on international phone rates. Other telecommunications companies also offer special rate packages for international calling and Internet use for smartphones and iPhones. Even many developing countries have thriving Internet café industries, though cost and quality of connection will vary widely. In respect to Internet access, developing a relationship with a local news outlet or university might prove advantageous, and potential Internet access might be an important consideration in weighing part-time jobs to supplement income.
OpenNet Initiative, http://opennet.net/, analyzes the level of Internet filtering taking place in many countries, and its country profiles also offer a helpful look at Internet availability and cost in each nation, and by region.
Works Cited
Baum, D. (2009, September 10). African bureau Tweets. Retrieved from http://www.danbaum.com/Nine_Lives/Africa_Bureau_tweets.html
Goodman, A. & Pollack, J. (1997). The world on a string: How to become a freelance foreign correspondent. New York: Henry Holt and Company Inc.
News University. (n.d.). International reporting basics: What you need to know before you go. Retrieved from http://www.newsu.org/angel/content/irp_intreporting06/introduction/courseIntroduction.html
Another more basic, but more up-to-date overview on embarking on foreign correspondence is News University’s free online course, International Reporting Basics: What You Need to Know Before You Go, found at www.newsu.org, which was developed with the International Reporting Project and its professional journalist fellows (News University, n.d.). It covers packing and other preparation before heading out; health and safety; how to operate upon arrival, including information gathering best practices and lining up fixers and translators; and story development.
In terms of considering where to go to kick off a foreign correspondence career, personal interest, family or friend connections to an area and language skills are among considerations that might help in narrowing the literal world of options. But two key qualities of an ideal destination are a reasonable expectation for unique news opportunities, and a reasonable level of expense.
As writer Dan Baum explains in a recent series of Tweets on his start as a foreign correspondent, he and his journalist wife, Margaret Knox, had three criteria for choosing the country where they would be based: it had to be “at least a little bit newsworthy”; it couldn’t be popular with other journalists, especially Americans; and it had to offer a low cost of living, including travel expenses (Baum, 2009).
Not surprisingly, they found it difficult to find a spot on the globe that met all three qualifications, so they reasoned that, “If the place is cheap enough to live and travel in, you don’t need to sell many stories. So it doesn’t have to be super-newsworthy.” They ended up making a living, and making names for themselves, in Zimbabwe in the late 1980s.
To research potential workplaces, one of the first steps for a would-be correspondent should be following the international news as reported in the major news outlets, making note of which regions are covered well and which are not, and watching for developments that might hint at places where events or issues in the news could change a low-profile country into a news hotspot in the near future. Many online news outlets offer the option of looking at news by country or region, including the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/) and the New York Times (www.nytimes.com/pages/world/index.html). The Times also offers an array of useful links to maps and information on the country’s economy, government, education and health statistics, demographics, weather and travel.
Beyond the news media, a wealth of easily accessed information on most, if not all, corners of the world is available on the Web. Journalists need to keep in mind that like information from other sources, the information posted on Web sites likely reflects to varying degrees the biases determined by the political or business interests of the sponsoring organization. Still, many such sites offer useful facts and analysis. For basic information on countries, try sites such as the CIA World Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/, and the U.S. State Department Web site, http://www.state.gov/.
Thinks tanks including the Council on Foreign Relations (http://www.cfr.org/), Brookings Institution (http://www.brookings.edu/World.aspx) and the International Crisis Group (http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm) offer analysis of foreign policy and current affairs, and may provide a means to get in contact with experts on a particular country or region. Worldpress.org and World Net Daily (http://www.wnd.com/) offer extensive listings of news outlets by country.
The Web sites for the Committee to Protect Journalists (http://www.cpj.org/), Reporters Without Borders (http://www.rsf.org/) and the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (http://www.ifex.org/) provide reports on press freedom for most countries. Lonely Planet offers a fair amount of free information on its Web site (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/) as well as the option to buy portions of, or whole, guide books online. And Global Voices Online, http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/, a site offering posts of more than 200 bloggers around the world, offers easy by-country searching, and the blogs, of course, provide the option to post comments and thereby interact with bloggers from your potential destination.
