Women One Man Bands

I've been reading other blogs about a television station in Nashville using all one man band reporters. They are basically adding photographer to the reporter's job titles and adding reporter to the photographer's job titles.

So if a station has 10 reporters and 10 photographers, suddenly they have 20 people who are basically reporters. I'm curious if the photographers will be seen on the air as well?

Throughout my six year career in TV news, I've often found myself all alone, doing both jobs. My first reporting job at 19 was one man band weekend reporter. And as I've mentioned, I still one man band when Brad, my photog, is out.

My very first reporting job was in Tuscaloosa. I was also a one man band. I was also the only male reporter. The rest of the newsroom was filled with women reporters. But none of them had to one man band. In fact, our news director, who just happened to be a woman, would not allow women to operate cameras. She always said if was unprofessional for a woman to carry around a big, bulky camera. (So much for equal rights I guess.)

Interestingly, one night a week, I would have to shoot my story and also be the photographer for our other nightside reporter. Her name was Susie Edwards. I've seen her around somewhere recently I think.