On the Job

The weeks here are always packed. I don't get bored until Saturdays, laugh out loud. During the week as I may have mentioned before we work production jobs and content jobs.

Last week I was editor and server operator for two days. This means I go in around 3, edit teases, edit promos, or edit down breaks for our 5:30 newscast, and then I send them to the server. During the actual newscast I am in charge of making sure everything has been sent to the server and I'm also in charge of playing things off of the server. I had an okay time with it my first time at it which was Monday. I had gone in over the weekend to work with Avid, because editing is something I haven't done much of previously.

On Tuesday, I co-produced the newscast. This means I go in for the 9:30 morning meeting. After the morning meeting I stack the show, keep tabs on all production positions, check in with reporters in the field, research, write, and do whatever needs to be done to prepare for the newscast. After the show was over I got sent out to cover a city council meeting and all I got was a VO-SOT. We kind of knew it wouldn't be enough to turn a pack.

On Wednesday I was editor and server operator again. This time it was rough. I recued a few things on air. That was lovely, because you do get called out in the post show meetings.

On Thursday morning I co-assignment edited. I also practiced reading prompter at the desk, and ran prompter for a colleague. After the 6:15 wake up call, going in from 7 to 12:30 I went home for a break. After chilling out eating lunch, checking the mail, and doing random tasks I decided I needed a shower. It would be a short time before I went back in to watch the show. While I sat in the apartment, the power went out and that didn't stop me from going ahead with my plans of showering. As I prepared to shower the phone rang and I ignored it. If it was work they'd see me shortly I figured.

I hopped in and out of the shower. Then I turned my attention to the missed call. I called in and the News Director told me a boy had fallen into a river, and that there was a search underway. I didn't know if I were relieving someone scheduled to work the show and performing their production duties,or going out on the shoot.

"Yes, I'm sending you out. You are going out with Kevin."
"Oh, so that means I need to change?" I asked in the nervousness.
"Yes, change your clothes and come in. Wait, are you home?"
"Yes, I'm home," I replied.
"Change your clothes and Kevin will come and pick you up."

Shortly aftewards my videographer picked me up, we gassed up, and made the hour drive to the town of Palestine.



We passed corn fields.



We passed wheat fields.



We drove through small towns this one I believe being Oblong.

When Kevin and I arrived on the scene there was a road block. We talked to a police officer and locals about the situation. The officer let us through the road block but told us that we would only get so far. We parked the car and walked to the water. I walked up to a group of officers and rescuers. I got an interview with the Sherrif whose department was leading the rescue. Sadly, the boy drowned and we had made it to the spot where they recovered his body. After the interview we got footage of the area.

After that our news director called us, she told us we would be sent back the next day to conduct more interviews and get an update on the investigation. Our pack just needed to be done in time for the 5:30 newscast on Friday.

On the way home we stopped into Dairy Queen. Locals talked to us about what they knew. One woman told my videographer she had heard about the drowning by watching our newscast. Another man we met at the roadblock walked up to us to see whether we'd made it to the scene.

It turns out a reporter from a Terre Haute, Indiana station was also there. What are the odds? She too was an African-American. I watched her pack the next monrning.

The next morning we left around 9:15 headed back to Palestine, we stopped into the local police department. They weren't handling the investigation. We walked the town square seeking local reaction. Ultimately we met a friend of the victim's in a restaurant. She declined to be interviewed on air. We then went knocking on doors. It was one of the most uncomfortable and unnatural experiences I've had as a journalist. It was especially difficult for me given the situation.

We called and got an update from the Sherrif's office. We also checked in with our news director. She sent us back to the scene to see if people were out there looking around. We found a man and his two sons. The man was a life long resident, a friend of the family's. He drove us to the area we had walked to before in his SUV, our little Ford Escort would most certainly have gotten stuck. Rescuers themselves used four wheelers the day before.

Our interview with this man confirmed what the victim' friend had said. The 18- year old had gotten in trouble with drugs, and the law. Still he was a normal kid. He had resolved to turn his life around. He told me the same thing the sherrif had said the day before. The victim and two friends had been out swimming, the guy slipped, got carried out by the current and began panicking. His friends tried to save him, but they couldn't. That is when they went for help. The sherrif told us he had been drinking, but that he didn't know how big a factor the alcohol had been.

I came back and wrote my pack. After having two producers and my news director vet the script, I voiced it.

I went live in chroma (in front of the green screen), I sped through my tag because I was queasy and nervous. I slowed it down for the on camera tag.

When all was said and done it had been maybe the most difficult story I have ever had to cover. As a reporter you feel as many emotions as the people you report on particularly when dealing with tragedy.

Feedback I got was typical: I know how to dress even with my limited number of "favorite" colors, I have presence, I talk entirely too fast. My ND threw in there that my standup was awkward because there was no panning as I moved my hand. I concede I should have moved my entire upper body.

It was most certainly a learning experience, hopefully I'll grow more confident and only become better.