Obama election night

In this television newsroom, and in many I suspect the term for election night in general is “election hell.”

Let me explain. 

I’ve often used a comparison to a duck on the water to describe television news in general.  On the surface it looks so smooth and beautiful, while under water the duck’s feet are beating furiously back and forth.

So while you see the anchor people with perfect hair and lighting and clothes chosen by image consultants, you don’t see the producers, directors, writers, etc. who are working furiously trying to feed the beast. 

For that matter you don’t see the anchors when we are not on the air, doing our own research and proofing material (if it’s available) often 10 seconds before the light comes on.

Election night is like that only on Red Bull.  Squared.

Normal systems are out the window.  Deadlines are several times an hour.  No one is where they usually are – so systems and the accompanying comfort level are out the window.

The late Sam Snead once told me that, “Stress creeps up on you.  It starts in the back of your leg, by your ankle and creeps up your body until all of a sudden, it’s got you – and you never knew it was coming.”

He was talking about winning golf tournaments, but it applies to Election night as well.

Last night we were doing 6 minute “cut-ins” twice an hour for WSLS-10.  We were also working with FOX 21/27 doing updates for them.  Since I anchored both, there wasn’t much time in between.

Remember these news breaks don’t just “happen.” Graphics need to be made, scripts must be printed – as much for the crew as the anchors – as these documents are blueprints for camera shots, live reports, microphone assignments and all sorts of things that viewers don’t need to know about.

The problem is that the information is a moving target.  First the AP calls the race for Virgil Goode – then the Charlottesville numbers come in and—woops, Tom Perriello jumps ahead.  Or just as we are prepared to go on with no significant development in the presidential race – MSNBC declares Obama the winner in Ohio.

Pick a situation, any situation.  They all happen and we deal with it.  Phones are ringing, people are shouting across the newsroom.  One person might decide we can actually get the new facts on the air just as another decides it’s impossible.

This happens dozens of times on election night.  Last night, with the Obama victory, it was happening in the midst of an historic and therefore emotional election.

Yet, if we do it right – the viewer is shielded from all of the chaos – the “election hell.” 

But that feeling in the back of your leg?  Let’s just say Sam Snead knew what he was talking about.