Brooklyn Diocese: Currents Studio Collapses

The holidays often bring with it unexpected disasters. In this case I received this horrible note from our friend and fellow blogger Deacon Greg Kandra, who I often refer to on this blog as "the good deacon." Deacon Greg recently left CBS TV where he worked for many years to take over a budding new TV operation with the Brooklyn Diocese at Net TV as their news director. He has been producing a show called Currents on the diocese's NET TV (New Evangelization Television). As opposed to many other efforts in "Catholic TV" Currents' set looked extremely professional and their staff were the consummate broadcasters. Read below and be heartbroken.

(Here) you see a photograph taken on the afternoon of Tues, Dec 22, of what remains of our beautiful studio.

At 3 o'clock, just as we were set to start taping the show, the anchors and I were chatting in the studio, going over copy, when we heard a loud "thump" on the roof. Must be reindeer, someone joked. Ha ha. We got ready to start and we heard a louder THUMP, and the lighting grid began to tremble and groan, and it looked for all the world like the roof was about to cave in. "Get out!," one of the technical directors yelled. We scrambled, grabbed our things, and streamed out into the parking lot. No one could figure out what was going on. Someone called 911 and the fire crew went in and looked around. The rest of the grid had started to come down right after we fled the building. Part of the interview set was damaged. Fortunately no camera equipment was hit. It was a miracle no one was hurt.

Long story short: the studio is out of commission for about three months. Maybe longer.

We're figuring out a Plan B for continuing to tape "Currents" in the new year.

I'm not one to solicit funds often, and Deacon Greg is probably too proud to ask for this himself. So if you've got a Christmas shekel to spare, drop them a donation here.