Pop Quiz

There are no right or wrong answers to these hypothetical situations. Just some things to think about.

1. You are either a one-man-band or a photog working alone. You arrive at a fire before the fire department, and are the first news person on the scene. As you begin to shoot a woman runs out of the building with her clothes on fire. Do you:

A: Keep shooting
B: Put down the camera and try to help the woman
C: Hit the record button, place the camera on the ground facing the woman, then run to her assistance


2. A viewer tips you off that a nationally known terrorist suspect is in the area. The viewer does not want to get involved and is afraid to call police. You have no camera or photog available. If you wait until one is available, the terrorist may be gone. Do you:

A: Wait until you are able to get video before calling police
B: Call the police and hope your cooperation gets you an exclusive later


3. You are a producer and no one from management is available. One of the reporters has a story that cannot be confirmed, but the other stations in town are leading with it. The story is not on the wire. If the story is wrong, it could ruin someone's reputation for life. Do you:

A: Run the story
B: Wait for confirmation


4. There's an anchor opening at your station that you desperately want. You apply along with other people on staff, but the ND hires someone from outside the station. The person is incredibly good looking, not terribly smart, but an extremely nice person. Do you:

A: Treat the new person like a leper
B: Welcome the new person and make the anchor feel comfortable


5. You're covering a very important event along with crews from other stations. Just before a news conference begins, the photog from another station has battery problems and doesn't have a spare. Do you:

A: Lend him your spare battery
B: Do nothing and let him miss the story


6. A politician tells you something in confidence. Later you find out that the information is crucial to a police investigation and could help them convict someone of a serious crime. Do you:

A: Pass on the information to police
B: Do nothing
C: Give police the information, then do a story about it


7. You're offered a great job by another station but have four months left on your contract. You have a buyout. The News Director offering you the job doesn't know about your contract situation. Do you:

A: Tell the ND you're under contract and try to work things out
B: Accept the job and hope he doesn't find out


8. You're a producer. A reporter is sent to cover what appears to be a murder and it turns out to be a suicide. The person is not a public figure, and is not related to one. Do you:

A: Broadcast the story
B: Kill the story


9. A politician you really admire gives you an exclusive interview and says something incredibly stupid during the interview. If you broadcast the sound bite his campaign would likely be over. Do you:

A: Use the sound bite
B: Ignore the sound bite and let voters make decisions on their own


10. Tomorrow is election day. A woman comes forward and claims she has had an affair with one of the candidates. The candidate denies it. You have absolutely no facts and no time to dig for them. Do you:

A: Run the story
B: Wait until you have more information