It’s amazing how technology has changed journalism-especially in radio. I have had mentors tell me they remember literally cutting tape in order to get a good cut and to meet deadlines. They had to record news in one take with no edits. Whereas, now I can go into the studio and digitally edit my work without having to say it right the first time.

It’s safe to say the digital world of journalism has definitely transformed our industry. But it’s not only the in-studio equipment that has changed. It’s the equipment we take out in the field that has made a difference.

As a student in the Missouri School of Journalism, I am allowed to borrow a larger recorder for my radio stories called a Marantz. It is a black piece of equipment and has a microphone with a cord. I also use a large card to retrieve my sound outside of the studio. I really enjoy using the recorder, because it’s easy to operate.

It was my favorite piece of equipment until Thursday.

Thursday, I was assigned through my radio internship to cover the Missouri Pork Expo in Columbia. My boss handed me a Marantz recorder, but this wasn’t the kind of recorder I used at school. This was a lot smaller and there was no bulky microphone to haul. It was light-weight and easy to use. The bulky card used to record onto was a small and light sim card.

Therefore, from Marantz to Marantz, the recorders are symbolic of the continuous change in reporting. The world will continue to see technological advances in equipment and as journalists we must be ready for it.