Stringer

A stringer is a part-time or freelance journalist. Stringers typically are assigned to cover areas that are considered less newsworthy or peripheral to the news organization's coverage area, where it has no bureau or full-time reporters. A local newspaper may have stringers in surrounding small towns, whereas major news organizations may have stringers in dozens of countries around the world. Stringers also may be used in areas such as Iraq and Afghanistan that are seen as “trouble spots.”

“Stringing” can be a way for aspiring journalists to get their work into print or on the air and build a portfolio that will help them land a full-time job. New technology such as satellite telephones, digital cameras, and the Internet have made reporting from abroad more feasible ...