A CNN news reporter relied on a system of runners to provide real-time updates from the Hunter Biden trial. One runner, a journalism student at the University of Delaware, shared their experience working for CNN during the trial.
Due to a strict policy on electronics inside the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building, the runner had to take notes from reporters in the courtroom and deliver them to producers on the ground. This system enabled CNN and other media outlets to maintain live updates during the trial.
The runner described their job as physically demanding, with blisters as a reminder of the experience. They recounted running up and down three flights of stairs multiple times a day to deliver news notes to producers.
The runner set a record on Monday, June 10, making 40 runs up the dimly lit stairs to deliver updates on the trial. By the end of the trial, they had developed a rapport with security guards and sprinted to deliver the final verdict to the producers.
Despite the challenges, the runner considered this trial a valuable learning experience and looked forward to covering more court cases in the future.