Broadcast news is an immediate medium. An outside broadcast means a story can get on air much quicker via an OB than if a spokesperson was required to go into a studio. Locations provide more interesting and varied backgrounds than studios and for this reason are favoured by broadcasters.

Interviews can be broadcast live from the location or material (interviews and/or pictures) can be fed to the broadcasters for them to edit in their own newsrooms.

These days broadcasters are often restricted in what they cover by lack of resources. By providing journalists with a satellite truck (and sometimes a camera) live and pre-recorded interviews and pictures can be transmitted with minimal cost to the broadcaster – making your story that much more appealing.