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Red team / Blue team: How TV networks have adjusted to coronavirus

Two teams, one working off-site, has shown how nimble networks are keeping shows on air.

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In recent weeks as COVID-19 has taken hold, networks have adopted a nimble two-pronged approach to staffing to ensure they remain on air.

Nine, Seven and 10 have all taken steps to divide their production teams in two, usually referred to as Red Team / Blue Team.

While one team works on site on production, the other has worked remotely at home. They have rotated work bases every two weeks.

Everyone from programming, producers, news execs, editors, journalists, research and publicity have been adopting the ‘tag team’ approach to ensure that if one was impacted by COVID-19 the other was segregated and able to continue work.

In some cases networks have even installed expensive AVID editing equipment in homes to allow work to continue on TV promos. Staff have also been seconded into different floors at stations to minimise risk.

As the spread of coronavirus has advanced more recently, many are now working entirely from home with the exception of talent, floor crew and control rooms.

The Red Team / Blue Team is particularly relevant for daily programmes in News & Current Affairs. In some cases on-air talent are even prevented from entering newsrooms.

A little-known IT scare within Network 10 last November, which resulted in staff frantically working from home, has ironically served as a dress rehearsal for staff to quickly adapt to coronavirus precautions.

6 Responses

  1. this is frankly not enough. If the big US shows can go 100% remote or on hiatus, why can’t they in oz? Why are we prioritizing Big Brother over people’s health?

    Avid systems are not expensive these days and most of it can be done remote too. This is an archaic and ridiculous perspective from the Aussie companies that haven’t switched to remote workflows – we should be reporting and lauding those who have closed and invested in remote work, over those companies that are prioritizing MAFS silliness over people’s health.

    What a ridiculous and pig headed approach. It’s just dots on a screen.

    1. With respect, please read the story. It mostly applies to News, Current Affairs, daily shows. MAFS was filmed last year. BB is about to wrap and my understanding is it has been continuing under govt advice around workplace arrangements. You have largely compared US scripted shows to our news programmes, whilst their news programmes also continue. I’m not aware of any Drama production still underway.

      1. With respect David you specifically called out programming, producers, editors and promos with the reference to news laid in as “particularly relevant”

        MAFS was filmed ages ago but is still in edit. Does post production not count? Apparently essential work.

        I’m not comparing scripted US shows. I’m talking about every major unscripted show in the United States that was filming in the field has ceased and if in post switched to remote.

        BB may wrap in the field but still had post to go. They could go remote.

        Government advice is lacking and narrow minded.

        I was just pointing out that there is some sort of weird thing going on in the Australian industry that is not occurring in the states or the UK, where some production companies are framing them selves as essential. When they are not. Your article frames it as expensive and hard to move remote. It’s hard but it is…

        1. Thanks, pretty sure News, Current Affairs, Breakfast TV are continuing in the US, possibly on a Red / Blue Team approach. Admittedly I am not stateside to see. News falls under essential service so will continue, the post was largely about giving some insight into how well they have adapted. Other genres would be mostly non-essential and can continue with appropriate steps as part of keeping economy running.

  2. Surely promos could be done on a laptop from home, many of them just re-used/edited, with voice artist talent probably having access to their own audio equipment (a basic but quality mic and headset) with networks doing the rest.

    All this tag-teaming is good, no point having hundreds of people running around stations during COVID lockdown.

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