As wildfires rage through Los Angeles, I listened to coverage from LAist/KPCC in Los Angeles. Besides airing regular news programming from NPR, the station spent many hours covering the fires using their reporters around the city. And, during off-hours, they aired coverage from a local TV station. They were all over the story, and anyone who wanted to know what was happening could tune in to the station. It was the kind of wall-to-wall coverage that used to be heard only on commercial stations with large news teams.
It is true that LAist/KPCC has one of the largest news teams in public media; this tragic story begs the question: What is your station’s broadcast plan should disaster strike your local community? Are you ready?
The time to start planning is now. How will you deploy your reporters? Who will be your anchors? How much local coverage can you broadcast every day? On Weekends? How are decisions made as to when coverage preempts your regular schedule?
This is not just a discussion for radio news teams. Public TV stations should consider what their role might be even if they don’t have a daily news presence.
Do you have any partnerships with other local news organizations that could be called on during a disaster? I once recommended to a client that they could partner with a local weekly newspaper to put more reporters on the street.
The time is now to commit to a plan in writing. Think creatively.
A couple other things to add to your planning: Can your website and apps be updated remotely? What would you do if your studio location was no longer available? What happens if your transmitter is damaged?
If your station has a disaster plan and is willing to share details on its development, I’d love to feature it in a future newsletter.
If you are interested in having me help you develop a plan, contact me at daveedwards@outlook.com
Dave Edwards helps professionals become more effective leaders through executive coaching and consulting services. He previously transformed WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio into one of the country’s most successful public radio stations and served as chair of the NPR Board of Directors. He also teaches classes at Marquette University and online. He blogs on productivity and management-related issues at www.DaveEdwardsMedia.com.
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