As we scrambled to shift into crisis mode, our focus turned to our clients. Thousands of questions were now filling their heads and ours like will we have to reschedule the feeds? When? Would the world even care? We did not know but kept our focus on customer service. As the day went on, and more news began to emerge about the plane in DC and New York, we knew nothing that we produced would make it on air today so we left the office early that day and headed home to watch more TV.
As the night turned into morning, we all converged upon the office still not quite sure what we were to do. Since yesterday had passed some things did become clear, the news stations were busier than ever and had no time to take in our news stories but what we didn't know is how long that would last. This was the first time in history that competing stations were sharing information and footage. Turns out it lasted for weeks. The first week we went into the office everyday making ourselves busy with the things that had fallen by the waste side due to the work load and watching TV. Most of us began to wonder if we would have a job after all this was done. More and more we started to watch the money we were scheduled to make dwindle. Our boss, a smart and quick thinking man, advised our GM to contact all the news stations that we had relationships with to see if anyone was interested in sending our satellite truck to cover any of the events. They were and within hours the truck crew was headed to the streets of New York, straight to ground zero. Once our truck arrived on the scene, a whole new ball game started. Since most crews were without access to ground zero, our truck and crew were bombarded with request to rent the truck for live shots. I estimate in a three day time period that the truck was running full time all of those days. Back in the office, we got busy coordinating live shots, feeds, billing and connecting our crew with still other crews working to get the information to the masses.
The next week, our office was closed until further notice and most of the team stayed home unless you were involved with the operations of the satellite truck, then you were on call. For those who were, they basically worked around the clock to accomadate the many requests coming in.
Finally as week three began, we were all called back into the office. The world we knew was different but trying to get back to business. Before 911, most of the projects were produced were gladly taken in with out question but after, everything was being scruitnized. No more "just feed it" now we were explaining why this should even make it to air and the stories that were making it air were only the light fluffy feel good stuff that stations felt Americans needed.
The road back to the glory days of producing a piece and getting on air with out much pain were over and a new path was now being chartered that would make us all question life, career and purpose. Our satellite crew worked many hours exhausted but soon made it back to Atlanta some what in tack but the stories that the crew returned with were almost too heart wrenching to hear. From hearing how people were lost, how people came from the rubble covered and smelling of destruction, how loved ones would show up at the truck with pictures asking, Have you seen my husband, my mother, my father, will haunt us for ever but we will never forget how 911 changed the world.
