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large markets without a chopper

K

kyleP

Guest
I was checking out the Nashville TV site last night. They mention that despite their size, neither WKRN, WSMV, or WTVF uses a chopper for news. Not always the case though as WTVF/WLAC used one back in the late 70s-early 80s.

Any other large markets out there ( 100+ ) that don't have any stations that use them?

To my knowledge Buffalo doesn't. Dittos with Charleston-Huntington. However as it was with Nashville both of those markets at one time did have at least one station that had used them. I remember hearing about a "sky 7" listening to WKBW Radio back in the 70's. I would imagine it was for their channel 7 Eyewitness News. When did they stop flying? Why?

Huntington's WOWK had Chopper 13 about five years ago. I believe their website back then said it was West Virginia's only news chopper. WOWK grounded chopper 13 I believe do to money or the lack of it as that station went through some cutbacks a few years ago.

To my knowledge, The Harrisburg-Lancaster-York-Lebanon market doesnt have any station that uses them even though with I am surprised that at least WGAL 8
doesnt have one. Interesting that the smaller Scranton/Wilkes-Barre market has a station with one, that being WNEP.

I think Roanoke-Lynchburg is chopper-less as well.
 
Green Bay (market 69) doesn't now, but did in the early 80s. The three network stations (pre-Fox) each had one - WBAY's Chopper 2, WFRV's Live Eye in the Sky and WLUK's Sky Scoop (the station was the first to use minicams and dubbed them Scoop and Scoop II; to this day the station uses "scoop" as its two-way radio sign for live remotes.)

The whole era only lasted a couple of years as they decided the results weren't worth the money; WFRV's, which it bought used from sister station WCCO, lasted the longest, into the mid-80s. Now, said one general manager, they just rent them on an as-needed basis.

After all, there aren't that many car chases and traffic reports to do in Green Bay.
 
>
> After all, there aren't that many [...] traffic
> reports to do in Green Bay.
>

Even on game day at Lambeau? :)

ixnay
 
> I think Roanoke-Lynchburg is chopper-less as well.

You are correct. If anyone did put up a bird, it'd probably be WDBJ/7 (CBS), the market's dominant news station...but R-L is more of a folksy, laid back market... the pace is slower, as typical of southern markets.

One good reason to have one in a market like Roanoke/Lynchburg is the sheer physical size of the market...it stretches from west of Blacksburg well to the east of Lynchburg, taking up a rather large chunk of the western part of the state.

About the only part of western Virginia that is NOT in the Roanoke/Lynchburg market is the corner, which is in Bristol/Kingsport/Johnson City, and a small sliver up by the WV border, which is attached to the Beckley/Bluefield, WV market.

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
> > I think Roanoke-Lynchburg is chopper-less as well.
>
> You are correct. If anyone did put up a bird, it'd probably
> be WDBJ/7 (CBS), the market's dominant news station...but
> R-L is more of a folksy, laid back market... the pace is
> slower, as typical of southern markets.
>
> One good reason to have one in a market like
> Roanoke/Lynchburg is the sheer physical size of the
> market...it stretches from west of Blacksburg well to the
> east of Lynchburg, taking up a rather large chunk of the
> western part of the state.
Yeah, the news operations of the Roanoke/Lynchburg market are rather "folksy," though when I look at the ultra sensationalistic newscasts in the Charlotte market, that is not necessarily a bad thing. But the Roanoke stations could profit from choppers. Because of the terrain, it is apparently very difficult to get live shots from most of the area. And I can't count the number of times there was breaking news in Western or Southside VA, and the anchor would repeatedly say "we have a crew on the way." Often, there was never any video, even a day or so later, only the anchor reading copy. I think all of the big three stations have satelite trucks, but they seemed to be reluctant to use them---too expensive maybe, when your competors also are content to read copy only.
 
> Even on game day at Lambeau? :)
>
You'd be surprised how fast it clears out for being 70,000 seats in the middle of a street grid. For one thing, most of the season ticket holders have found ways to go away from the two or three main roads. The only bad jams are about three hours before game time (tailgaters) and right after, when everybody tries to get on either Lombardi or Oneida streets to get to U.S. 41. If you're going in a different direction, you can get out of there quite fast.
 
