The Role and Responsibilities of a Media Interpreter

For a full-time media interpreter, the work is grueling, the requirements are many, and the schedule can be tough. For a freelance interpreter, the work can be more relaxed. But, in both roles, the excitement of media interpreting more than makes up for its demands and immediacy.

Post-Gulf War, the need for media interpreting has grown, as has its visibility. In fact, many television stations actually have staff interpreters who work with press conferences, interviews, live reporting, and in-studio reporting.
Role

Media interpreters work in all forms of media: television, radio, and film. Primarily, media interpreters are used for live television coverage, where simultaneous interpreting is most often called for. The largest demand for media interpreting comes from the news arena.

Television media interpreting involves simultaneous interpretation with no lag. The interpreter must exercise exceptionally fluent delivery, a trained and steady voice, a clear message, and the final rendition must be very much like dubbing. That isn't possible via the phone.

However, media interpreters via phone are great behind the scenes of television, and are often used for setting up interviews and delivering information between speakers needing language services. Often, breaking news requires immediate information that is best obtained via a foreign language speaking source.

Phone interpreters are also great for radio, where all participants are already communicating using strictly audio means. Via phone, interpreters can deliver interview responses for the target audience and allow listeners access to cultures whose innate language barriers would be impassable otherwise. They can also perform the same behind the scenes work available in television.
Responsibilities

As a media interpreter, one is placed between an audience and a story. It is the interpreter's job to make the news come alive for target language viewers in the same way as the reporter.

As with any interpreting, media interpreting relies upon strict conveyance of the original message. The integrity of reporting, the news itself, the experiences of people being interviewed, and other considerations need to be dealt with exactly as they are in the primary language, so that target language audience members are privy to the same information with the same level of objectivity.

Sound quality is especially important in media interpreting that will reach the air, perhaps via live recording or pre-recording. In these instances, background noise must be entirely muted. Additionally, the interpreter must have the same neutral accent and clear speaking voice utilized by reporters.

As the media begins to grow, especially audio media like podcasts, media interpreting jobs will become more and more important in an exceedingly globalized world. Interpreters can get started with media interpreting with an online interpreting services company like Ablio. And, those needing media interpreters can also use Ablio for immediate interpreting. One of the benefits of an online interpreting agency is that you can reach an interpreter immediately, at the speed of news.

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