What makes a reporter? In today’s ever-modernizing world full of advancing technology, this question seems to become harder to answer. People live all over the world, a majority of whom own smart phones. With smartphones, people are able to capture videos and images of the world that surrounds them. However, few videos make national headlines for courageous acts, natural disasters, or some sort of unique event. Well, these everyday people are now reporting the news. So this begs the question, what makes a reporter a “reporter”?

According to Editor-in-Chief of the Freedom Revolution Student Newspaper Tommy Capobianco, “A reporter is impartial and unbiased. Someone who is not easily swayed by their own opinions and who exhausts all their resources.”

Well what does this mean? Often times when surfing social media, we tend to come across viral videos captured from the perspective of different people. Usually there are multiple videos all focused on the same event, followed by some biased opinion. Well the job of a reporter is to be as unbiased as possible. They must dig deep into the story. Interviewing witnesses, gathering data and exhausting every form of research made available.

According to sokanu.com , “News reporters play an active role in gathering information on current events. A large portion of their day is spent investigating news before sending it in as a story. Some work as correspondents in offices located far from head office. They are sent to the places that important events are likely to happen.”
The life as a reporter is not easy. It requires patience, time, and effort to be a reporter— all qualities acquired after years of studying and work within the field, not just simply getting lucky and witnessing current events unfold.