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Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism University of Southern California
Producers

Nothing Kickstarts Your Day Like a Productive Morning Meeting

There are three things we can guarantee about ATVN...rundowns, tight deadlines and dreading morning meetings. All jokes aside, the best way to start a great morning, besides the copious amounts of coffee and other energy drinks we can probably consume, starts by bringing along an open mind right from the very start of the day.

That means really digging into information and challenging yourself to push stories forward. 

Sure the budget is great, but every newscast of the semester has those elements. What we need is flair, or at least the effort to explore different options. It’s not that easy, trust me I understand. I have been less than exemplary in the morning meetings, something I hope to improve over these last few shows of the semester.  

As a leader of Team Tuesday my presence is vital. Not only because I’m a producer but also I’m a loud kid, a blessing and a curse in morning meetings. When my energy level is down and I avoid contributing my thoughts or opinions, the vibe of the editing lab (our new meeting quarters) is rather flat. I’m not arguing that my impact will make or break the meetings, but the times I’ve been more vocal the vibe has been noticeably different. 

What I think needs to happen —and this is a direct reflection on myself— is that we have to start asking ourselves what do we (as a news group) actually want to cover? Like honestly though, what on campus, in our community and in the city of Los Angeles really matters? That’s where some of the best ideas come from, mostly because people really care about them and are willing to go the extra mile to make great things happen. 

Once those ideas are thrown on the table, that doesn’t mean things can stop. There are times where an idea is written down and nothing comes of the story in the elements across our whiteboard. From sound to video to multimedia and reporter, we just leave it blank and everyone looks back hours later and says, “what’s actually going on there?” 

It may take a little extra time in the morning, which will force us all to set the alarm clock a little earlier, but being on top of things right from the start makes things run smoothly. You may think I’m overstating that assertion, but look at your average day. Everything heats up around 2 p.m., so you better be on your game to prepare for that avalanche of questions and problems. The better the meeting goes, the more stuff you have for everyone else in the slower hours when people are eager to help but sometimes can be left out of the equation. 

Evan, here are some goals for the final two shows.

Wake up a little earlier and digest more news. Also try to think about creative ways to add different elements to your stories, let's limit the one-stop shopping. Speak up more and make sure those columns on the morning meeting rundown are stocked with information. And finally, keep the energy alive for all your teammates that need a little boost.

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