Posted by chicagomedia.org on May 05, 2009 at 12:59:18:
In Reply to: NBC5, Fox32, CBS2, WGN-TV to share raw news video posted by chicagomedia.org on May 04, 2009 at 13:45:46:
4 local TV stations pooling news coverage
By Phil Rosenthal | Tribune media columnist
May 5, 2009
It's going to be less crowded at some Chicago-area news conferences beginning Monday, with only one camera crew where four often were set up to shoot video.
NBC-owned WMAQ-Ch. 5, Fox-owned WFLD-Ch. 32, CBS-owned WBBM-Ch. 2 and WGN-Ch. 9, which is owned by Chicago Tribune parent Tribune Co., announced Monday that they have joined forces to establish an independently run local news service that will share newsgathering resources to provide pool coverage of non-exclusive events. It will be up to each rival station how or if the shared video is incorporated into its respective newscasts and Web site.
ABC's WLS-Ch. 7, the market's No. 1 station, was the lone holdout among commercial broadcast news outlets.
"It has never quite made sense to me that you have a podium with a cluster of mike flags on it," Channel 2 boss Bruno Cohen said. "I've always been thinking, as a former news director, what are we doing? What is the point of this?"
The cooperative has been expected here since last year. Participants say it is a more cost-effective use of manpower and equipment, although some rank-and-file at the stations fear it may make it easier to reduce staffing. NBC Local Media and Fox Television Stations said in November that they would use an independently run Philadelphia video-sharing operation they established with their respective stations there as a template in other markets where both groups have stations.
"We're all trying to be smart in the way we're covering news in the new world, and at the same time preserve our editorial integrity in what we do differently," said Frank Whittaker, Channel 5 station manager and vice president for news. "Rather than having four cameras at an event capturing the same thing, it makes sense to have one and figure out what to do with the cameras that don't have to be there."
Tony Capriolo, a WMAQ sports producer, has been selected as managing editor of the service, which will be based at WBBM's headquarters across from Daley Plaza but separate from Channel 2's news operation. Each participating outlet will provide two news crews and an assignment editor, and they remain on their station's payroll. Capriolo is an employee of the service, paid for by participating stations.
Rather than send a crew to the mayor's announcement of a new policy, Cohen said, "We can go out in the neighborhoods and talk to people who are affected by whatever the change will be, and we'll still have the mayor's remarks available."
Greg Caputo, Channel 9's news director, compared the arrangement to coverage in Washington. "They've got a lot of pools set up to cover hearings and press conferences," he said. "That doesn't preclude you from sending your own crew and reporter."
Said Pat Mullen, Channel 32 boss, "It's a more efficient method of gathering news video at a time when we have to look for every efficiency we possibly can."