Be Cool

A work about behavior in the booth. At least a modicum of restraint is required. You may know that your show is on the verge of exploding, but best not to let everyone else know by losing your mind. Other folks in the booth can take their cues from you. If the producer is screaming, how is everyone else supposed to stay calm? Pretend you are a 911 emergency dispatcher. No matter what the situation, try to stay on an even keel. Calmly make a call and stick with it. Remember, it's better to have a clean show, than take a huge risk that doesn't add much to your show but has the potential to crash it. If possible, talk to people in breaks, PKGS and sots, in that order. Less is going on then and you are more likely to be heard. This is especially true with anchors. Don't talk when they're talking and stay calm in their ear.

DO NOT try to problem solve in the booth. There is no reason. It just gets people upset and won't erase whatever mistake has already been made. Move on. Unless it's an ongoing issue, figure out what went wrong AFTER the whole show is over. This can keep small mistakes from becoming a complete cluster.