WFMJ’s Malaynia Spiva: Cherishing Moments of Stillness

Malaynia Spiva, news reporter at WFMJ-TV, is coming back strong. You can read more about her at her bio page on WFMJ’s website.

What are some ways the COVID-19 outbreak has affected your organization, and how is it rebounding?

In the news world a lot has changed. Many of us are working remotely, while others are still reporting to the newsroom. I’ve had the best of both worlds. For two months I was still going to the newsroom and going to stories. We’ve moved to using separate mics instead of interviewing our guests with our handheld mics. There are also more Skype and Facetime interviews to limit exposure to our studio. Contacting people for interviews was a little challenging when everything closed because most businesses and organizations had their employees working remotely. I have never left so many voicemails in my life! (Lol.)

However, I believe our news team at WFMJ has more tools in our belt due to the challenges we’ve faced while reformatting our workflow, all in an effort to do our part in flattening the curve. Our news director, management team and IT department deserve so much credit because we can now do everything we used to only do in the newsroom from anywhere. WFMJ will definitely come out of the pandemic a much stronger and more efficient news team. 

How has the outbreak affected your personal life?

It really didn’t hit me personally until Easter Sunday. I ordered food from a restaurant and ate dinner with my parents over a Facetime call. I come from a very close-knit family, so that was tough. 

What steps are you taking to come back strong?

I am now cherishing those moments of stillness. At first, I was doing it because everything was closed and there was nowhere to go outside of work, but now I look forward to those moments.

I was so used to always being on the go. It was nice to finally slow down and realize I don’t have to fill up my schedule every day to feel fulfilled.  I was also able to save money with Starbucks and the Mall being closed. So, my finances came back stronger if anything. Lol.

What advice are you sharing with the people you love?

Find the good in these times. There is still a lot to be grateful for. If you live with your family, reconnect, eat dinner together, have family game nights. COVID-19 has shown us everything can be taken away instantly; prioritize and value what’s really important.