Throw to Reporter

In broadcast journalism, a throw (sometimes called a "toss") is the scripted moment when one on-air presenter passes the narrative to another. A throw to reporter specifically describes the anchor in the studio cueing a correspondent — often standing live at a relevant location — to take over reporting on a story. The mechanic typically involves a short setup ("introducing" the story and the reporter by name and location) followed by a direct address such as "Sarah, what are you hearing on the ground?"

Throws serve several functions:

• Authority transfer: they signal to viewers that the reporter has localized, eyewitness, or specialist knowledge the anchor cannot provide.
• Pacing: they break up studio monologue and add visual variety with remote shots, b-roll, or live backdrops.
• Branding: naming the reporter reinforces network talent and credibility.

For political researchers and MUN delegates working on media analysis, throws are useful units of study because they reveal editorial framing. The anchor's setup script — the few sentences before the handoff — often contains the network's chosen angle, while the reporter's stand-up delivers the on-scene detail. Comparing how different outlets throw to reporters covering the same event (for example, a UN Security Council session, an election night, or a humanitarian crisis) can expose differences in tone, source selection, and emphasis.

Throws can be live (two-way, allowing back-and-forth Q&A between anchor and reporter), packaged (the anchor throws into a pre-recorded reporter package, or "pkg"), or donut (live intro and tag wrapped around a recorded middle). Failed or awkward throws — when the reporter's audio drops, the anchor mispronounces a name, or the correspondent is not yet on camera — are a recurring source of on-air bloopers and have become a minor subgenre of media criticism.