Don’t forget about books. It’s likely that the history, culture and politics of the area in question are presented in the form of books by scholars or memoirs by residents or visitors (including foreign correspondents). These may help in choosing a location, and will also enrich future news judgment and reporting. Watching films made by natives of the country and studying up on other elements of popular culture may help a newcomer to get their cultural bearings.
Once you’ve honed in on a potential base for your foreign correspondence, a useful next step would be drafting a budget. For most freelance correspondents, budgeting will be crucial for getting a career abroad off to a successful start. Getting to your target country, getting around once you’re there, obtaining safe but affordable housing and food, buying and maintaining equipment, obtaining medicines and vaccinations (which can be costly), securing the Internet and phone communications you’ll need, and acquiring life and health insurance—these and more are the expenses a freelance journalist will need to plan for when locating abroad.
“When I came out here, I had to invest in equipment, I had to go into debt, because I don’t come from the kind of background where someone was supporting me,” said Deborah Bonello, a multimedia journalist who moved from Britain to Argentina to become a correspondent in 2005. “You have to be prepared to put your money where your mouth is and hustle, because that’s what it’s all about.”
If you can track down other journalists, or other professionals or students, who have worked or studied recently in your target country, their intelligence regarding costs could prove invaluable.
Recently published travel guides focused on your destination country will usually include a good base of budgeting information related to short-term housing, transportation and dining.
In The World on a String (Goodman & Pollack, 1997, p. 35), the authors recommend checking with the embassy or consulate of your destination country in the country where you currently reside in pursuit of housing leads. They suggest calling the embassy and telling them that you want to study their language, or that you are taking an extended vacation rather than saying you will be seeking work in the destination country. Information officers at American, British and Canadian embassies in the destination country might also prove helpful, they say. Other potential sources of housing information and other tips include study abroad programs, students and/or professors at your university who are from the destination country, and alumni who are living in the destination country.
Craigslist, http://www.craigslist.net/, has housing classified listings in many international cities and countries, including places like Lebanon, Pakistan, Malaysia, Russia, Ecuador and plenty more. Though the service is offered in many, many places, its use/visitation seems to vary greatly. And of course you’ll want to use extreme caution and take a look at the Craigslist recommendations on avoiding scams and fraud or other crime.
The Web site Numbeo, http://www.numbeo.com/, offers some basic cost estimates in categories like food, housing, and transportation for world cities and countries, although information is volunteered by site users and is spotty. It also provides cost index tables for world cities and at the country level that might be helpful in making quick comparisons of relative expense. The Web site Man vs. Debt,
http://manvsdebt.com/cost-of-living-abroad-international-bloggers-share-expenses/, also posts the results of a solicitation for some basic costs from cities around the world. The responses come from bloggers based in those locations, and links are provided to their blogs, thus also offering more potential on-the-ground contacts.
Choosing a location where you will be able to secure a decent Internet connection will save a lot of time and hassle on the communications front. Skype allows video phone calls, or just audio, between online computers at no cost, and can also be used to place calls to phones at cost. Veteran correspondent and journalism professor Bill Gentile refers his students to the Vonage Web site for deals on international phone rates. Other telecommunications companies also offer special rate packages for international calling and Internet use for smartphones and iPhones. Even many developing countries have thriving Internet café industries, though cost and quality of connection will vary widely. In respect to Internet access, developing a relationship with a local news outlet or university might prove advantageous, and potential Internet access might be an important consideration in weighing part-time jobs to supplement income.
OpenNet Initiative, http://opennet.net/, analyzes the level of Internet filtering taking place in many countries, and its country profiles also offer a helpful look at Internet availability and cost in each nation, and by region.
Works Cited
Baum, D. (2009, September 10). African bureau Tweets. Retrieved from http://www.danbaum.com/Nine_Lives/Africa_Bureau_tweets.html
Goodman, A. & Pollack, J. (1997). The world on a string: How to become a freelance foreign correspondent. New York: Henry Holt and Company Inc.
