You've all seen a "handheld" mike--they are what newscasters cling to in those live reports.

Handhelds--known in the business as "stick" mikes--have a big advantage in that they are easy to move around at a moment's notice. When you see the family whose home has just been devastated by a tornado, you can quickly plunge a handheld mike into their faces and shout "How do you feel!" (Just kidding. Never do that!)

Handhelds, however have a couple shortcomings:

1) They are very obtrusive. To get good sound, you have to place them within a few inches of the subject's mouth, And that would make anyone a little nervous and self conscious.

2) With a handheld, you don't have both hands free. Imagine doing a cooking show with a handheld. ("Let me set the mic down while I put the chicken in the oven.") So handhelds are limited to spot news situations.