Reporter Ronnie Turner sheds light on how to be a backpack Journalist

By: Managerrie Winston

Reporter Ronnie Turner discussed what it truly means to be a backpack journalist and the importance of having everlasting sources.

An alumnus from Jack Yates high school and recent University of Houston graduate, Turner who is a freelance writer for the Houston Chronicle carries a backpack to keep a low profile image as a reporter on college campuses, and also uses it to hold everything he needs when a story breaks.

“I’ve been driving alone and had to pull over doing interviews and taking notes,” Turner said. “I even have a small flashlight because you never what time of the night you have to look at a piece of paper for information.”

His backpack holds vital tools all reporters need a recorder, digital camera, flash drive, extra batteries, pens, stats, and all the things needed when breaking news.

“I also carry that backpack because I have important things that I use every day and that I keep around for emergencies,” Turner said. “My recorder, my cell phone charger, batteries for my recorder, flash drive, pens, notepads, stats, everything I think I’ll need my hands on. You never know when a story is going to break."

Turner described how his backpack helps him blend in when reporting on college campuses.

“For one, I like carrying my backpack and two it’s done strategically,” Turner said. “With that backpack on I blend in with the students just like anybody else. So nobody would expect me to be a reporter unless I pull out a notebook and recorder and started asking questions. Other than that I can slip in pretty much anywhere on campus that I want to and get information.”

Turner shared tips on how to stick to an ongoing story by utilizing sources, Turner uses the recent firing of Texas Southern Universities head couch Johnnie Cole to show a sources importance to a developing story.

“I got word from a source; you have to have sources in this business you don’t know everything they know everything, they might not know everything but they know more than you know because they’re usually closer to the program,” Turner said.

In this case Turners sources were affiliated with the TSU athletic program, sources in close connection to athletic programs are necessary for Turner to cover his beat.

These sources serve as extra eyes and ears for Turner, his sources called him whenever tips surfaced about breaking news relating to Cole's firing.

Turner sources eventually led to him breaking the correct news information about Cole's firing the morning it was announced.

In order to keep solid relationships with sources their names must never be withheld, the terms “Texas Southern Athletic Program official” or “University official” should be used so reporters do not burn their sources.

Turners methods are required functions of backpack journalist in this day in age, Turner efforts are endless in getting a story and he keeps all the necessary tools to accurately report it.