I worked both with the news team and on the production side as studio cameraman at Channel 6, two part-time jobs. As a result my name rolled twice from the character generator on air after the 6 and 10 newscasts. Sometimes that was a source of pride, but on a few days I'd've given anything to have my name removed from the scroll due to my own screw-ups that, due to the nature of the beast, were literally on display to tens of thousands of viewers at once.
But working in both departments was also unique in that I was behind the camera (typically camera three, responsible for bump shots and Gary Powers doing the weather) that broadcast my teammates live for both half-hour casts, with production work for commercials, PSA's, and the like in between. This is when occasionally something interesting happened.
One observation that stands out was how they did serial programming for daily broadcasts, such as one religious program that was aired every day in the very early morning. If memory serves, the preacher's name was Pastor Daphney, and he would come in during the weekend to record all five weekday programs at once. He brought with him five different jackets and ties, and after recording one five-minute program in the studio we'd wait for a few minutes while he changed into the jacket and tie that he'd chosen for Tuesday, and on from there until all five programs were in the can. This was interesting to me and, as I didn't mind pulling weekend duty, I was often the one behind the camera during these recording sessions.
Another time a religious singing husband-wife duo came in to record a half-hour program of preaching and songs. This was done during the week between the two newscasts, so we were kept busy with taping that program in addition to our other regular weekday duties. Even so, I was on camera for their program, and was greatly moved by their singing - I have always been spiritually sensitive, and the sincerity and beauty that came out with those songs resonated deeply even at the tender age of 18.
After their show was taped, this couple seemed interested in how things worked at the station and decided to stick around to watch everyone do their thing. Each evening at 9:30 we did a live teaser from the newsroom to promote the 10 o'clock newscast, and the three of us cameramen rotated this duty, getting the camera and lighting into position so that Cecile Burandt, or less often Larry Beaulieu, could do the cast. Well, the religious couple decided to watch this, and were just out of camera range, when, less than a minute before the teaser aired I took off my headphones, peered out at them from behind the camera, and told them how much I enjoyed and appreciated the songs that they sang. They appeared to be shocked, startled that this young kid behind the camera during their taping really noticed and felt edified by their ministry. They nervously mumbled a thanks, and were still staring at me when I put the headphones on and began the cue sequence for Cecile.
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