Broadcast Steering Committee Meeting Held Virtually

Amid the social distancing of the COVID-19 era, the National Broadcast Steering Committee met via Zoom on June 20. Chaired by National Board member Joe Krebs and BSC Vice Chair Cheri Preston, the hot topics of discussion were the return to the studio for broadcast employees, the national protests over police brutality and the importance of covering these events, and how to go about diversifying newsrooms.

The committee released a statement addressing the need for diversity. It read, in part, “We, the members of the SAG-AFTRA National Broadcast Steering Committee, strongly reaffirm our commitment to fairness, equity and diversity in hiring, assignment, compensation, training opportunities and advancement in broadcast news organizations.”

Journalists have also been under extreme pressure during the pandemic, as it has increased their workload while simultaneously making it more difficult to do their jobs. During the four-and-ahalf-hour meeting, committee members shared their experiences and the complications faced by both those who have been working from home and those who need to continue venturing into the field. The BSC also provided time for a series of experts to offer advice on how to handle the stress of the job in this time of disruption.