REPORTER PROFILES

Reporting careers require from two to four years of technical training. More than 100 private and community colleges across the country offer an associate’s degree in reporting. Many of these schools are introducing a distance learning option that allows students to obtain their education wherever they live in the U.S. And more and more are offering specialized tracks in broadcast captioning and CART reporting.

Students must be able to meet deadlines, work well under pressure and concentrate for long periods of time. The most essential skill taught to reporting students is machine shorthand. Once a student has mastered the basics of machine shorthand, he or she will concentrate on building speed and accuracy. To graduate, students typically need to perform machine shorthand at a speed of at least 225 words per minute. Many jurisdictions require reporters to pass certification examinations that test written knowledge as well as speed and accuracy.

Some of the coursework students typically study includes civil and criminal law, grammar, stenographic theory, legal and business terminology, anatomy, medical and forensic terminology, computer technology, business management and judicial procedures.

Testing Speed (from The Status of Reporter of Education: Trends and Analysis 2002).

NCRA-approved programs are required to prepare students who can transcribe a minimum of three five-minute, two-voice testimony tests with a minimum of 95% accuracy dictated at a minimum of 225 words per minute.

25 of the 33 states with state licensure tests mirror these requirements. However, 8 states use a lower standard, testing at no higher than 200 wpm.

Click on the reporter profiles on the right.