Insight into a challenging time - so SVT News works

The fact that SVT should fulfill the social mission to report news in crisis is absolutely crucial. Therefore, much is not as usual right now. Here you can get an insight into how the work goes in these very special times.

As responsible publisher, the day usually starts with a morning meeting, where we meet our employees. There we go through yesterday's publications. What became good and what became less good? What do we need to develop, how has the situation changed from yesterday or maybe late at night? What is the priori today? But now we cannot be physically seen. This meeting, like other meetings, takes place digitally. A few employees are on site at SVT, they sit at large intervals, and even follow the meeting via the computer.

Early in the pandemic, we made the decision to separate the employees at Rapport and SVT Forum from the other editors. In addition, online video discs have moved to other premises. All other boxes have moved apart - this to reduce the risk of contagion at work. This means that work management must now largely be done with the help of digital tools.

Editorial staff minimizes visits to other areas of our SVT houses, the news editor uses their own coffee machine. As far as possible, contact with other persons within SVT is avoided. We are preparing for the worst and hope for the best.

The broadcasts in our major news programs today look a little different. Nowadays, the guests in the studio seem to keep their distance in a way we are not used to. This applies to both those we interview, especially older people and those in risk groups, but also experts and politicians. Maybe you have seen us use extra long mick-bars in interviews? We sometimes use camera angles and clips so that this becomes visible because the camera's optics can make it look like we are close - and it causes many viewers to react.

We interview as often as we can through video calls. Because of the risk of infection, we can no longer help to make up our guests or hosts who will be in the broadcast. They must make up themselves.

The general recommendations to stay home at the slightest cold symptoms mean that more news staff are absent than usual. We review the medical condition on a daily basis and through a newly created staffing emergency help from other departments at SVT. Of course, the message that larger gatherings are no longer allowed affected the colleagues on the sport to a large extent, as well as planned recordings with audiences. This has meant that several colleagues from other departments have been able to help us on the news, where the pressure is extra hard right now.

There was a little insight into the work of the news editor. It is a challenging time for all sectors of society, and it also applies to us who work with news media.

We are humble and grateful for the response flowing in from the audience.