CNN Rome

Earlier last week, the group made a trip to see the CNN Bureau in Rome. In a nutshell, it’s 3 people, 2 rooms, and some camera equipment. Their set is inside a room the size of a closet, and they shoot live shots on the roof. It was really cool, though, to see the workings of a bureau. Since the main CNN hub is in Atlanta, the Rome one only has to do stories that are requested by other bureaus or cover major events going on in the region, like the recent elections. According to the news director/assignment editor/producer/reporter (she is one person), the bureau turns out one to two packages a week…which is a large contrast to television stations in the states. In the states, each reporter will turn at least one package a day, as well as probably a few VOs and VO/SOTs. As implied in the previous sentence, the lack of employees requires everyone to do every job. The main lady does everything, then there is an intern who basically is a reporter/producer/does research, and then the guy who does all of the shooting and editing. It was interesting to see the workings of a bureau abroad, but I don’t think it’s a place I’d like to work.

Advertisement