News University. (n.d.). International reporting basics: What you need to know before you go. Retrieved from http://www.newsu.org/angel/content/irp_intreporting06/introduction/courseIntroduction.html
Weighing a future as a foreign correspondent
Deciding to pursue a career as a foreign correspondent is, like many key life decisions, a bit of a gamble.
Many journalists who decide to pursue this path will at least start out as, and may have full careers as, freelancers, due in part to the paucity of staff foreign correspondent posts available.
Freelancing allows journalists more autonomy in choosing location and assignments, but the marketplace puts limits on that autonomy, and makes strategic planning crucial for a successful freelancer. It can be a lonely, low-income, competitive and high-risk existence, and should not be undertaken lightly. But that does not mean it should not be undertaken.
Bill Gentile, a veteran foreign correspondent and professor at American University, certainly encourages his students to analyze the possibilities of freelance foreign correspondence. A practitioner of “backpack journalism” whose documentaries have appeared on PBS’ “NOW,” Gentile says that he is optimistic about the field of foreign correspondence, despite the widespread downsizing in the industry and the shuttering of foreign bureaus by many news organizations (B. Gentile, personal communication, September 24, 2009).
“I also feel very adamant about the fact that young people who really want to make a difference and be engaged in the world can use this craft and should use this craft as a means to do so,” he said. “It means you may have to be more diversified, though. You may have to go to places like China and you may have to work at an English-language newspaper to sustain yourself and do this stuff on a freelance basis on the side.”
John Schidlovsky, founding director of the International Reporting Project and a former foreign correspondent, says that while the changes in media have left fewer staff jobs with big media organizations, freelancing remains a viable option for aspiring foreign correspondents (J. Schidlovsky, personal communication, September 22, 2009). “If you’re interested in international media and you’re adventurous, just go off somewhere overseas and try that, try carving out a niche. You could go either to a place where there are lots of journalists because there’s big story, but then you’ve got lots of competition,” he said, “or, go someplace where no one is and sort of stake that out, carve that out as your territory.”
Schidlovsky said if he were starting out now, he might choose to locate in Nigeria—Africa’s most populous country and one of the world’s top oil producers. “Nobody is covering that country,” he said. Generally, he recommends being flexible, being adaptable, learning languages, and learning as much as possible about international issues that are hot now, such as the global economy and the environment.
The freedom to focus on stories that you want to do is one of the benefits of freelancing, said Stephan Faris, a freelance correspondent and author of the book Forecast: The Suprising—and Immediate—Consequences of Climate Change. “This is of course constrained by the fact you have to sell them, but so far I've been able to do things I find positive and interesting,” said Faris in an interview via e-mail from Rome, where he is now based (S. Faris, personal communication, September 30, 2009). He has reported for Time Magazine, Fortune Magazine, the Atlantic Monthly and Salon.com.
Except for a brief stint at a small daily newspaper in New Jersey, Faris has spent all of his journalism career as a freelancer. He has been offered staff positions, Faris said, but so far none have been appealing enough to lure him away from what he sees as the advantages of freelancing. Subjects he has tackled include the wars in Iraq and Liberia, the genocide trials in Rwanda, the rise of Islamists in Somalia and Internet censorship in China. He also covers climate change for GlobalPost.
“Also, since a publication only has to invest in you for one article, they're more likely to take your work than they would be to hire you, which allows you to often punch above your weight, so to speak,” he said.
“Finally, I think an important advantage for me is knowing that every story I write is important enough for somebody to make a decision on. Since each story has to sell on its merits, you're never doing busywork,” he said.
One major disadvantage of freelancing, of course, is that you’re on your own. No regular paycheck, no company-subsidized health or life insurance, no one to provide equipment or cover expenses. Journalists who want to succeed as freelance correspondents will need to plan where they’re going, how they’ll operate in their new environment and make a living, and how they’ll do so without taking undue health or security risks.
