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Come On, Reporters
The following is based on the other article about the NCRA President and Merrill and reporting in the UK. Wanted to make it a new thread and see if this gets some people excited or angry or just plain upset at me.
What I'm about to weigh in with here is going to step on a bunch of toes and probably have me run for the hills, but, I'm gonna say it anyway.
How many reporters do we know that are in courts that do absolutely nothing to promote the profession? How many reporters in those same courts have to call in an outside agency to provide daily copy because they can't do it or aren't willing to do it? How many freelance reporters do we know that will never ever be able to provide realtime services because their "dictionary isn't built up" or they're "afraid to do it"?
To those reporters, I say, WAKE UP!!!!
While there are other ways of making a record in other parts of the world, I still say the way to make it here in the U.S. is a live reporter. I'm not going to say with one hundred percent certainty that every single court here requires a court reporter. But, it falls on all of us to protect our profession. The choir is here in this organization and probably the ones that really need to hear this aren't even members. The ones that aren't doing what they can to promote themselves and the profession.....well, let's just say that maybe you should reconsider your job and what you're doing.
I can't sit here and judge everyone because I don't have all the initials after my name. But, what I've done this semester is re-enrolled in the local community college and am taking the high-speed dictation class....yeah, that's right, I'm going back to school......so that I can better myself and try to get some of the other initials after my name. That being said, I haven't sat around for 24 years and sat back on my laurels and done nothing to promote myself or improve myself as a reporter. By the way, I have passed every single test I've taken here in school so far; so, I've still got it. That made me feel so good.
Now, with all that in mind, I think that NCRA and also TCRA should consider a time limit on how long a person can retain their license before having to re-take the test. Doctors who are board certified have to re-take their exams. Why not reporters. Maybe that would wake up some of the reporters to the fact that they do, indeed, need to retain and update their skills and do what they can to better themselves.
Now, I'm just an ol' country boy from nowhere, but I'm calling out everyone here.......ARE YOU DOING WHAT YOU CAN TO PROMOTE THIS PROFESSION??? WAKE UP, PLEASE.
(Tippin hat)
Breck
What I'm about to weigh in with here is going to step on a bunch of toes and probably have me run for the hills, but, I'm gonna say it anyway.
How many reporters do we know that are in courts that do absolutely nothing to promote the profession? How many reporters in those same courts have to call in an outside agency to provide daily copy because they can't do it or aren't willing to do it? How many freelance reporters do we know that will never ever be able to provide realtime services because their "dictionary isn't built up" or they're "afraid to do it"?
To those reporters, I say, WAKE UP!!!!
While there are other ways of making a record in other parts of the world, I still say the way to make it here in the U.S. is a live reporter. I'm not going to say with one hundred percent certainty that every single court here requires a court reporter. But, it falls on all of us to protect our profession. The choir is here in this organization and probably the ones that really need to hear this aren't even members. The ones that aren't doing what they can to promote themselves and the profession.....well, let's just say that maybe you should reconsider your job and what you're doing.
I can't sit here and judge everyone because I don't have all the initials after my name. But, what I've done this semester is re-enrolled in the local community college and am taking the high-speed dictation class....yeah, that's right, I'm going back to school......so that I can better myself and try to get some of the other initials after my name. That being said, I haven't sat around for 24 years and sat back on my laurels and done nothing to promote myself or improve myself as a reporter. By the way, I have passed every single test I've taken here in school so far; so, I've still got it. That made me feel so good.
Now, with all that in mind, I think that NCRA and also TCRA should consider a time limit on how long a person can retain their license before having to re-take the test. Doctors who are board certified have to re-take their exams. Why not reporters. Maybe that would wake up some of the reporters to the fact that they do, indeed, need to retain and update their skills and do what they can to better themselves.
Now, I'm just an ol' country boy from nowhere, but I'm calling out everyone here.......ARE YOU DOING WHAT YOU CAN TO PROMOTE THIS PROFESSION??? WAKE UP, PLEASE.
