Bureau Life

Life in a newsroom is not for everyone. It can be loud, rude, crude and sometimes downright obscene. That said, bureau life is not for most TV news types. You see, that same brash, uncivilized behavior that goes on in most TV newsrooms is nowhere to be found in a bureau, if only for the simple fact that there are usually only two or three people in a bureau. Today, in our Winston-Salem bureau, my home base, we had a full house.

Nico Belha and photojournalist Ken DeVanney came by to share our facilities and make a little TV magic.

Wes Barrett, a bureau hound like myself was also on hand, editing and feeding to our lifeline in High Point.


I was stuck in "The Hole" this morning in the Surry County Courthouse in Dobson. The hole is what we call the room in the back of the courtroom with a little window for shooting video. I waited all morning for a few seconds of video of seven accused of stealing furniture from Bassett.

Brent sits at his computer turning thoughts into a first-hand account of the courtroom events.

Once I have the script I begin the editing process.

As Ken DeVanney waits his turn at the keyboard. That's him in the background and this is what he wants to get his hands on.

Our bureau is located in the building of our partner, the Winston-Salem Journal. This is food editor Michael Hastings getting ready, with Brent's help, for a live shot in our 5 O'clock show.

After Michael is done, it's Brent's turn to front the package we've worked on today.