professionalism

[Donna Halper]

So, this is a TV story, but may bring back some radio memories too.  I 
was watching the local evening news on Channel 4 and suddenly there was 
a big thunderstorm with lightning, as Todd Guttner was doing the 
weather.  All at once, the studio went black-- just the weather map 
stayed lit, for some reason.  Todd, to his credit, kept doing the 
weather in the dark until the auxiliary transmitter kicked in.  I was 
impressed with his professionalism-- it has to be disconcerting when 
that happens.  I recall Hurricane Carol when the WBZ-TV tower fell but 
the station was only off the air for a few minutes, I am told.  Anyway, 
wondered if anyone else has had to perform while chaos reigned all 
around.  When I was on the air in Washington DC at WAVA, we moved to new 
studios, and they were not quite ready for prime time yet-- I had to do 
my radio show in between workers drilling, hammering, and making a giant 
racket-- I signaled them when I was about to open the mike, and then 
they went quiet temporarily... except for one time when they didn't.... 
don't ask.