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Skating Before the Broadcast

February 23, 2006 9:56 PM

Ever wonder what news anchors and producers do in the final few hours before the broadcast goes to air?

Our senior producer for foreign news Kate Felsen blogs about how today -- at a time when we normally write, edit and keep our eyes on the news wires -- all eyes were on center ice as Cohen, Arakawa, Slutskaya and Meissner skated for Olympic gold:

Early in the day, the handicapping began. We ranked our favorites, rated their long programs, skating dresses and tendency to succumb to nerves. Producer Wonbo Woo pointed out that Japanese skater Miki Ando’s long program would likely be weak, as she had changed it from earlier in the season when she performed to "a gorgeous jazz version of My Funny Valentine choreographed by David Wilson” – move on over Dick Button!

We did not wait for NBC’s broadcast. Instead, we punched up the live feed from the BBC, our international partner, and huddled around our TV screens. Diane Sawyer professed she was thinking good thoughts for Sasha Cohen but when the American favorite struck her opening pose, Diane turned away, exclaiming, “I just can’t take it, I can’t watch!” When Cohen fell once, then once again, the news room was filled with a chorus of Uhhhhhh...

Gold seemingly out of reach for Cohen, emails re-handicapping the race flew. Then came Japan’s Shizuka Arakawa, who set the bar high with her clean, elegant skate and set us all humming Nessun Dorma for the rest of the evening.

When Irina Slutskaya’s time finally came, Elizabeth Vargas confessed a sweet spot for the 27 year-old. She had after all nursed her ailing mother in Moscow and overcome her own illness to give one last shot at gold. Alas, Slutskaya too tumbled... into bronze, behind golden Arakawa and silver Cohen.

The competition over, our heart rates restored to something close to normal, one senior producer said half-jokingly he was happy the skating had ended. If it had gone on any longer, he observed, we might not be able to get our broadcast on the air.

February 23, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (0)

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