Times Square 2:30pm | Jan. 26, 2015
While schools, offices and airports often close during severe weather, TV newsers don’t have that option. The #Blizzardof2015 (how’s that for a simple moniker?) is bearing down on 28 million people, including several hundred who produce the news for broadcast and cable networks.
CNN and Al Jazeera America tell us they are putting up many NYC-based employees in a hotel for the night, eliminating dangerous travel scenarios. This also guarantees that employees will be available to work into tonight and early tomorrow morning, when commuting will be extremely difficult, if not impossible.
CBS News and NBC News are also providing hotels and shuttle services for staffers, as needed.
CNN is at Columbus Circle while AJAM, NBC, MSNBC, Fox News and Fox Business are all located in midtown Manhattan. ABC News and CBS News are on the West Side of Manhattan. ABC Newsers have the benefit of having subway service just across the street. “GMA” staffers will have to make their way to Times Square. CBS, on West 57th St., is several blocks from the 59th St. subway station. NBC has subway access in and around Rockefeller Center. And this is all contingent on subway service running normally.
At this point, the NYSE will be open for trading tomorrow. CNBC has arranged for all essential personnel to be close to their work locations for the duration of the storm with some select staff staying at CNBC’s headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The facility is equipped with generators and a back-up water facility. FBN tells us they are making arrangements for all essential employees as well.
If you’re working tonight, send us your pictures and stories… or just drop us a line in the anonymous tips box.
Stay safe out there everyone!
What a difference 90 minutes makes. View of #blizzardof2015 from #AC360 newsroom. pic.twitter.com/ztSXYeYFvb
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) January 26, 2015
Current view of @CBSNews Broadcast Center in Manhattan. #blizzardof2015 http://t.co/SdAQOETo5J pic.twitter.com/8vRVyYHKxM — CBSN (@CBSNLive) January 26, 2015