Here For You
Team Wednesday producers started our day with the morning meeting, discussing possible stories to be on air such as LAX flight cancellations and Hollywood crosswalk safety. However, after I got back from class around noon, I found my executive producer and lead producer very busy assigning people to go out and shoot videos or make calls. Then I realized that “breaking news” had happened--a shooting victim had been found near gate 6 on campus.
Because many multimedia journalists got re-routed and assignment desk people focused on contacting DPS, it was a hectic week in the newsroom. However, Team Wednesday did not forget the importance of communication. We had our producers meeting every hour, and updated our progress. As a video teammate, I found this meeting very helpful because I knew what videos were being ordered, what interviews we had so far, and so on.
Everything was perfect until the end/beginning of our show. As 5 o’clock approached, I realized I was done assigning MJs on the B-block stories but had not assigned the most important story, about the shooting victim found near our campus gate. Therefore, the beginning of our newscast was empty. I hadn’t set my priorities. As soon as I arrived in the newsroom, I tried my best to communicate with my teammates by making phone calls, but some of the information I gave the assignment desk didn’t get through to the producers. I learned that communicating is not so easy when we are away from each other, and one of our stories ended up not going on the air.
After our show, the producers did not forget to have an hourly meeting. We discussed what would have been better and what we could improve on for our next show. We gave each other advice on each position and didn’t forget to encourage each other. Whether it’s a short 30-second meeting or a long one, these mini meetings not only help me keep track but also give me energy. Whether everything is going smoothly or it is a little hectic, teammates are there for me and encourage me in every way possible.
One thing I am striving for is creating a “thank you” environment in the newsroom or in the studio. Nothing encourages a person better than saying thank you, and this will make us a stronger team.
