Stringer is who?

Stringer is a profession that came to Russia relatively recently (20-25 years ago). Naturally, before that time, the media used materials provided by freelancers. Now there are workers of this direction who are not afraid of danger for the sake of a good frame. These are free journalists (freelancers) who do not have bosses and are rewarded for unique images or frames.

History

Seriously talked about this profession only after the catastrophe that happened at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. After all, then it is the stringers, who are not officially in any publication, reported the terrible truth about this tragedy. It was the Chernobyl disaster that became the starting point from which the stringer movement begins in our country.

The press calls them differently: both "free arrows" and "lonely wolves", plowing only on themselves. What is the difference between informal journalists and staffers? Stringers are people who can make their own decisions without having to wait for the permission of their superiors, and immediately implement them. We can say that they are balancing on the verge of adventurism, risk, law and lawlessness.

Professional properties

To the question "Stringer - what is this?", There may be two options for an answer. There is a word from the English stringer, that is, "bind", "fasten". Firstly, it is a man whose duties include pulling strings on rackets in tennis and in other sports. Secondly, the stringer is a freelance journalist working for the media. He is hired to collect photos and video reports in troubled areas or hot spots where mass riots or hostilities occur. When the media place their information, the link to the source, as a rule, they do not indicate.

Stringers - who is this?

First of all, suppliers of visual materials: independent photo correspondents, cameramen. There may also be radio and TV reporters who interview or cover events. Their work is very extreme: wars, terrorist attacks, natural disasters and so on. Stringers are professionals. For the work done they receive a decent fee. Workers of this sphere are not liked by colleagues from official publications, for the fact that they are operative, independent, mobile and receive big money. The authorities do not favor them, the military often gets the task from above: "These are not allowed!".

But, despite multiple obstacles, despite the prohibitions and threats, these stringers bring their studies to the end. They can be relied on in any business, they never fail and they will do the work on time, which would not be worth it. Stringers invest a lot of money before they start making profits. Special equipment, travel, accommodation, meals, etc. - all this is done at the expense of a journalist. Broken equipment "lonely wolves" itself repairs or acquires a new one.

The working process

An independent, free journalist lives on his fees. He creates his own labor process and is responsible for his safety. After some time, he can be enrolled in the staff of the magazine or television channel. But most stringers value freedom, because they have the opportunity to work immediately for two or three companies.

There are such TV companies that conclude an agreement with freedom-loving journalists, under which they are compensated for the cost of travel, except for paying a high fee. The amount of compensation for a "free artist" depends not only on the number of shots and footage, but also on the degree of risk to which he is exposing 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 is it suitable for?

That person who aspires to a quiet life with a stable salary, can in no way be a stringer.

Sometimes journalists of this direction do not live to the advanced years. Everyone who wants to become an independent journalist should remember this information.

What is the characteristic of the stringer

• Courage and sense of self-preservation.
• Initiative and purposefulness.
• A living intellect.
• Ability to understand people, elements of psychology.
• Developed intuition.
• Rapidity of reaction, mobility, excellent physical preparation.
• Ability to dialogue with people and find a common language.
• Organizational and attentive.
• Ability to work, relying only on oneself.

What a "free journalist" should know and be able to do

• Interest in current events 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 experiences nervous and mental disorders.
• It suffers from a malfunction of the musculoskeletal system.
• Diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory system.
• Chronic disorders of vision and hearing.
• Infectious diseases.

Illegal activities

This profession does not seem to exist, and the people who deal with this matter are outlawed. They are often accused of corruption and terrible cynicism and are called stringers - this means "free hunter". What they are really doing is shrouded in a romantic-heroic halo.

It is the stringers that can show the war as it really is, with all the horrors and true history. Such cadres 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 smash, journalists beat and arrest. There are about seventy employees of this sphere all over the world. In Russia, no more than 15 professional stringers. Who is this profession, we briefly told you in this article.