AT THE HEIGHT of typhoon ?Basyang,? radio proved once more its reliability as a quick source of information during times of emergency. During the long blackout, we switched our old transistor radio on and tuned in to reports about the resumption of electricity service, as well as the damage wrought by the typhoon.
In the process of getting the information we wanted, we reconfirmed our belief that live reporting from the field is truly the acid test in broadcasting.
Experts say it?s the field reporter?s responsibility to create a word picture of a scene?for example, the extent of a typhoon?s damage, the names of casualties, the value of goods lost, etc.
In live field reporting, a broadcaster?s ability to adlib, converse clearly with the studio anchor, and control his emotions is of paramount importance. Unlike on television, where visuals can compensate for a reporter?s lackluster performance, radio demands that reporters become its eyes and ears.
Stories
So, while ?Basyang? held sway in the metropolis, we listened to field reporters as they told their stories the best way they could.
While some passed with flying colors and did great on-the-spot interviews with experts from Pag-asa and Meralco, others were obviously newbies who left us shaking our heads, biting our lips?and laughing out loud. Example:
Studio Host (SH): Saan ang exact location mo (Where?s your exact location)?
Field Reporter (FR): Ang dilim-dilim (It?s so dark here)!
SH: Natural, madilim?blackout, e. Ang tanong ko: Saan ang exact location mo? (It?s dark because there?s a brownout. I ask you again: Where?s your exact location?)
FR: Sa totoo lang, kuya, ?di ko alam. (To be honest, I don?t know sir)
SH: Ha? Bakit, wala ka bang nakikitang signage d?yan? (Why? Can you see a signage there?)
FR: Wala, kuya. Basta, ang babala ko sa listeners, huwag po kayong pumunta rito! (None, sir. But I?m warning listeners not to come here)
SH: Paano nila malalaman kung nasaan ?yan, e ?di mo sinasabi kung nasaan ka? (How will they know where that is when you yourself can?t say where you are)
FR: Basta bumaba po kami ng Nagtahan. So, ang feeling ko, nasa may Sta. Ana. (All I know is that we went down Nagtahan [bridge]. So I think we?re somewhere in Sta. Ana)
SH: Ha? Ang layo ng Nagtahan sa Sta. Ana! Magko-commercial break tayo. Babalikan kita. Mag-usap tayo off the air! (What? Nagtahan is far from Sta. Ana! We?ll just go on a commercial break. We?ll talk off the air)
Heartbeat
On another station, as the anchor talked to a nervous female reporter, listeners could actually hear her heartbeat as she adlibbed in between breathy gasps:
FR: Narito po kami sa kahabaan ng Shaw blvd. kung saan . . . ayun, kitang-kita ko po ang ano na bumagsak! (We?re here along Shaw blvd. Where...there, I saw something fell!)
SH: Choppy ka, iha. Ano kamo ang nakita mong bumagsak? (You?re coming in choppy. But what did you see fall?)
FR: ?Yung ano po . . . (It?s ...err)
SH: Ano nga? (What is it?)
FR: Malaki pong ano . . . (It?s a big...)
SH: Ano? Yero? Punong-kahoy? (What? Roof? Tree?)
FR: Opo. (Yes)
SH: Alin nga?yero o punong-kahoy? (What? Is it a roof or a tree?)
FR: Punong-kahoy po. (It?s a tree)
SH: Saan s?ya bumagsak? (Where did it fall?)
FR: Sa ano po. . . ano. . . ?yung . . .?yung . . .kuwan. . . (It?s in...what...er, er...)
This went on until the host rescued the poor novice reporter from her ordeal by telling her to take a deep breath, relax and not be overwhelmed by what she was witnessing. How ?professional? can you get?
