Facility Use Status

Plan & Protocol COVID-19 | 2021

Our full reopen with traditional studio use continues to be dependent on the overall health status of the community.

• To balance service and health and comply with guidance derived from science and best practices in our state and industry.
• To be intentional & clear in proceeding with community users.

PRODUCING CONTENT OPTIONS AND GUIDELINES 2021

For the 1st quarter 2021 studio use will be very limited. If remote access provides too many challenges talk shows can have a show host on-site with telephone or google meet call-for guests. To be perfectly clear: Talk shows with hosts and guests sitting at or around a table are discontinued until further notice (even 2-people 6 ft. apart).

Individuals, or individuals who have shared quarantine (families), can use the studio with one support person assisting. A Program Plan is required. You must attest to the following. No recent out-of-state travel. Compliance, as best you can, to social distancing and wearing a mask when in public

All shows require a Program Plan:  Show Name, graphics and audio preparation in advance of studio scheduling. The plan should include how many participants are part of each segment and the anticipated show duration in minutes.

Production using the ’60-Minutes’ method is possible but requires extensive planning. The host/interviewer can record questions independent of the guest. Segments can be put together in post-production. Teleprompter requirements must be aligned with availability of trained staff/volunteers.

Podcast | Mac studio: 1 to 3 users. 6 ft distancing microphone options are available by app’t confirmed via email reserve@wpaa.tv

What we did immediately in response to the shut-down of non-essential services in CT: MarcH 2020

Beginning in March, WPAA-TV’s skeletal volunteer staff maintained our 24 x 7 cablecast schedule. Remote assignments were planned for our three Interns to enable them to meet their graduation requirements. Congrats to Evann, Mike, and Garrett. We discontinued all other work placements and scheduling of non-essential volunteer activity. Studio production ceased for all talk and performance shows (BG, CR, CM, MM, TK, MwP, Drums, HKB). Equipment loans were extended for individuals working on projects remotely. Our 3-Minute Movie Challenges was redesigned to include a coVIDEO Challenge. The Record-Journal shared this as a story.

Changes in support of Community

As spiritual communities began using remote platforms, we modified our support to them in our decades-old Same Day Sunday TV cablecasts welcoming Christ Presbyterian Church, Friday Prayers (Islam), and Resurrection (Catholic) Church to our program schedule.

Our program schedule was modified to support MORE at-home learning activities in STEaMc beginning at 5 AM daily, In2languages content was changed daily making it possible to see 3 times more the number of programs per week. Story-time including animated stories and reading of books by librarians and museum curators was added at 4:30 PM Weekdays. Silver Sneakers Level fitness programs were 9:30 AM weekdays.

Corona Virus Specials provides a global perspective to the pandemic at 5 and 6 PM for 12 minutes. This content is provided by DW.

Our  3-Minute Movie challenge criteria was changed to accommodate social distancing. We added a 1-shot category for prizes and began providing a cloud editing tool WeVideo in July. 1st.

Check out the video to get an update on resources available. Much of the information herein continues to be true for 2021. Google Meets will become available again in January with the shared login video@wpaa.tv. Phone applications can can not be used to host a Google Meet but guests can participate with telephone apps.

This is a google meet video with post-production.

Guidance From The State of Connecticut

• Develop and implement practices for social distancing (avoiding large gatherings and maintaining distance) of at least 6 feet ( 2 meters ) distance from others.
• Continue remote activities, if feasible.
• Reduce common touchpoints, provide disposable wipes so that commonly used surfaces (for example, doorknobs, keyboards, remote controls, desks, other work tools, and equipment) can be wiped down.
• Decline admittance to anyone with a temperature of above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit and have this as criteria for stay home, no admittance.
• Using soap and water or within available supplies, hand sanitizer at point of entry to the facility.
• Use a mask, or other cloth material, that covers for mouth and nose while on-site. Make masks to all and persons on-site for times when not working in isolation.
• Control access to external visitors including:

1. Prohibiting entry into the facility for non-essential visitors.
2. Interview approved visitors about their current health condition and recent travel history.

Health & cleaning practices at the facility:

We changed A/C filters, acquired hand sanitizer & wipes, we have a thermometer for verifying health status. We disassemble our public refreshments area, wiped down all surfaces after carpet installation & do so after all user visits. Dust masks available if a mask needed.

Industry standards can be found here.