> WTKR in Norfolk doesn't have a chopper while both WAVY and
> WVEC do.
>
> They did lease one at one time called "NewsChopper 3". It
> was this little thing right here:
>
> http://www.helispot.com/photos/00889.html


Stations in some markets, for a while at least and maybe still, put together trade outs with hospitals that had "air ambulance" choppers, to provide aero services for the cooperating stations' news coverage. In many cases the understanding was that medical runs took precedence, and coverage on more than a few occasions was cut short when the helicopter was diverted to an emergency medical situation not related to the news.

Per hour cost for helicopter operation is so high (anybody have figures?) that it seems even larger market stations find the expense marginally justifiable.

Dallas stations and outlets in other highly congested areas obviously find their birds extremely useful, but, the accountants obviously wonder, at what price.
 
> Yeah, the news operations of the Roanoke/Lynchburg market
> are rather "folksy," though when I look at the ultra
> sensationalistic newscasts in the Charlotte market, that is
> not necessarily a bad thing. But the Roanoke stations could
> profit from choppers. Because of the terrain, it is
> apparently very difficult to get live shots from most of the
> area. And I can't count the number of times there was
> breaking news in Western or Southside VA, and the anchor
> would repeatedly say "we have a crew on the way." Often,
> there was never any video, even a day or so later, only the
> anchor reading copy. I think all of the big three stations
> have satelite trucks, but they seemed to be reluctant to use
> them---too expensive maybe, when your competors also are
> content to read copy only.

I, for one, don't mind. I've been to bigger markets, and the news in those markets bothers me. It seems so, as you said, sensational. Furthermore, it is rushed and hyped and feels very professional--overly so, like I'm in a high-pressure business environment. I like "Your Hometown Station WDBJ-7" with its laid back style.

As far as a chopper, I don't see the need for one. In most places, choppers seem to be used for traffic, which is not a major issue here. Otherwise, what's there to report, the occasional fire or something? There's not much a chopper can do.

- Trip<P ID="signature">______________
Visit my website, www.rabbitears.info! It's eventually going to be your one resource for television info! Digital television, histories, and technical information for the entire USA from one source!</P>
 
Otherwise, what's there to report, the
> occasional fire or something? There's not much a chopper
> can do.

Police chases. They're huge in Houston and LA.
 
In Austin, Texas, market No. 53, only one station has a chopper: KXAN. They promo the heck out of it ... and rightly so. KEYE used to have one (in fact, they were the only station with a chopper for years) but they dumped it a couple years ago b/c it was too expensive. Now KEYE, KTBC and KVUE rely on their sister stations in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio when they need a chopper. Kinda lame if you ask me ...


> > WTKR in Norfolk doesn't have a chopper while both WAVY and
>
> > WVEC do.
> >
> > They did lease one at one time called "NewsChopper 3". It
> > was this little thing right here:
> >
> > http://www.helispot.com/photos/00889.html
>
>
> Stations in some markets, for a while at least and maybe
> still, put together trade outs with hospitals that had "air
> ambulance" choppers, to provide aero services for the
> cooperating stations' news coverage. In many cases the
> understanding was that medical runs took precedence, and
> coverage on more than a few occasions was cut short when the
> helicopter was diverted to an emergency medical situation
> not related to the news.
>
> Per hour cost for helicopter operation is so high (anybody
> have figures?) that it seems even larger market stations
> find the expense marginally justifiable.
>
> Dallas stations and outlets in other highly congested areas
> obviously find their birds extremely useful, but, the
> accountants obviously wonder, at what price.
>
 
KXAN sister station, WPRI in Providence (RI), uses a chopper as well. It's shared with fellow LIN Television station WTNH in New Haven/Hartford (CT). WPRI does alot of on-air promotion of "News Chopper 12." The helicopter has the WPRI logo on one side of it, and the WTNH logo on the other side! I'm not sure how much WTNH promotes "News Chopper 8" on the air.
 
