Like many people who work outside what is considered the mainstream occupations, I have spent much time making a living while the rest of the community is sleeping. However, it’s usually not that bad once you resign yourself to the fact that the people closest to you think there is something wrong with you.
The most important thing I have found about it is simply owning it. Don’t rationalize it, don’t try and make excuses for it; merely embrace the oddity and move on. I am long past extolling the benefits of always being able to find parking, shop when it’s not crowded, and enjoy being home during the day.
The eccentricities of the night worker tend to broaden as time goes on. So I find myself becoming more and more fascinated with the people who have to do their jobs in front of the camera or the microphone and those who must turn words and images into something discernible at 2:45 am.
Yes, I’m one of them, but fortunately, no one has to see me or engage in conversation with me at those times. Call it my gift to humanity.
I’ve generally found myself amazed by those capable of looking and sounding human, even being engaging at those hours. True, I was in the dark (literally) for nearly half of my 12 years in law enforcement. Still, the costume often worked wonders in detracting from the visible signs of fatigue and the tangible hints of irritability.
A couple of decades ago, I think there were more options in the news and talk area for radio. There were undoubtedly more local overnight talk shows for those unable to sleep, so the cryptic and often outlandish topics of conversation were out there. Now, not so much and most of America has only Coast to Coast on the airwaves to feed their fixes.
Now, I know there are delayed broadcasts of many popular talk programs, but I have never been a fan as someone seeking actual company late at night or early in the morning; it’s kind of like playing back your voicemail messages a day later. I prefer life in real-time.
Newsgathering overnight can be a challenging task; newsrooms are so lonely these days that, along with doing the job, you have to find a way to keep yourself sane. Of course, every environment is different, but on the TV and radio sides, it’s not so rare to see midnight staffers doing prep and show stacking for the morning while simultaneously writing and editing for a top or bottom cast and chasing any possible breaker on Twitter or whatever scanner might still be in use somewhere.
What I’m trying to say is those doing some or all of those things need company not just for background noise but also for some subliminal information, and no, not in the form of a succession of Friends episodes or a repetitive cable news playback.
Please know I am grateful for the gift of time zones and the offering of international newscasts, but I’m also greedy and need more.
It is reassuring that the radio network anchors are out there at the top and bottom; there’s a level of camaraderie many don’t even know they’re providing.
Then, at 2:36 am, I get a reprieve when ABC’s World News Now comes on. Living, breathing news people on TV who really help get us through the roughest couple of hours in the morning.
It’s amity of a different variety, television with the right formula.
I’m not doing a commercial for them; I’m just offering up a realization that they have helped keep me afloat no matter what the morning circumstance may bring. And I still flip around to see what everybody else has because that is part of my job. The difference is that I tend to land back at WNN even when I’m not working the desperate hours.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I have worked with at least one of their many talented personnel over the years, but that bears little to no influence here. There is simply a marked difference and through time.
However, the anchor teams have changed and moved on; the show still manages to keep that same level of silliness and sincerity without going full-on camp like Saturday Night Live, only without having to put up with seven bad years out of every decade.
There’s an environment reminisce of what overnight radio used to have. And that’s not such an easy thing. They still have to do the news, which usually isn’t the most positive subject matter even if you try to lighten it up at that hour.
I have woken up with the show, starting my day; I’ve watched while working and even as I’ve attempted to turn in for the night. There is shtick, personal revelation, and inside glimpses at the operation itself. When later in the morning they transition to America This Morning, it automatically tightens up to properly begin the news day.
The show has been around a while, and we’ve all seen concepts and formats fail; we’ve seen shows of all kinds hang around way too long. Some, however, continue on the same path without the need to make constant course corrections and keep getting the job done.
To show my way of thinking…I say M*A*S*H should have ended after season 5; the original Law & Order should have never returned, and why, oh why, is The Simpsons still on?
WNN/ATM does not have this problem, and I, for one, am glad.
I like being able to count on it. I hope things don’t change too much because one day, there will no doubt be a doddering insomniac needing some virtual company.
The sleepless need news too.
