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In my first post awhile ago I described how as a tv news photog, everyone is my potential customer, since everyone is a potential viewer (though if you looked at the actual ratings of local TV news you would see there is damned few of them any more).
Today's observation comes from last night, and it's about the delicate balance we have to walk as journalists (observe, do not interfere) and human beings (wtf are you doing!).
In our industry we have endless debates about the balance between our rights & obligations as journalist vs what as humans we should be doing.
Case in point was last night. In the DC metro area the latest ongoing story is the continuing poor performance of local electric utility with regards to power outages during storms. Personally, I don't really think it's the utility's fault as much as everyone would like to think, but it's not my call.
Anyway yesterday we had a big windstorm, and sure enough down come trees & powerlines, and off my intrepid reporter & I go to cover the damage. In one particular upscale neighborhoos we encounter a very large tree that has managed to fall in just a place as to take out the power lines without hitting cars, houses, or anything else of importance. Power lines lay in the street and the fire department had taped off the area for safety until crews could come to chop up the tree and replace the lines & poles that served 10 houses or so.
While on the scene setting up for a live shot, an elderly neighbor whose house was inside the taped off area decides she wants to leave. The problem is there is a huge power line on the ground right in front of her driveway and no way to get around it. Another neighbor offers to help guide the lady (in her car) across the downed line and through the tape.
My reporter & I (without camera rolling or anything) pleaded with the lady not to do it. Yes, we're 90% sure that power line is shut down, but if it's not, you're gonna die.
Nope, no-one will listen, elderly woman & neighbor are convinced they can do it. Fine. I go get my camera and roll on the scene as the neighbor guides the woman across the line, under the tape and on her way. No-one gets hurt, and that's a good thing.
I guess my rant is that people watch the news and say 'well why didn't the news crew do something?' I was rolling and if the lady fried herself, I would have had great video of it.
But we sure as hell tried to stop her before she went for it....
Today's observation comes from last night, and it's about the delicate balance we have to walk as journalists (observe, do not interfere) and human beings (wtf are you doing!).
In our industry we have endless debates about the balance between our rights & obligations as journalist vs what as humans we should be doing.
Case in point was last night. In the DC metro area the latest ongoing story is the continuing poor performance of local electric utility with regards to power outages during storms. Personally, I don't really think it's the utility's fault as much as everyone would like to think, but it's not my call.
Anyway yesterday we had a big windstorm, and sure enough down come trees & powerlines, and off my intrepid reporter & I go to cover the damage. In one particular upscale neighborhoos we encounter a very large tree that has managed to fall in just a place as to take out the power lines without hitting cars, houses, or anything else of importance. Power lines lay in the street and the fire department had taped off the area for safety until crews could come to chop up the tree and replace the lines & poles that served 10 houses or so.
While on the scene setting up for a live shot, an elderly neighbor whose house was inside the taped off area decides she wants to leave. The problem is there is a huge power line on the ground right in front of her driveway and no way to get around it. Another neighbor offers to help guide the lady (in her car) across the downed line and through the tape.
My reporter & I (without camera rolling or anything) pleaded with the lady not to do it. Yes, we're 90% sure that power line is shut down, but if it's not, you're gonna die.
Nope, no-one will listen, elderly woman & neighbor are convinced they can do it. Fine. I go get my camera and roll on the scene as the neighbor guides the woman across the line, under the tape and on her way. No-one gets hurt, and that's a good thing.
I guess my rant is that people watch the news and say 'well why didn't the news crew do something?' I was rolling and if the lady fried herself, I would have had great video of it.
But we sure as hell tried to stop her before she went for it....
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