Keeping a station on the air during a disaster means crafting and rehearsing a plan that’s often based on previous experiences. As Nexstar’s ABC affiliate in Panama City, Fla., learned from October’s Hurricane Michael, sometimes the unforeseen still happens. After the WMBB building lost power, the news team set up in the station’s parking lot for newscasts.

On Friday, Nov. 30, broadcasters in the first of a 10-phase post incentive auction repack must have completed their move to new channels and ceased broadcasting on their pre-transition channels. Phase two begins Dec. 1. According to the FCC, more than 140 TV stations in over 20 markets will have moved frequencies when phase one is over.

An Alabama meteorologist used Facebook Live and satellite imagery to pinpoint weather information for viewers affected by Hurricane Michael. Because of his creative efforts to serve the viewers during a difficult time, Josh Johnson of WSFA has won the Social Media Excellence Awards’ top distinction — the Innovator Award.