Feder: Remote control keeps WBBM Newsradio on top of the news
The dedicated journalists of WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM didn't have time to celebrate winning top honors for outstanding news operation and three other first-place awards this week from the Illinois Associated Press Broadcasters Association, Robert Feder writes.
That's because they were too busy working from home to keep the top-rated Entercom all-news station up and running during the biggest story of our time.
Under the direction of Ron Gleason, director of news and programming, and Julie Mann, managing editor, WBBM Newsradio has reinvented itself on the fly to cover the COVID-19 pandemic while keeping its employees safe.
With news, traffic, weather, business and sports reporters, news writers, production staff and many news anchors working outside of the station's Prudential Building headquarters, rarely are more than three people in the newsroom at any moment.
On Wednesday, morning news was anchored by Felicia Middlebrooks in studio and Pat Cassidy at home, and afternoon news was anchored by Keith Johnson in studio and Lisa Fielding at home.
Under the circumstances, accommodations have been made to reduce in-studio staffing during late-night and overnight hours, including cutbacks to the regular shifts of part-time/weekend news anchors.
Get the full report, and more Chicago media news, at robertfeder.com.