Communication and Improvement, Sept. 30 Blog

As the Video Producer for this week, I was responsible for being in contact with the MJ's and making sure that each of them had a task and completed their work. While all producers are responsible for communicating with the MJ's, each could have done a better job understanding each MJ's assignment. Once producers were going through the rundown, we suddenly didn't know which MJ was supposed to complete what story. As a result of this confusion, things got significantly hectic and busy in the media room; this could have been easily prevented with better communication. 

Another aspect that needs improvement is ensuring that each MJ is contributing to the newscast. For example, as we got closer to the live show and things became hectic in the newsroom, producers lost track of assigning MJ's to write or edit stories. Furthermore, there were a couple of MJ's who were not doing any work during part of their shift. Since there are some MJ's who are not proactive in asking producers want they can do, it is the responsibility of all producers to ensure that MJ's are contributing to the newscast. 

While producers need to strongly communicate with MJ's, they also need to constantly be in contact with one another. There were various instances in which better communication among the four producers would have resulted in a smoother newscast. As a result of minor mistakes this week, communication and checking in with MJ's and fellow producers is essential for a successful show.