To promote social distancing, TV news broadcasts incorporate segments from home

Viewers saw KXAS-TV (NBC5) anchor Laura Harris on TV with the Dallas skyline behind her. She saw her living room filled with lighting equipment and a camera.

To promote social distancing, local TV stations have shifted some segments out of the studio. They’re now coming from guest rooms, home offices, backyards and living rooms.

Harris has been delivering the news from her apartment this week, while her co-anchor, Deborah Ferguson, reported from the studio. Meteorologist Grant Johnston delivered his Monday morning forecast from his home, and birds chirped during meteorologist Samantha Davies’ backyard weather segment as she told viewers to expect sunny skies this week.

“We are committed to complying with the workplace restrictions our communities are facing — [as] the safe and right thing to do,” said Brian Hocker, NBC5’s media contact.

Some of these remote reports have been easier to do than others. Johnston, for example, delivered his forecast from his computer at home with a small spotlight, and Davies presented her weather segment from an iPad.

For Harris to anchor from home, a photographer scouted her place last week to determine the best place to set up the camera and video light. Harris has been sitting in front of a set of windows in her living room with a view of the Dallas skyline behind her.

“It was nice being in the comfort of my own home,” Harris said. “Though, preparation is key. I wrote and produced a lot of what I had for today and I had the rundown in front of me the entire newscast, so I could follow along even though I wasn’t there.”

Anchoring and reporting from home has its benefits like 20 extra minutes of sleep, Davies said, but it also comes with some unanticipated challenges.

“The pros of working from home: I get to see my family,” Davies said. “The cons: I get to see my family.”

During her midday weather segment on Monday, Davies said she could see her kids trying to get outside.

“I also miss my co-workers,” Davies said. “The NBC5 Today team is a family. We are still in constant communication, it’s just different not seeing them face to face everyday.”

Other Dallas-Fort Worth TV stations are also using at-home broadcasts to try to set an example for viewers. KDFW-TV (Channel 4) meteorologist Evan Andrews presented his weather forecast from home last week, as did WFAA-TV (Channel 8) meteorologist Kalee Dionne on Tuesday afternoon.

The trend is also taking place nationally on networks like CNN, CNBC, Fox Business and ESPN.

This isn’t Johnston’s first time forecasting the weather from home. He’s also done it during severe weather situations when there wasn’t enough time to get to the studio.

“Obviously, it’s not as smooth as being in-studio, but it’s amazing what we can do remotely nowadays,” he said.