“If that’s really what you want to do, you just need to go out there and get on with it,” said Deborah Bonello, a veteran freelance correspondent who now works on contract for the Los Angeles Times in Mexico City (D. Bonello, personal communication, September 17, 2009). “And you have to be prepared to hustle,” she said.
Many journalists who decide to pursue this path will at least start out as, and may have full careers as, freelancers, due in part to the paucity of staff foreign correspondent posts available.
Freelancing allows journalists more autonomy in choosing location and assignments, but the marketplace puts limits on that autonomy, and makes strategic planning crucial for a successful freelancer. It can be a lonely, low-income, competitive and high-risk existence, and should not be undertaken lightly. But that does not mean it should not be undertaken.
Bill Gentile, a veteran foreign correspondent and professor at American University, certainly encourages his students to analyze the possibilities of freelance foreign correspondence. A practitioner of “backpack journalism” whose documentaries have appeared on PBS’ “NOW,” Gentile says that he is optimistic about the field of foreign correspondence, despite the widespread downsizing in the industry and the shuttering of foreign bureaus by many news organizations (B. Gentile, personal communication, September 24, 2009).
“I also feel very adamant about the fact that young people who really want to make a difference and be engaged in the world can use this craft and should use this craft as a means to do so,” he said. “It means you may have to be more diversified, though. You may have to go to places like China and you may have to work at an English-language newspaper to sustain yourself and do this stuff on a freelance basis on the side.”
John Schidlovsky, founding director of the International Reporting Project and a former foreign correspondent, says that while the changes in media have left fewer staff jobs with big media organizations, freelancing remains a viable option for aspiring foreign correspondents (J. Schidlovsky, personal communication, September 22, 2009). “If you’re interested in international media and you’re adventurous, just go off somewhere overseas and try that, try carving out a niche. You could go either to a place where there are lots of journalists because there’s big story, but then you’ve got lots of competition,” he said, “or, go someplace where no one is and sort of stake that out, carve that out as your territory.”
Schidlovsky said if he were starting out now, he might choose to locate in Nigeria—Africa’s most populous country and one of the world’s top oil producers. “Nobody is covering that country,” he said. Generally, he recommends being flexible, being adaptable, learning languages, and learning as much as possible about international issues that are hot now, such as the global economy and the environment.
The freedom to focus on stories that you want to do is one of the benefits of freelancing, said Stephan Faris, a freelance correspondent and author of the book Forecast: The Suprising—and Immediate—Consequences of Climate Change. “This is of course constrained by the fact you have to sell them, but so far I've been able to do things I find positive and interesting,” said Faris in an interview via e-mail from Rome, where he is now based (S. Faris, personal communication, September 30, 2009). He has reported for Time Magazine, Fortune Magazine, the Atlantic Monthly and Salon.com.
Except for a brief stint at a small daily newspaper in New Jersey, Faris has spent all of his journalism career as a freelancer. He has been offered staff positions, Faris said, but so far none have been appealing enough to lure him away from what he sees as the advantages of freelancing. Subjects he has tackled include the wars in Iraq and Liberia, the genocide trials in Rwanda, the rise of Islamists in Somalia and Internet censorship in China. He also covers climate change for GlobalPost.
“Also, since a publication only has to invest in you for one article, they're more likely to take your work than they would be to hire you, which allows you to often punch above your weight, so to speak,” he said.
“Finally, I think an important advantage for me is knowing that every story I write is important enough for somebody to make a decision on. Since each story has to sell on its merits, you're never doing busywork,” he said.
One major disadvantage of freelancing, of course, is that you’re on your own. No regular paycheck, no company-subsidized health or life insurance, no one to provide equipment or cover expenses. Journalists who want to succeed as freelance correspondents will need to plan where they’re going, how they’ll operate in their new environment and make a living, and how they’ll do so without taking undue health or security risks.
“If that’s really what you want to do, you just need to go out there and get on with it,” said Deborah Bonello, a veteran freelance correspondent who now works on contract for the Los Angeles Times in Mexico City (D. Bonello, personal communication, September 17, 2009). “And you have to be prepared to hustle,” she said.
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