FOX 26 Houston anchor Caroline Collins gave followers a look at just how many jobs one person can end up doing on a modern broadcast, showing herself anchoring, producing and directing a livestream at the same time.
“I’ve officially done every single aspect of the job,” Collins captioned the TikTok. “11 years ago when I got my first job as a reporter, I don’t think I could have predicted this!”
The video shows Collins seated in front of several monitors and controls as she walks viewers through the setup. She said she was hosting live while also “punching” the show herself, handling duties that are typically split among different people in a newsroom.
“If anybody is interested in becoming a broadcast journalist, this is what you are going to have to do,” Collins said. “You’re gonna have to be your own producer, pretty much your own director, your own host on your show.”
Collins said she had only recently learned how to use the system and had just finished her first show using it. She also made clear she was not completely on her own.
“I do have a support team here while we figure this out,” she said.
Still, by the time the show was over, Collins had a blunt reaction: “That was incredibly stressful.”
Viewers seemed stressed just watching.
“I’m so overstimulated for you,” one person commented.
“Girl! I was overstimulated learning,” Collins replied.
When another commenter said the setup seemed like a lot to handle, Collins acknowledged the learning curve, writing that she had not directed since college and that doing everything at once was “WILD.”
“But, it’s something I’ll get better and better at with time and reps!” she added.
Others used the comments to point to a broader shift they have noticed in local television, where anchors and reporters are increasingly expected to handle streaming, digital and on-air responsibilities at the same time.
FOX 26 currently offers streaming through FOX LOCAL, where viewers can watch live and on-demand coverage from the Houston station. Collins’ video comes as FOX 26 moves into what she described as a “24 hour live news cycle.”
Chron has reached out to FOX 26 for more information about how the livestream is staffed, whether other anchors and reporters are being trained on the same system and whether this kind of self-produced setup will become a larger part of the station’s operation.