I recently had a job shadow come in to see what we do here. He came in right before news time when things can be the most hectic. My show, all of the writing and the graphics, were pretty much done. So I was able to sit with him and explain to him what happens day to day. I took him into the control room at 5 to show him what was done during a show. He then went into the studio at 5:30, and then left right before my show started at six. And as he was leaving, his father said, "things really change a lot before you go on the air, I never realized that things are so fluid."

It was a very accurate observation. Things in news are quite fluid, and changing quicker than you can deal with them. That night it was 4:45 when breaking news was happening and a reporter was a few minutes away-but that reporter was already in the 5 o'clock show with a different story. So we had to quickly make changes, all while the viewer at home is not able to detect we made changes to our shows moments before they go on air.

The three of us, the 5, 5:30 and 6 o'clock, producers are all able to handle the changes. But, it is all teamwork. The anchors, reporters, writers, producers, prompter operators, directors, technnical directors, graphics and audio people all have to work together. Its amazing what a well oiled machine the system really is, and without all of those people it's nearly impossible to make air.

Melissa Dethlefsen
- 6 p.m. Producer