LA Station to Have Employees Work Remotely
/Nexstar’s KTLA is having much of their digital team work from home.
Here is the internal email sent to the staff and obtained by FTVLive:
From: Olsen Ebright
Date: 3/13/20 3:50 PM (GMT-08:00)
To: KTLA News
Cc: Jason Ball
Subject: Digital team working remotely
Starting Monday, some folks on the digital team will be temporarily working remotely due to coronavirus concerns.
Please be sure to message us when something big is happening. We will have a live video conference going in our Teams general channel and you can always message/email us as well.
As part of the station’s social distancing strategy, others in the newsroom are welcome to use our computers. Your manager is going to help coordinate that.
Be sure to sanitize the workstation before and after using it, and please be respectful of the space. If the original desk owner is in the newsroom, we want to make sure they have priority to use the desk.
Thank you,
Olsen
Olsen Ebright
Assistant News Director, Digital KTLA 5 News
Also, new KTLA GM Janene Drafs sent this memo out to the staff, it was obtained by FTVLive:
From: Janene Drafs
Date: 3/13/20 10:41 AM (GMT-08:00)
To: KTLA Everyone
Subject: Note to Staff re Planning
Hey everyone.
The last few days have been filled with a lot of hard work and daily changing information as we work to deliver the latest news to our viewers, and keep our employee population as safe and informed as possible.
We have developed plans in accordance with recommendations from local health and government agencies to respond to the current situation and any new developments as they arise. Part of that plan includes: Identifying positions that can temporarily work remotely. This will limit direct contact, and work to create social distancing for the employees who do need to come into the station. Your Department Managers will be giving you more specific details.
Keeping open lines of communication with all our government and health agencies who provide current recommendations and protocols, and quickly get that information to our employee base.
Our News department is not only a critical resource for our viewers, but for our staff.
Ensuring the newly implemented sanitization and cleaning processes are being followed.
Implementing a temporary no guest policy – which includes no tours or visitors.
Our News teams are First Responders in times like this.
Our community, and our employee base rely on us to be here each day and night providing critical information, so it’s important for us to create the healthiest environment possible to provide that valuable service.
One final thought – that is perhaps most important. Please be patient and considerate with one another as we navigate this together. This is a stressful time. The goal here is to limit exposure as much as possible, and to support each other – it was one of the most remarkable things I felt in coming here – we are a family.
So remember the very best way to keep you and your family/colleagues healthy is to follow the CDC recommendations - wash your hands, keep 3-6 feet of space between you and others whenever possible, and of course talk to your Manager if you are feeling sick.
I’m super proud to be part of such a smart, dedicated, and compassionate team.
Be well,
Janene