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Producing the News from Your Kitchen Table

WSMV(Nashville) Producer Jules Marcantonio is producing the news from her apartment.

She said that it worked out fine, but it was a bit time-consuming.

NewsLab reports that Marcantonio said the station gave her a WiFi hot spot and a computer that is typically used by a photojournalist to submit content from the field. It included iNews and a remote access client, which allowed her to work directly on the newscast rundown and gave her access to all the station’s video and information sources.

She was the first Producer at the station to try producing a newscast from her kitchen table.

“I’m the first one. My news director said, ‘You’re the guinea pig,’ but they’re planning on sending another producer home tomorrow and starting another next week,” said Marcantonio, who produces the station’s 4 p.m. newscast.

Marcantonio s pointed out some of the changes and some of the pitfalls of trying to stack a show from your house:

Communication is the biggest challenge. “There’s no more hearing the assignment editor shout out the updates. Now, I have to constantly keep up with email.”

More time-consuming. “I got up a little earlier today; I just knew I’d need more time.” Marcantonio said she was slowed down a bit, too, by having just one computer to work on vs. the two screens she has in the newsroom.

You’re not alone. “Right now, my roommate is still going into work, but it’s gonna get tricky when she’s there full-time.” She said the station’s reporters and photojournalists have discovered this as they do much of their work from home, too.

You ARE alone. “I hope it’s temporary. Going to work, as stressful as it is, your questions are answered in two seconds — this way everything just takes longer. You can definitely do it with the right equipment, but to really do this job well, you need to be there, in the newsroom.”

She did the entire show from her house, but when it came to boothing the show, she handed that off to another Producer.,

It is a wise idea to have stations to prepare and try things like this.

This might become the norm for a while and it is best to practice it.


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