Mistaken Identity

When I produce a newscast, I always go in with what is known as "pad time." You set thirty seconds or so off to the side, so that If something goes long, you won't have to get rid of more than a story or two. Or if some story develops in the newscast, you just add it in and have a plan in your head ahead of time about what stories you can "kill."

Today, about an hour before the newscast, we got word that Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines planned to issue voluntary furloughs to 30-thousand of its employees. That is half its work force. It's a huge story in Atlanta.

I am told our consumer and business editor is on his way in and planned to "front" the story on set. Basically, that means he will be on the set with the two anchors to present the story and answer any subsequent questions.

Bill can be wordy, so I set aside a block of time and kill some less significant stories to make sure I still have pad time. When the show begins, he delivers his report and anchor #1 asks him a question. Bye bye pad time. In fact, I'm now a minute "heavy." Anchor #2 asks a question. Another long-winded answer. I'm now a minute and a half heavy. I press the buttons to talk to the anchors in their headsets. "Wrap!" I say, meaning no more questions. I'm now a minute 45 heavy. My supervisor sends me a message on my computer. "This has gone long enough. Tell them to stop." I send back a message that this is exactly what I did. Anchor #1 asks another question! Bill begins to answer. Two minutes heavy. Another topline from my supervisor. Two-ten heavy.

The technical director says, "You need to tell them to 'wrap.'" The director says, "He did." Two-fifteen heavy.

I'm exasperated. Right before I press the anchors' buttons with an emphatic, "WRAP", as I listen to Bill drone on and I'm getting more behind on time, I exclaim, "Stop talking, Rachel!....I mean Bill!"

The control room, including me, erupts in laughter.

"Guess someone has said that before!" my director says, as I tell the anchors, "WRAP!" in their headsets one last time. Two-thirty heavy.

I was laughing about it the rest of the newscast and still find it funny tonight. Even Rachel laughed when I told her.