Some local radio stations plan to weather the widespread shelter-in-place order by enabling DJs and reporters to broadcast remotely — the on-air version of working from home.
BFF.fm is a Mission-based Internet radio station dedicated to “new underground music,” with a studio on Capp Street. It’s been closed since Monday. Founder and station manager Amanda Guest estimated 20 to 30 people a day usually work in the studio, out of about 115 DJs total.
But using a variety of USB-enabled microphones, which allow broadcast-quality sound, a couple dozen DJs have begun recording at home over the last few weeks. As for the others, Guest said, after announcing the studio closure, “I got flooded with emails asking about USB mics.”
For the moment, most will pre-record their shows. “Like a podcast,” Guest said, “to go out over the air at their usual timeslot.” Soon, however, some could go live remotely. “There’s software for that we’re trying to get. We were looking into it as a next step anyway,” she said. “And now it’s here!”
The station’s team has become remarkably supportive of one another, Guest said. “I put a call out to all the DJs for a mutual aid fund, and just in the past 48 hours the DJs who have more money have helped their fellow DJs to pay rent and pay bills.” The larger community has also responded with support, she said. “BFF is funded entirely by our listeners, and our donations are down a little, but not too much.”
Covering the issues while #SocialDistancing. This was KALW’s editorial meeting today. pic.twitter.com/5xfjQ9V27m
— KALW (@KALW) March 19, 2020
News director Ben Trefny at public radio station KALW 91.7 FM reports the station’s Visitacion Valley studio within Burton High School is open, since media workers are considered essential. “We’re exempt,” he said, explaining that while he himself is continuing to work in the studio, overall there is a reduced onsite staff. “We could move around, but we recognize the importance of the shutdown.”
The station has pivoted to produce far more breaking news than it has in the past, Trefny said. “We’ve added additional reporters, and all the support staff changed direction on what they’re doing.” Most of those reporters are working remotely, and the station is planning to invest some $8,000 in two Comrex machines, specialized gadgets Trefny will use so he can provide broadcast-quality audio updates from home. “We also put safeguards in place so we don’t spread the virus around accidentally. We disinfect microphones in between each interview.”
KALW’s on-air offerings will continue to feature more news, while some of the music programs may be bumped temporarily.
“There are two things people need right now: Good information, and a feeling of community,” Trefny said. “Those are things KALW does every day of the year, so I hope people tune in and find what they need here.”
I am so proud of our work @KQED https://t.co/nnPUuB34Dr
— ethan toven-lindsey (@Ethan_Lindsey) March 19, 2020
A team of science and news reporters with venerable public radio station KQED 88.5 FM explained on a Reddit “AMA,” or “ask me anything” session Wednesday morning they’re using every tool at their disposal to maintain essential functions as media providers, yet also respect the need to be physically separate.
Asked how exactly they were practicing social distancing during interviews, reporter and producer Michelle Wiley wrote “We’re using a variety of techniques, including interviewing folks over the phone, over Skype, etc. For example: I recently did an interview with a couple in Vallejo over FaceTime, and it worked WAY better than I anticipated! Right now, most of us are working from home to comply with the shelter-in-place order. And our bosses have ordered protective equipment — including 6 foot microphone extensions — for us if we do need to go out in the field.”
The station employs some 400 people, the vast majority of whom are now working from home; only technical workers required to broadcast the station’s radio and television signals and cleaning staff remain on-site. Ethan Toven-Lindsey, the station’s executive editor of news, says it’s likely to stay that way.
“The majority of our news and content operations are working remotely, and we imagine we’ll continue working like this for the foreseeable future,” he said Wednesday. “But regardless, in this critical moment, we want to make sure people know we believe in our public service mission to deliver new science and other coverage, the things that people are looking for answers about.”
All these institutions stand in contrast with other media, some of which have been hit hard enough to fall — especially the endangered alt-weeklies. The Sacramento News & Review posted a bulletin Tuesday, saying it would likely shutter. “Starting next week, we will have to suspend publishing and lay off nearly all of our amazing and talented staff” due to coronavirus-related shutdowns, wrote the president of the News & Review newspapers in Sacramento, Chico and Reno, Jeff vonKaenel.
KSFP LP at 102.5 FM is a low-power radio station broadcasting from Sutro Tower in San Francisco. We are a project of the San Francisco Public Press. Our show Civic airs Monday thru Friday at 8 am and 6 pm. Both the station and the San Francisco Public Press have been covering the pandemic with a focus on the impact of the pandemic on the homeless and other disadvantaged communities. We recently co-hosted the District Attorney candidates debate with Mission Local and have interviewed Mission Local reporters about their amazing work. Like Mission Local, KSFP is focused on San Francisco and to covering issues not being focused upon by the larger stations in the Bay Area.
“And our bosses have ordered protective equipment — including 6 foot microphone extensions — for us if we do need to go out in the field.”
Just keep in mind that sticking a mic at its usual distance to the subject you are interviewing means that mic is going to act as a receptacle for droplets from that person’s mouth. One will either have to give up the audio quality of proper mic placement or start using mics designed to be used at great distances, such as those used on the sidelines of football games. If you must use a standard mic, stop using the dead cat (think of it as a little germ sponge), and disinfect the mic each time you move it from the area of one person’s mouth to the area of another person, yourself included. Be safe out there, and in the words of a wise former San Francisco news gatherer, “If you don’t like the news, go out and make some of your own”.
Paul,
Always good to know some old dogs still survive.
Remember that set-up you did at El Rio after a major
election where we ended up with Ammiano as an anchor
interviewing all the people he essentially created?
Look me up when you’re in town.
I’m told tho that while you can get into SF across the
bridge, you can’t leave?
This told to me by a friend who evacuated his family to
their home in the woods up North but can’t get back to
feed his cats.
It’s taken care of, so don’t sweat the kitties.
I wonder if an aspirator and a bottle of oxygen could
substitute in a pinch for a respirator?
h.
Campers,
There are amazing upgrades with the cable shows like ‘Useful Idiots’.
Now that they’re streaming from home or wherever, the backgrounds
are vastly improved.
Instead of the glaring blank white wall, I get really cool nice apartments
in the background.
Helper and Taibi also suddenly look like they contracted for the make-up
people from Fox News.
Cenk Uyger and TYT finally have at least partially forgone the gross
moving ‘lava lamp’ display that has diverted attention from their content
for years.
Now, if we could only have a god blessed crank chemist take out a couple
of days to perfect a a vaccine.
I live on Valencia at 14th and biggest difference on the sidewalks for last
week are no kids (schools closed) …
Almost everyone on the street is being led by dogs of various sizes.
It’s legal even in a ‘shelter in place’ time.
A dog’s gotta do what a dog’s gotta do.
Go Giants!
h.
Wow, every time I love an article, it’s written by Hiya Swanhuyser. Great job, Hiya!!
At Kiqi 1010 AM San Francisco/KATD 990 AM (HECHO EN CALIFORNIA), the only independent Talk Show format program for the Latino community is on the air Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. We are providing critical information to our more than 70,000 listeners daily