Hi everyone:

> I was checking out the Nashville TV site last night. They
> mention that despite their size, neither WKRN, WSMV, or WTVF
> uses a chopper for news. Not always the case though as
> WTVF/WLAC used one back in the late 70s-early 80s.
>
> Any other large markets out there ( 100+ ) that don't have
> any stations that use them?

None of the TV outlets in Colorado besides the Denver stations use choppers. Never have.

In fact, I don't think KWGN 2 has a chopper (even in THIS day and age where a chopper is a CRITCAL tool in the news business).

We're LIVE From Denver,

Cheers :)

Pat<P ID="signature">______________
patspodcast03a.jpg

http://patspodcast.blogspot.com/
Radio? Uhh.....What's THAT?? :)</P>
 
Hi everyone:

> Otherwise, what's there to report, the
> > occasional fire or something? There's not much a chopper
> > can do.
>
> Police chases. They're huge in Houston and LA.

They're getting rather big here in Denver as well. Unfortunately, so too is the arrest once the chase is over. Just tonight, KDVR 31, the local FOX O&O, reported on a chase that (apparently) happened the night before which SKYFOX was following.

Once the chase was over, they showed video of the suspect being tazered (An undersheriff even demonstrated the technique used in an interview).

I'd say it's only a matter of time before someone leads local police here on a chase that not only gets the attention of the local whirly-birds, but the 24/7 cable news nets as well.

Just my opinion & observation :)

Cheers :)

Pat
<P ID="signature">______________
patspodcast03a.jpg

http://patspodcast.blogspot.com/
Radio? Uhh.....What's THAT?? :)</P>
 
> Police chases. They're huge in Houston and LA.

They're not huge in Roanoke/Lynchburg. :D

As I mentioned, the only possible reason would be the ability to get to far-flung news stories. It's a pretty long drive from one end of the market to the other.

But...I suspect the market's news stations are mostly not breaking news operations, and aren't concerned much with stuff west of, say, Blacksburg, or east of Lynchburg... WDBJ has bureaus in all three cities (the NRV, Roanoke and Lynchburg). I know WSLS has an NRV bureau and I think they still have a bureau in Bedford. And WSET has news operations in Danville and Roanoke, in addition to their home base in Lynchburg.

All in all, not much need for helicopters.

-OA <P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
Re: Denver has had a chopper...

> >
> > None of the TV outlets in Colorado besides the Denver
> > stations use choppers. Never have.
> >
>
> Funny, I thought could have sworn KCNC has used a chopper in
> the past.
>
>
> And I remembered right:
> http://www.nbpa.rotor.com/pictures/kcnccop4.htm

That's why he said BESIDES the Denver stations. KCNC being in Denver.

- Trip<P ID="signature">______________
Visit my website, www.rabbitears.info! It's eventually going to be your one resource for television info! Digital television, histories, and technical information for the entire USA from one source!</P>
 
Re: Denver has had a chopper...

> That's why he said BESIDES the Denver stations. KCNC being
> in Denver.
>
> - Trip
>

Sorry, I misread his response.
 
Re: Denver has had a chopper...

I know Pat said besides Denver. But just to clarify, all six Denver stations (KWGN-WB2, KCNC-CBS4, KMGH-ABC7, KUSA-NBC9 & KDVR-FOX31) have chopers. In fact KUSA has had a long history of accidents, including one well publiced even in the early 90's when the choper crashed in a mountain lake, critically injuring the pilot/reporter. Also KUSA and KOA radio share a helicopter (SKY9/Traffic Copter 850)

> > >
> > > None of the TV outlets in Colorado besides the Denver
> > > stations use choppers. Never have.
> > >
> >
> > Funny, I thought could have sworn KCNC has used a chopper
> in
> > the past.
> >
> >
> > And I remembered right:
> > http://www.nbpa.rotor.com/pictures/kcnccop4.htm
>
> That's why he said BESIDES the Denver stations. KCNC being
> in Denver.
>
> - Trip
>
 
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