There are certain things, like sausage for example, that are better enjoyed if you don’t see how it’s made.

Local TV news, on the other hand, is better appreciated when you can see the whole process of its creation.

TV stations carry a mystique and mystery in the public’s minds. They can watch the finished product on a newscast or digitally, but how it’s made, who makes it and how it goes out may not be so obvious.

And where it all is put together, inside the station’s building, is not something most people see.

The broadcast tower, the Doppler radar, the live trucks, the studio, the bright lights and the newsroom confirm that “we really do have a one-of-a-kind job,” says Brett Kenyon, the creative services director for WAPT, Hearst’s ABC affiliate in Jackson, Miss.

“We occasionally have kids visit the station with clients or employees, and I love the excitement and curiosity I see in those moments,” Kenyon says. “They remind everyone in the station just how amazing it is to work in local television and just how cool our building and studio really is.”

Anyone who has given a station tour for kids or adults can attest that people find it all very fascinating. Especially the green screen.

“There’s nothing like a child’s “Woooooah!” while looking up at a broadcast tower or inside a live truck,” Kenyon says.

Now that restrictions related to  COVID have softened, and to take advantage of trips to schools and classrooms, WAPT created a video showing the behind-the-scenes of the inner workings of their station to share the energy and excitement of a field trip with students who might not be able to come visit in-person.

“We created this so that when our meteorologists or reporters or anchors go out to visit classrooms or give presentations (specifically to elementary and middle school classrooms), they have this video to bring with them,” Kenyon says. “They’re able to show the video, answer questions, then talk about their specific roles at the station. Not only does it inspire us to see their reactions, but there’s a chance we may even inspire a future WAPT team member.”

Kenyon says the station hears “anecdotes from parents whose kids come home after a WAPT presentation and insist that they watch our news that night now that they know how it’s made.

WAPT also created a virtual reality experience for older students so they can experience what it’s like to stand at the news desk, find their camera, and read from a prompter while taking instructions from an IFB.

Kenyon says “it looks REALLY cool if you try it with a VR headset.”

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