Stringer is a profession that came to Russia relatively recently (20-25 years ago). Naturally, even before this time, the media resorted to materials that are provided by freelancers. Now there are workers in this area who are not afraid of danger for the sake of a good shot. These are freelance journalists (freelancers) who do not have bosses and receive remuneration for unique pictures or frames.
History
Seriously talking about this profession only after the disaster that happened at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. After all, then it was the stringers, who are not officially in any publication, who told the terrible truth about this tragedy. It was the Chernobyl disaster that became the starting point from which the stringer movement in our country begins.
The press calls them differently: both "free shooters" and "lone wolves" who plow only for themselves. What is the difference between unofficial journalists and full-time ones? Stringers are those people who can make independent decisions without waiting for the permission of higher management, and immediately implement them. We can say that they are balancing on the verge of adventurism, risk, law and lawlessness.
Professionalproperties
There can be two answers to the question "Stringer - what is it?" The word comes from the English stringer, that is, "tie", "fasten". Firstly, this is a person whose duties include stringing rackets in both tennis and other sports. Secondly, a stringer is a freelance journalist working for the media. He is hired to collect photo and video reports in troubled areas or hot spots where riots or fighting are taking place. When the media publish their information, they usually do not provide a link to the source.
Stringers - who are they?
First of all, suppliers of visual materials: independent photojournalists, cameramen. There may also be radio and television reporters who take interviews or cover events. Their work is very extreme: wars, terrorist attacks, natural disasters and so on. Stringers are professionals. For the work they do, they receive a decent fee. Colleagues from official publications do not like workers in this area, because they are operational, independent, mobile and receive a lot of money. The authorities do not favor them, the military often receive an order from above: "Don't let them in!".
But, despite the many obstacles, despite the prohibitions and threats, real stringers bring their studies to the end. You can rely on them in any business, they will never let you down and will complete the work on time, no matter what it costs them. Stringers invest big money before they start making a profit. Special equipment, travel, accommodation, meals, etc. - all this is done at the expense of the journalist. Lone wolves repair broken equipment themselves or purchase new ones.
Workflow
Independent, freelance journalist lives on his fees. He creates his own labor process and is responsible for his safety. After some time, he may be enrolled in the staff of a magazine or TV channel. But most stringers value freedom, because they have the opportunity to work for two or three companies at once.
There are TV companies that conclude an agreement with freedom-loving journalists, according to which he is compensated for travel expenses, in addition to 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 counterparts.
So, who is a stringer? What is this profession? And who is she suitable for?
A person who strives for a quiet life with a stable salary cannot possibly be a stringer.
Sometimes journalists of this direction do not live to old age. This information should be remembered by every person who wants to become a freelance journalist.
What characteristics does the stringer have
- Courage and a sense of self-preservation.
- Initiative and purposefulness.
- Living intelligence.
- The ability to understand people, elements of psychology.
- Developedintuition.
- Reaction speed, mobility, excellent physical fitness.
- The ability to communicate with people and find a common language.
- Organized and attentive.
- The ability to work, relying only on one's own strength.
What a "freelance journalist" should know and be able to do
- Interest in current events that are related to politics, the world economy and international relations.
- If you work abroad, you need to know several foreign languages.
Medical prohibitions
- If a person is experiencing nervous and mental disorders.
- Suffers from a musculoskeletal disorder.
- Diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
- Chronic visual and hearing impairments.
- Infectious diseases.
Illegal activities
This profession doesn't seem to exist, and the people who do it are outlawed. They are often accused of venality and terrible cynicism and are called stringers - which means "free hunter". What they really do has a romantic-heroic air about it.
It is stringers that can show the war as it really is, with all the horrors and real history. Such shots cause the greatest discussion and disgust for the war. Thanks to these people, we see what is happening in reality. They shoot under bullets, their cameras can break, journalists can be beatenand arrest. Around the world, there are about seventy employees in this field. There are no more than 15 professional stringers in Russia. Who is this profession, we briefly told you in this article.