While Chico State neared week eight of the 2020 spring semester, media coverage and talk of the coronavirus spread heightened. Ambling through a brick-laden campus with blossoming foliage abound, students and faculty remained mostly focused on lectures and studies as the U.S. had its first coronavirus case, first death and first hotspot. Schools and campuses including Chico State began preparing for the worst, as stay-at-home orders were issued. Spring break plans were canceled and Wildcats began adjusting to the reality of distance learning.

In the age of a global pandemic, METX faculty and students had to adapt to both semester and client changes. With the health and safety of the Red Bluff community and rodeo attendees in mind, the 99th- annual rodeo was officially postponed on March 20, then canceled on April 10. Being unable to access some tech amenities or capture footage during the rodeo, METX was forced to nix 360-video production, reconsider creative processes and social campaigns to work with the material at hand while abiding licensing and copyright laws. All teams shifted to learn the ropes of collaborating through Zoom, a skill worth having for future employment. Despite the circumstances, METX remained diligent in telling the Red Bluff Round-Up story.