News events such as the awful crash in Clarence Center bring out the best, and worst, of local television news. As I watched from afar, it was reinforced to me, just how relevant the business of local television news still is. In no particular order, here are some of my observations--good and bad:
--Former Rochester reporter Dave McKinley was spectacular in the early hours of this tragedy. His reports for WGRZ, and simulcast on CNN,
were very informative. Dave delivered under tough circumstances.
--From a Rochester standpoint, kudos go to the folks at Channel 8. They first reported the crash on their Fox broadcast at ten, led their
11pm show with it, and displayed a still photo of the fiery crash as they signed off on Thursday night at 11:30pm. I don't think the other
Rochester tv stations even mentioned the crash in their Thursday 11pm shows, in hindsight pretty astonishing.
--WHEC's Catherine Varnum did a solid job Friday morning and was smooth talking live with Matt Lauer on the Today show. It's not easy
going from talking to a local audience to a national one, she was very solid.
--Website coverage: WIVB-TV in Buffalo was the first to have it, about 10:35pm Thursday night. WROC-TV also had it on their site by
around 11pm. The Rochesterhomepage.net site, while I think the url is absurd, has become a "go to" site for local news, weather and
sports. Content-wise, they are putting the hammer to the other stations. They have made quantum leaps in their online coverage and
they really know how to "breakout" a big story on their main page. They should be commended, because the site used to be awful. 13 and
10 were at least an hour behind before getting anything on the web. 8 has caught up to and even surpassed
--Good move by 10 to put Jennifer Johnson in the field. I am a big believer in getting your front line people on the big story at any cost
and I think it helped her credibility, as well as that of the stations. Also, Berkley Breen did a nice job in the early going out there, as he
normally does.
--Smart move by WROC bringing a main anchor to help front the early coverage. They were the only ones to do it. Why wouldn't any anchor
want to be part of this coverage as its unfolding? Even Axelbank, whom I once referred to as a John Stossel in the maiing, did yeomans
work Friday morning. He is tenacious and will not be in Rochester much longer. He's good.
--Did not like the Friday night 11pm pairing that WHAM-TV chose. Don Alhart with Ed Moody. Sorry but it looked real awkward. Don solo
would have been much better. Moody is a fine talent, but side by side with Don doesn't work, at least not for any male anchors with
the exception of Doug Emblidge.
--Patrice Walsh brought some much needed veteran flare to the coverage later on Friday for 13, and Elizabeth Harness and Matt Molloy
were a great tandem late for the 8.
So there are some observations. Hats off to all of the videographers, truck ops and producers who logged enormous hours to bring the Rochester viewers coverage. It was an exhausting 24 hours and I think, for the most part, they did the tv business proud. Just some random thoughts...
--Former Rochester reporter Dave McKinley was spectacular in the early hours of this tragedy. His reports for WGRZ, and simulcast on CNN,
were very informative. Dave delivered under tough circumstances.
--From a Rochester standpoint, kudos go to the folks at Channel 8. They first reported the crash on their Fox broadcast at ten, led their
11pm show with it, and displayed a still photo of the fiery crash as they signed off on Thursday night at 11:30pm. I don't think the other
Rochester tv stations even mentioned the crash in their Thursday 11pm shows, in hindsight pretty astonishing.
--WHEC's Catherine Varnum did a solid job Friday morning and was smooth talking live with Matt Lauer on the Today show. It's not easy
going from talking to a local audience to a national one, she was very solid.
--Website coverage: WIVB-TV in Buffalo was the first to have it, about 10:35pm Thursday night. WROC-TV also had it on their site by
around 11pm. The Rochesterhomepage.net site, while I think the url is absurd, has become a "go to" site for local news, weather and
sports. Content-wise, they are putting the hammer to the other stations. They have made quantum leaps in their online coverage and
they really know how to "breakout" a big story on their main page. They should be commended, because the site used to be awful. 13 and
10 were at least an hour behind before getting anything on the web. 8 has caught up to and even surpassed
--Good move by 10 to put Jennifer Johnson in the field. I am a big believer in getting your front line people on the big story at any cost
and I think it helped her credibility, as well as that of the stations. Also, Berkley Breen did a nice job in the early going out there, as he
normally does.
--Smart move by WROC bringing a main anchor to help front the early coverage. They were the only ones to do it. Why wouldn't any anchor
want to be part of this coverage as its unfolding? Even Axelbank, whom I once referred to as a John Stossel in the maiing, did yeomans
work Friday morning. He is tenacious and will not be in Rochester much longer. He's good.
--Did not like the Friday night 11pm pairing that WHAM-TV chose. Don Alhart with Ed Moody. Sorry but it looked real awkward. Don solo
would have been much better. Moody is a fine talent, but side by side with Don doesn't work, at least not for any male anchors with
the exception of Doug Emblidge.
--Patrice Walsh brought some much needed veteran flare to the coverage later on Friday for 13, and Elizabeth Harness and Matt Molloy
were a great tandem late for the 8.
So there are some observations. Hats off to all of the videographers, truck ops and producers who logged enormous hours to bring the Rochester viewers coverage. It was an exhausting 24 hours and I think, for the most part, they did the tv business proud. Just some random thoughts...