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Social Distancing on Set


jerseyfla

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WFMZ earlier this week had Rob and Wendy far apart from each other at the desk.  And, where they normally stand together to do the teasers, only one was there.  Now they appear to be taking turns doing it solo.  The weather people have been kept in their separate office.  The news room is working from home.  At 4PM, Joy Howe was in the PPL Center studio all by herself.  When they use the couch set, they have been sitting on opposite ends.

 

What makes it interesting is the example they're trying to set for everyone else.

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WGAL been doing social distancing and using split screens when showing anchors together.  Interesting that Chief Meteorologist Joe Calhoun been broadcasting the reports from home.  If my memory serves me right, Joe had cancer once before so him staying home just to make sure he don't get anything makes sense.

 

-- Matt

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I wonder how the TV stations in California, Illinois and New York are going to handle the COVID-19 coverage now that their governors have issued some form of a shelter in place order? Are they still able to access their studios or is everything coming from their homes?

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9 minutes ago, oknewsguy said:

I wonder how the TV stations in California, Illinois and New York are going to handle the COVID-19 coverage now that their governors have issued some form of a shelter in place order? Are they still able to access their studios or is everything coming from their homes?

 

They would be essential employees, but I think only the key staff (i.e. anchors, news directors) would have access.

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Just now, GoldenShine9 said:

 

They would be essential employees, but I think only the key staff (i.e. anchors, news directors) would have access.

So people like anchors, directors, etc. have access to the buildings while everything else comes from home

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1 minute ago, oknewsguy said:

So people like anchors, directors, etc. have access to the buildings while everything else comes from home

 

Most likely, but it varies by station. I know some companies have done little so far. Gray has been especially aggressive in its limitations.

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2 minutes ago, GoldenShine9 said:

 

Most likely, but it varies by station. I know some companies have done little so far. Gray has been especially aggressive in its limitations.

I say Gray and Tegna have been the 2 most aggressive companies so far.

 

Speaking of Tegna you might want to read the DMs when you get a chance. Things just got even more interesting with them but I'll save that topic for a much different thread as well as in the DMs related to them.

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Adding on to what the Cleveland stations have done, Fox 8 has the anchors sitting at each end of the desk, and Andre Bernier and Melissa Mack are doing weather from home. Jenn Harcher was doing weather in studio on the morning show earlier this week, but I'm not sure if that is still the case.

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WBAY (at least 5 and 6): Anchors have been spread apart at the desk, and occasionally one of them will move to the on-set monitor. Meteorologists have stayed at the green screen, though Brad Spakowitz worked tonight's broadcast from home.

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3 hours ago, oknewsguy said:

I wonder how the TV stations in California, Illinois and New York are going to handle the COVID-19 coverage now that their governors have issued some form of a shelter in place order? Are they still able to access their studios or is everything coming from their homes?

 

At face value, we could continue operations like normal and face no penalties from the state. Media falls under the Communications tab in "Essential Service." BUT, we aren't continuing business as normal. 

 

Our station has assigned /almost/ every reporter/MMJ a news car, editing laptop, and camera kit. They are reporting from the field, and likely editing at home (since there's really nowhere else for them to go). They can access our network remotely to do anything and everything they could normally inside the building.

 

As for the show essential personnel, we have one producer who is going to start working from home full time, and two who will rotate between the station and home as needed. Sales staff have been working from home for the last week.

 

The only department left untouched is production (me), since we're at a bare minimum as it is.

 

I don't expect local police to be enforcing the shelter order very closely, but we have all been assigned station badges in case it ever comes in to question where we are going. 

 

As for on-air coverage, the viewer might notice we're only using one anchor per show (and weather/sports), and most reports will be in PKG or VOSOT form. The line of thinking for us is that if the viewers notice we're taking action, they will take action as well. 

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3 hours ago, oknewsguy said:

So people like anchors, directors, etc. have access to the buildings while everything else comes from home


KTVU has their traffic anchor now doing their reports from home.

 

KNTV has their chief meteorologist and 6 & 11pm anchor from home 

 

KPIX does the morning/noon LIVE News Desk from home. They also distanced their second anchor from the studio into the Newsroom/CBSN Bay Area set now downstairs. 

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7 hours ago, oknewsguy said:

So people like anchors, directors, etc. have access to the buildings while everything else comes from home

 

Correctamundo, good sir. If you've been staying home, getting groceries, etc., nothing really changes. The shelter in place just cements the closure of department stores, bowling alleys, and whatever other random places are still open. Heck, even restaurants can still do carry out and all that, which kinda surprised me.

 

Meanwhile, Chicago stations have seemingly decided that the female anchors get to keep their usual chairs, while the men move away. So courteous. 😄

 

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You’ll also notice a lot more stick mics and fewer lav mics used in the field and having reporters not be close to subjects they’re interviewing. Also - a lot more Skype and other virtual interviews. 

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2 hours ago, L3rds said:

You’ll also notice a lot more stick mics and fewer lav mics used in the field and having reporters not be close to subjects they’re interviewing. Also - a lot more Skype and other virtual interviews. 

And hockey sticks as well if you're in Canada.

 

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22 hours ago, oknewsguy said:

So people like anchors, directors, etc. have access to the buildings while everything else comes from home

Yes, except for WCBS2, whose building is still closed for more though cleaning (which impacts CBSTM, and other shows).  Other than that one situation, all other stations are using the studios, newsrooms and the field to keep people separated.  

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In what appears to be the magnum opus of social distancing: Global News' Dawna Friesen opted out of the Burnaby studios (aka home of Global BC) and hosted the Friday edition of the flagship Global National more than 20 kilometres away... outside a balcony close to her residence in North Vancouver.

 

image.thumb.png.58e06bbecc61adc1e36b7d4d591e3496.png

 

 

 

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On 3/20/2020 at 7:22 PM, oknewsguy said:

I wonder how the TV stations in California, Illinois and New York are going to handle the COVID-19 coverage now that their governors have issued some form of a shelter in place order? Are they still able to access their studios or is everything coming from their homes?

Journalists and other broadcast employees are considered first responders by the Department of Homeland Security in order to relay critical information to the public, so shelter-in-place rules will be less stringent for them/us.

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14 hours ago, Journalist said:

In what appears to be the magnum opus of social distancing: Global News' Dawna Friesen opted out of the Burnaby studios (aka home of Global BC) and hosted the Friday edition of the flagship Global National more than 20 kilometres away... outside a balcony close to her residence in North Vancouver.

 

 

 

 

Yeah...this seems like a overreaction. I get attempting to promote social distancing, etc.., but the flip side of it is that you are also feeding into the fear and paranoia out there too. I wish more thought was being given to social distancing (i.e...clearly weighing the pros and cons).

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1 hour ago, MidwestTV said:

Journalists and other broadcast employees are considered first responders by the Department of Homeland Security in order to relay critical information to the public, so shelter-in-place rules will be less stringent for them/us.

In other words if I go into say anchoring, producing, directing, etc. and a situation like what were dealing with now comes up I am considered to be a first responder.

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On 3/21/2020 at 5:13 PM, AaronQ said:

And hockey sticks as well if you're in Canada.

 

 

Yea my ABC-Owned Station in Raleigh market has doing something like that. Except all ABC-Owned Stations are using extended tripods.

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I turned on KXAS after getting home from work, just in time to see morning meteorologist Grant Johnston do the Today almost-top-of-hour weather update from his home.  First time I've seen anyone do at-home versions since all this started (didn't realize WFAA was doing at-home anchoring till I saw the stills upthread).

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