A 2 cents guide to would be reporters, Part I

I myself is a graduate of the Center for Sportscommunication or CSC, batch 8. Among my classmates were NCAA Courtside reporter Pia Boren, Solar Courtside Mica Abesamis and ABS-CBN Reporter Gretchen Malalad.

I was among them that made an entry into this industry by being a Basketball Analyst for the Global Destiny Basketball League, the National Basketball Conference (NBC), and the 2005 edtition of the Collegiate Champions League (CCL). It was an experience to work with such pros like Noel Zarate, Boyet Sison, Coach Jude Roque, Coach Aboy Castro, Coach Luigi Trillo, and many many more.

Now, I have ventured into the new media business - the Internet. And have co-created www.inboundpass.com, dedicated to Philippine College Basketball, with great personalities like Kim Lesaca, Charlie Cuna, Tony Atayde, Chris Soler, Josef Ramos and Coach Jude Roque. We had our occassional bumps on the road but we managed to pull thru.

I know a lot of coaches in College Basketball. We talk a lot about the game and about the stars and sites. And since we talk, we share some information that somehow might affect thier careers and most of all my relationship with them.

When I assisted Noel Zarate and Coach Jude during the 1st Sportscasting workshop held in San Beda College in Mendiola, I was able to pick up this document from Bill Velasco and he discussed about research and production. It's the SOURCERY - A GUIDE TO REPORTERS.

The arcane art of getting people to tell you the truth:

l. Ask for help. If you ask people to tell you everything they know, that is a precious possession not readilv surrendered.

But people like to be asked for their help. Ask them to help you understand what is happening. That is what you want, isn’t it? You’re a little confused and lost, and you need help in figuring things out. In helping you, people just may tell you what they know.

2. Be prepared. Know what you’re talking about. Know what they’re talking about. Study the subject- and the terminology of the topic. Know what your questions are. Know what the answers could be. Don’t parade your knowledge. But use it to prompt discussion and replies.

Most coaches are very accommodating and they will understand if you tell them to take it easy on the terms.

3. Listen. Shut up and listen. A good reporter is a good listener. You shouldn’t be trying to tell people everything you know. You want to get what they know. Sometimes the best questions are "Uh-huh", "Why?", "How?", "What do you mean‘?" and "I don’t understand? The short question which keep people talking, while you keep listening.

Please do take this point seriously. To get your source their attention, you must attentively listen so you can get their trust. Trust is one of the most important commodity in this business so you have to build that relationship with your source.

4. Be honest. You want your sources to be honest with you, don’t you? Be honest with them, if you want to build mutual trust. That doesn’t mean putting everything out on a platter before the first question. But do try to be candid, rather than coy. If you’re working on a story, say so. Make people part of the way into your confidence. Maybe they will do the same for you.

5. Talk to everyone. There is no formula for finding sources. Figure out everyone who might know something about what you’re looking for. Talk to them all. Keep asking. Go back and forth. You may find a piece here, a piece there. Getting stories is akin to assembling puzzles — without knowing how many pieces there are or what the final picture may look like.

Make sure that when you put your story together, the pieces fit together. Be careful on the crumbs, they might lead you to the wrong ginger bread house.

6. See people face—to-face. You can’t look a telephone in the eye. And if you’re in someone’s office or living room, they can’t hang-up or put you on hold to call back another time when they won’t be in. In fact, few people know how to throw you out gracefully. So stay, and try to keep asking questions. Walk into an office two minutes after quitting time, when the secretary has gone but the boss with all the work to do is still there — and has no more appointments or ringing phones to interrupt him or her that hour. Show up unexpectedly. Often people will see you to find out what you want.

I always tell reporter this. To find the time to go to team practices. Observe them, learn the game, empathize with the players and just build a relationship. Believe me you will have a learning experience about the game and about hardwork and dedication.

7. Go back. Go back again and again. Keep knocking on doors. You may feel foolish, but be polite and persist. Keep asking for help. It may seem hard to ask questions when you may feel foolish, but remember one rule: the only way you’re certain of never getting the answer is to be too embarrassed to ask the question. One reporter’s axiom: "There aren’t any embarrassing questions - just embarrassing answers."

When you ask a player particularly a coach, please do make an effort to ask politely. Not like you are pointing a gun or a knife on your potential source. You have to make them feel comfortable with you. Some reporters are not sensitive to this and they just end up like a mosquito ready to suck blood from their victims. And you know how mosquitos can be annoying right?

To be continued........