(Tippin hat)
Breck
Views: 96
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Breck Record on
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Virginia,
Let me just add to the remarks you mentioned about mentoring. My scopist is a student reporter. My person in my office that does scanning and other odd jobs is a reporting student. I have another student at the school that I have taken under my wing and she goes with me on every job that she is able to, and, I have provided her with one of my laptops as well as a software key. She also gets steno paper from me.
I totally agree that mentoring is a very vital part of helping students along with their goal of one day becoming a working reporter. I have had three or four other students at the reporting program come up to my office and sit in on depos with my other reporters. I have so much fun watching these students grow and learn what it is like to be a working reporter and give them exposure to the real world.
My additional two cents.
Breck
Also a former federal court reporter, too. :)
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Virginia,
I thought the FCR was for Federal Court Reporter. LOL
Either way, the important thing is the last two letters in that acronym - Court Reporter.
One of the best days of my life was when I actually got to sign my name to the bottom of my first transcript.
Good luck to you and if I can be of any assistance, please let me know.
(tipping hat)
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Permalink Reply by Tami on
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You go, Breck!!
Thanks for the pep talk!
After I became a court reporter in '81, my sister, my husband's first cousin, my sister-in-law all followed. Also, my oldest son is kickin' behind in CR school right now.
I'd like to think I've successfully encouraged many students on their way to achieve their goal of becoming a CR and my fellow comrades to step up their game.
Why???
Because I radiate an over-the-top love for my profession.
Keep it up, Breck!
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Permalink Reply by Cammi Bowen on
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Breck,
Interesting topic.
I think it's interesting that you, a working reporter, are going back to school. Is that for speedbuilding? To try to get prepared for taking the CRR? What?
I am a student trying to pass my 200s. I can't think of many reasons to come back to my school once I get that coveted CSR. The only thing I can think of is working on the realtime certification. Is there a class that my school should be offering to working reporters that would help with enrollment in the CR program?
Cammi
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Cammi,
I wanted to get ready for some additional tests, yes.......and the CRR is one of them.
Corpus Christi, Texas, has a reporting program there at their junior college where they offer a night class for working reporters to sign up for. Not sure how many enrolled in it, but I do know that I get the offer to sign up every now and then from them. I'm in El Paso, and it's not even feasible for me to go there. :)
It's been 24 years since I was in school and I just had to see if I still "had it." LOL I've still got it and am a much better writer now. I better be a better writer after all this time. :)
My goal this semester is to be able to write the three legs and just print them up without editing them. Kind of similar to the CRR, but do all three legs as if they were a CRR.
Who knows....I might even try to get the states to......LOL.....let's not stir up the natives on such a beautiful day.
I think if you provide realtime to your clients, Cammi, you'll see that you have to stay on your toes after you've passed the CSR.
Good luck to you and if I can help ya down the line, feel free to ask.
Hang in there and good luck to you.
(tipping hat)
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Nick,
Thanks. I appreciate it.
(tipping hat)
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Janet,
Don't lose hope. I would never blow smoke and say this is an easy profession. You gotta want it bad just to get out. And then is when the fun begins and even harder work. Lol.
Hang in there.
(Tipping hat)
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Permalink Reply by Tori Pittman on
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AMEN, Breck!
It's amazing how a great many reporters tend to just sit back and do their 'job' instead of really embracing this as a profession - and sharing just how incredible it is that we can do what we do. Until something happens that threatens their job, many reporters just don't associate the fact that the reason they HAVE a job is because another reporter somewhere in the world impressed upon an attorney or a judge just how GREAT having a reporter in the courtroom/deposition suite/civic setting is...
The more voices that speak up, the stronger our message becomes and the more that hear it. And we become so much more 'powerful' - both in our profession, but also in our spirit. In the end, passion tends to breed more passion.
How can we as professionals NOT give back to this profession that has given us so very much?
T
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