By Jenni Royston, News and Media Studies major, Class of 2020
Since the coronavirus pandemic has caused Texas Christian University to move all classes online and students and professors are now working from home, everyone has had to take time to adjust. Staffers with TCU News Now, a student produced newscast, are learning how to report remotely from each of their homes.
Mike Rogers, a reporter for TCU News Now, said the change has been tough. “The hardest part is finding anything new to report on and then figuring out how I’m going to report on it in a way that is somewhat creative.”
Reporter Marissa Stacy also said how challenging the transition has been for her. “Everyone is still adjusting to this new normal so matching a schedule with people is still really difficult.”
Stacy said that all of her interviews are now held over Zoom calls or email and how difficult it is to schedule a time that works for both parties.
A photo of TCU News Now reporter Marley Capper’s makeshift anchor news setup at her house.
Even though the TCU News Now class cannot meet in person to collaborate and go over everything, they all meet via Zoom calls. “We really use this time to pitch ideas and make sure everyone is working on something. We are a pretty small class, but it’s nice because we are kind of like a family,” said Stacy.
Not only did the students have to transition to different locations, they also had to transition with the equipment they use. Rogers said he uses his computer, phone and himself. “I’ve needed to do more extended standup stories because there’s really little to no opportunities for b-roll when you’re stuck in the house,” he said.
Stacy said she is also using her phone and her computer when reporting from home. “All my footage is either coming from old stuff we already have or footage I can get on my phone,” she said.
This transition hasn’t been the easiest but has certainly taught students how to adapt. “I hope that I will be able to show future employers what I have done during this time and they will be able to see that during this time my class and I still worked hard and adapted to the same thing journalists across the country had to do,” said Stacy.
“Here’s the bar we put my computer on and had my one roommate run the promoter by just pressing the up and down arrows on the keyboard,” said Rogers.
To watch the latest TCU News Now reports click on the following links:
https://www.tcu360.com/2020/04/tcu-news-now-4-17-20/
https://www.tcu360.com/2020/04/news-now-4-10-20/