Freelance Field Producer, Chicago Bureau
Posted Jul 31, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
Tell me about a reporter liveshot you produced on location that was hard to pull off. What made it work?
What they are checking: Whether they have real field experience handling logistics, crews and timing for live TV.
Tell me about a time you were in an unsafe situation covering news. How did you handle it?
What they are checking: Whether they make sound safety calls for themselves and the crew in volatile environments.
Tell me about a long assignment away from home. How did you keep your energy and work quality up?
What they are checking: Whether they can sustain extended travel without burning out or slipping on standards.
What would you do
You get a call at 5 a.m. to fly to a breaking story with no return date. Walk me through your first two hours.
What they are checking: Whether they can mobilize fast and arrive ready to produce, which is the core of this job.
The satellite or LiveU signal drops two minutes before a live hit. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they stay calm and have backup plans when technology fails on deadline.
How do you work with the Chicago Bureau and the New York desk when they want different things from the same story?
What they are checking: Whether they can manage competing editorial requests without losing the story.
Beyond breaking news, what initiative story would you pitch from the Midwest?
What they are checking: Whether they bring their own ideas, which makes a freelancer more valuable to the bureau.
About the work
How do you find and book guests or eyewitnesses at a scene when you have no local contacts?
What they are checking: Their sourcing skill under pressure, which decides whether a package has real voices in it.
How do you build a package on location when you have limited time to write, shoot and edit?
What they are checking: Whether they can run the full package workflow in the field without a newsroom behind them.
What do you do to confirm facts on the ground before they go on air?
What they are checking: Whether accuracy stays a priority when the pressure is to be first.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Fox Corporation.