Magic, mostly.
The TimesCast is set up so that it's a side job for almost everyone. I say "almost," because our producer Daine Vineyard spends most of his day working computer magic. It's pretty much his full-time job -- along with some of the other video projects we have going.
For the rest of us, well, here's more or less how it works. For the print newspaper, I'm assistant managing editor for content and planning. Increasingly, that content and planning now includes online. I don't have a specific title with the TimesCast -- I'm not sure anyone does, really -- but if I did, it might be along the lines of executive producer. That's what online editor John Jackson called me once.
I'm usually the one who schedules the 'casters, books the guests and decides the content. We've formatted things so there is some rough structure -- we always have news, we always have sports, we always have weather, and then we have three slots available for other stuff, which is usually entertainment-oriented. I spend a lot of time brainstorming with Tad Dickens, who handles our entertainment pages online. Most days, he writes the scripts, based on information supplied him by various editors and reporters from across the newsroom. My job is often to make sure they supply that information. Then I edit the script, and it goes to the art team, where artist Grant Jedlinksy prepares the graphics. Artist Rob Lunsford sometimes gets into the act, too.
We often start shooting various cameos as early as 11 a.m. By noon, we're usually ready to shoot the main body of the 'cast. By 1 p.m., we must be done or we all turn into pumpkins -- or, more accurately, we won't meet our 3:30 deadline for posting the 'cast online.
A word about our 'casters: They come from pretty much all parts of the news and online operation. Patrick Beeson and Tad Dickens come from the online world -- although Tad is a former courts reporter and local government reporter. He used used to work as a professional musician, a background which comes in helpful when working with our musical guests. Lindsey Nair covers federal courts. Marques Harper is a features reporter. Jenny Kincaid Boone covers business. Seth Gitner began as a still photographer, moved to online and became the multimedia editor. His first task? Produce the TimesCast. Those staffers constitute our regular crew of hosts, but we have several others who appear frequently. Tamara Gaskin, who puts together our calendar for both print and online, has a regular gig doing entertainment segments. When she proclaimed herself the goddess of fun, we went out and bought her a wand. Editorial assistant Ana Ribeiro also makes appearances, and has been a host. Sportswriter Aaron McFarling does a weekly sports segment. And copy editor Kevin Myatt, who writes our weather column, presents the weekend forecast.
And there are other staffers who, from time to time, have found themselves drafted into making appearances.
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