Mark
Hellesto
Assignment
desk says: "We need you to do us a favor and we'll owe
you one."
Really
means: "Cover my ass so no one finds out I forgot to schedule
someone. Oh, and we never had this conversation."
Chris
Swanson
Assignment
desk says: "Did you get some extra sound at that shoot?"
Really
means: "We need to put together a package eventhough I
told you to shoot a VO."
Jeff
Long
Assignment
desk says: "What's your location?"
Really
means: "It doesn't really matter where you are, you are
about to get an assignment. Probably on the other side of the universe."
Shawn
Palmer
Assignment
desk says: "Weren't you listening to your scanner?"
Really
means: "I wasn't listening to MY scanner."
Dennis
Baltimore CNN Washington Bureau
Assignment
desk says: "If you do this for me...I'll let you leave
early."
Really
means: "Yeah...right...TOMORROW...because I screwed you
today."
Darren
Zimmerman
Assignment
desk says: "I thought I told you you had a 5 pm liveshot."
Really
means: "Damn! I dropped the ball again!".
Darren
Zimmerman
Assignment
desk says: "Crew 11...what's your status??"
Really
means:"Hope you had a meal...you won't get much else."
Darren
Zimmerman
Assignment
desk says: "Lunch is on its way."
Really
means: "It's cold...we have to pay a meal penalty."
Dennis
Baltimore CNN Washington Bureau
Assignment
desk says: "If you do this for me...I'll let you leave
early."
Really
means: "Yeah...right...TOMORROW...because I screwed you
today."
Anonymous
Assignment
desk says: "It's only an hour away..."
Really
means:"It's 10am and you are going to the fringe of the
ADI, 3 hours away...The Satellite truck is down so you are driving
it back...And Oh...We need a package for 5 and 6...And don't forget
a re-pack for 10!"
Anonymous
Assignment
desk says: "Hey Buddy...."
Really
means: "Run the other way quickly because you are about
to get screwed..."
Shane
Deitert KATV-TV Little Rock,AK
Assignment
desk says: "Engineering says your gear is on order."
Really
means: "Nobody, including management, has any idea where
the order is. It is possible that the order never made it off of management's
desk."
Jess
Hull KTEN-TV Denison, TX
Assignment
desk says: "We heard over the scanner that there is a major
wreck. Listen for an update."
Really
means: "I was too busy talking with my anchors about what
we are going to do tonight, and we may have heard something, but who
called it in and where it is...we don't know."
Steve
Weinstein WBFF-TV Baltimore, MD
Assignment desk says:"Do you have a full tank of gas?"
Really
means: "You won't be seeing your family until tomorrow
at the earliest."
Darren
Zimmerman KTVA-TV Anchorage, AK
Assignment
desk says: "Are you busy?"
Really
means: "If you're dumb enough to answer 'no' then you're
going to get one dog of an assignment!"
Sheldon
Gajarian KSEE-TV Fresno, CA
Assignment
desk says: "Do you have any contacts on this story?"
Really
means: "Since you, little photog, have lived here for 30
years and probably know more about the story than anybody...could
you save the station's ass again so I can get the credit."
Greg
Smith WCBJ-TV Gainesville, FL
Assignment
desk says: "Don't worry... the event runs all day. I got
some other stuff for you first."
Really
means: "Shoot the other crap, then try to get there before
the janitor sweeps up and turns out the lights."
Greg
Smith WCBJ-TV Gainesville, FL
Assignment
desk says: "Hey would you like to pick up some overtime
tomorrow?"
Really
means: "I hope you have a current picture of your family,
your going to be gone for awhile"...OR..."Everyone else turned it
down, so you get stuck with it."
John
Strickland WEAR-TV Pensacola, FL
Assignment
desk says: "Stand-by!"
Really
means: "I've got a story that could or could not be news-
worthy, stay in service and I'll let you know at 1/2 hour to 6:00."
Darin
McCann KODE-TV Joplin, MO
Assignment
desk says: "Just go! They're waiting for you!"
Really
means: "I'm too lazy to call ahead, so you will have to
fake it."
Bob
Laun & Andy Grossman WBOC-TV Salisbury, MD
Assignment
desk says: " This story will require a little legwork!"
Really
means:"Absolutely nothing has been set up...we're not sure
who's going to be there or what's going on...and we need a package
to lead at six!"
Bob
Laun & Andy Grossman WBOC-TV Salisbury, MD
Assignment
desk says: " We've had to shuffle around the gear assignments
today."
Really
means:"Be prepared to use a camera built in 1972, with
batteries that were found in a broom closet, set up a wooden tripod,
while driving a vehicle that may or may not have four wheels."
LOUNGENOTE: "Sorry we're out of petty cash... do you have some
gas money?"
Joel
Witte
Assignment
desk says: " How soon will you be done editing that in-depth
story?"
Really
means:"I didn't schedule anything right...so I need to
cover my ass."
Ernie
Ensign WJW-TV Cleveland, OH
Assignment
desk says: "Do you know where 'Smith' street is?"
Really
means: "I have no clue where I'm sending you, so I hope
you know where you are going or you may never get there!"
