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A Day in the Life: Network News Producer

Published: Feb 01, 2021

 Day in the Life       
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9:00 AM: Get into the office. Check e-mail and voicemail. If there are any issues that need immediate attention, deal with them right away.

9:30 AM: Read a variety of national papers, including the New York Times, LA Times, Washington Post and The Boston Globe to look for story ideas. Scan the latest wires to see what stories are shaping up for the day.

10:00 AM: Review the status of assigned stories. Determine what needs to get done that day and what can wait.

10:10 AM: Send an e-mail to associate producer to collect articles on an interview subject for tomorrow.

11:00 AM: Publicity meeting with Executive Producer, publicist, affiliate relations and web producer to discuss how to promote a piece that's airing in this week's show.

11:45 AM: Set-up camera crew for tomorrow's shoot. Make sure cameraman has details, so she knows what equipment she will need.

12:15 PM: Call back legal department to see if the rights to a piece of music that will appear in this week's story has been cleared for use.

12:30 PM: Grab lunch.

1:00 PM: Review the research from the associate producer and develop questions for tomorrow's interview with a doctor. E-mail suggested questions to correspondent.

1:45 PM: Call back a publicist who is pitching an author as a story idea.

2:15 PM:  Sit with the editor who is cutting a piece that will air in four days.

5 PM: Leave for camera shoot downtown at a blues club for a profile of a singer airing in two weeks.

5:30 PM:  Manager of club starts giving cameraman a hard time about where to set up. Work with publicist and manager of club to find best solution as to the position of the camera, so the audiences' view is unobstructed.

5:45 PM:  Find the sound person in the club, so cameraman can plug into the soundboard for best sound.

6:30 PM:  Review with cameraman the shots that are needed for story.

7 PM:  Show starts.

8:30 PM:  Show ends. It's a wrap for the day.

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