Tag: "Napa"

“It’s Three A.M. – And The Phone Rings…” – And How to Stop the “Janks Pranks”

By Howard B. Price
ABC Television Network
Director, Business Continuity

No doubt you remember “it’s three a.m. – and the phone rings…” from a 2008 Clinton for President political ad – arguably the most enduring line from that campaign.

And it’s a question broadcasters need to answer BEFORE bad things happen…because bad things tend to happen at the worst possible time.

Like 3:20 a.m. Pacific Time this past Sunday…when the earth in and around Napa County, California shook like it hadn’t shaken in almost 25 years.

At 3:20 am at most stations outside the largest markets – and even at some of the bigs, too – the programming likely is automated, or live via satellite. If anyone actually IS home, they are likely to be the lowest-paid, least-experienced people on the payroll.

And that’s OK…we’ve all been there.

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