How to cover: protests and underrepresented communities

I. First things first: how to ask the right question

Disability and deaf activist Savanna Cormier on asking questions to handicap activists:

“Don’t assume that somebody is mentally handicapped just because they’re deaf or disabled”

Remember to be patient with the activist, and respect their right not to disclose some information.

“Patience is totally key. Sometimes you need to change your idea of what normal is.”

Make sure to phrase questions carefully.

“Use neutral words, like ‘condition’ — some people don’t like ‘disability’ — or just call it it’s name.”

II. Dos and Don’ts

Cormier on interviewing underrepresented subjects:

DON’T: make inferences about the interviewee.

“Don’t make assumptions in general.”

DON’T: push for details, when someone is uncomfortable.

“If someone decides to open up about their disability, let them, but if someone decides not to talk about it, don’t push it.”

DO: ask questions, rather than making assumptions. Ask your interviewee to clarify about something you don’t understand.

III. Safety first: covering a protest

DO: prepare beforehand. Bring supplies like water and possibly granola bars, in case you get in an unpredictable situation.

A sturdy backpack is a journalist’s best friend. Some, like the one pictured, are solar and provide electricity in case your phone runs out of battery. Photo Credit: Rico Shen, via Wikimedia Commons.

DO: think of a few questions you’d like to ask protesters or authorities.

DO: research the origins of the protest to make sure you know which groups will likely be there, and so that you know the different points of view you’ll be trying to represent.

DON’T: go to a protest without looking at a map of the surrounding area. Familiarize yourself with landmarks in case the action moves.

DON’T: engage in violent behavior or get too close to the center of the action if it feels unsafe. Use judgment. Your goal is to observe the action without putting yourself in danger.

TV journalist Brittany Brown on covering protests and powerful people:

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions”

While you should always be respectful, asking questions is natural and the best way to inform the public of something they may not know.

“People get timid of people that have authority, when in actuality most likely they will be nice.”

Be persistent when trying to contact people in power, but remember that in every story, there are always more than two sides. People are depending on you to speak to people with underrepresented points of view.

A short video on how to cover protests.

What if people in authority aren’t nice, or even openly hostile?

In tense situations, and especially in protests, people in authority such as police officers will likely be stressed and prone to mistakes. If you sense that police are likely to get in an altercation with protesters, try to find somewhere safe to report. Be prepared for police officers to mistake you for a protester. Remember to remain calm and film or capture as much of the protest as possible. It may also be a good idea to automatically backup footage to a cloud service, in case it is deleted from your camera or phone.

IV. When covering a protest that may become violent:

• Always be aware of your surroundings.
• Be aware of people dressed in black, who are concealing their faces. They might be Black Bloc or Antifa, groups that often incite violence as part an anarchist message.
• Remember that your safety is never guaranteed. That is why it’s important to let people know where you’re going, and to look at a map before hand.

Be aware of Black Bloc members, who commonly wear all black and conceal their faces. Photo credit: Anarkman via Wikimedia Commons.

V. Some final tips from other journalists:

Sally Kohn writes — try to tell the story of the protesters, not the protest. She adds, try to cover the average protester, and avoid portraying fringe protesters as representative of the typical protester.

The International News Safety Institute writes — consider bringing another journalist along with you, and agree on a rendezvous point in case you are separated.

Finally, as The Guardian’s Stephen Dredge did, think outside the box. You can use new technologies such as 360 cameras and Google Glass to give panoramic shots of activist demonstrations. You can also use live feeds from Facebook, Instagram, or Periscope to show video in realtime.

If you’re not covering a protest, think outside the box!

Use visual elements, photos, and video to illustrate your subject’s story. If they are an activist, they are passionate about something, and it’s your job to do your best to show this passion.