Broadcast news outlets around the world have been taking precautions to keep their on air talent safe and distanced at the height of the pandemic: Larger desks (GMB), perspex between the anchors, some have home studios set up (Lester Holt, NBC), in some local US markets one anchor is on the set while the other may broadcast from the newsroom. They were distancing last year when there were far fewer cases in Sydney and the virus less infectious. They may all have had both doses of the vaccine but they can still catch and spread the virus to others outside of their workplace.
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Clearly Pell only wants the looks and appearance to be pretty and he doesn’t give rats about safety. Surely that’s just an OH&S breach?
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Do we know that that’s Pell? That’s a bit unfair to say.
We don’t know what safety protocols they are following.
And I’d suggest that all people working on the Olympics coverage, whether they are in Melbourne or Sydney, would be following the same rules implemented at a network level. Pell isn’t making up the rules for Sunrise specifically.
Don’t forget Melbourne was in lockdown at the start too. So Basil, Leisel and Ian sitting next to each other commentating on the swimming would be breaking social distancing rules also.
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Since he’s the EP he would have a lot of say over what happens on set.
Regardless it’s just irresponsible of them to do that unless if they can put a disclaimer that everything that’s been done is measured in line with safety protocols (which they aren’t AFAIK).
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News Breakfast we’re social distancing the last two weeks. They had the sports presenter in a seperate studio and no inside studio guests.
Also, the ABC in Sydney have moved 7.30 to Canberra and the Afternoon News to Brisbane.
I guess Covid doesn’t infect Eastern/Central Sydney. 
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Right so you’re saying that every show has 6 presenters crammed in at a desk do they?
Come on. You can’t be his defendbot every time. It’s a bad look. And it needs to be criticised.
As well as his comments to other reporters about the lockdown lately, Pell has a lot of say and he could tell them to space them out… but he chose not to. It says a lot about him. It’s the whole Sydney elite who think covid doesn’t apply to them.
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Pells reaction last week to Georgia Love‘s comments didn’t go down too well.
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Surely NSW Police could fine Seven for blatant on-air COVID breaches, just as they did last year when we saw non-existant social distancing measures from Panthers Leagues (with Alice Monfries visibly uncomfortable to be surrounded by obviously alcohol-fueled hooligans) broadcast live during the 2020 NRL Grand Final edition of Nine News Sydney?
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This is exactly what I mean too “stick to commenting on your own lockdowns” “you used deceptive camera angles”…. So did you with your 6 people crammed at a desk.
So do we really think 7 have no safety measures in place and not one of the 6 people at the desk piped up and said ‘do you think we should spread out’?
Or was Michael Pell just off camera forcing them all to sit at the desk as close as they could get to each other?
Or do they have protocols in place and therefore all 6 were at the desk…
Which one is it?
No I think it’s an attitude of “don’t worry about it, looks good on camera”
You’re missing the whole point of this. It’s an irresponsible look. I don’t get how you can’t understand that. 6 people crammed in a desk when the government has mandated social distancing,
What is there not to get about this? Do you too not think it’s important?
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I get the optics, I don’t get the accusations. The demand that they be fined.
7 would have implemented contingency plans for if lockdown impacted their Olympics coverage, whether that be in Sydney or Melbourne.
Note that everyone on the desk is currently employed by 7 as part of their Olympics coverage. They are all wearing 7 branded clothing. They are not just socially commentating on the games. They are 7 employees.
You’ll know that throughout the pandemic Sunrise have continued to have in studio guests where those guests have been employees.
The other accusation is that Michael Pell is responsible for this. And my point is that the protocols in place for the Olympic coverage would be set at a network level.
Protocols yes at a network level would be set for all employees. But again, it’s not the right thing - they should be social distanced like they did the first time last year. It’s optics yes but also a responsibility for the media.
As well at this, a lot of those at the desk aren’t employees they are contractors. They would be on a contract for the duration of the games. There is a big difference.
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Well it’s pretty obvious there’s one that they’re NOT following. 
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Weekend Sunrise will return to 7-am - 10am after the Olympics.
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Back to normal after the Olympics.
Although, it would have been nice to see Seven trial out an extension of an extra few weeks post games to see how it went.
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Saturday 31st July -
No JT this morning so Mon and Matt also read out the weather forecast.
EDIT: JT was in fact there, though Mon and Matt read out the weather forecast at least once.
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What? JT was on weather this morning. He was in Canberra.
Oh I didn’t know that. A clip from this morning’s program on YouTube featured Mon and Matt reading the weather forecast.
Maybe an idea that people who actually watch a programme post the updates. If at all warranted.
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