“Breaking News” Drills

Yesterday, I posted about how KUSA’s newly hired News Director used to stage “breaking news” drills when she was the Deuce over at KDVR/KWGN.

We heard from a number of Journalists about these drills.

Email:

“You recently posted a story about the Tegna station doing “breaking news” drills. Well, the Cox station WHIO in Dayton will soon be doing them as well. They were supposed to do one either in January or February but was postponed. I think they are planning to do one in March.”

Email:

“About a year ago, we were told we were going to have breaking news drills in our newsroom. We never did.”

Email:

“We had breaking news blue lights at WCAU back in 1988…. Worked extremely well in a floor building with folks scattered in different work areas.”

I have been involved in coverage of more breaking news stories than I can count from my days as a Photographer, Reporter, Assignment Editor, Producer, and News Director.

I would say that 95% of those breaking news events that we covered were clearly the best station in the market with coverage.

Never once did we ever do a “breaking news drill at the dozen stations I worked.”

I think the people in the newsroom knew what their job was and what to do when the “shit hit the fan.”

Maybe now, with inexperienced people working in much higher markets than they should be, breaking news drills are needed.

But, with all the police shootings, riots, chemical spills, hurricanes, Tornados, disasters, and protests that the stations I worked at covered, we kicked ass.

And not a single drill was ever held.

Just saying…