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Sharing News Choppers

O

obihave

Guest
A valley newspaper is reporting that 3 Phoenix television stations are going to share a helicopter to cover the news.

KPHO-5, KTVK-3 and KPNX-12 are joining forces in an effort to cut costs. So that leaves KNXV-15 and KSAZ-10 as the only English stations going solo in this arena.

Since other major markets have done this recently...

a. is this going to work?
b. will 10 or 15 cave in and join forces also?

Article here:
http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2009/02/24/20090224abrk-helicoptersharing.html
 
To answer one of your questions I think for the most part this could work. I'm curious as though how they will handle it during Breaking News. Who will get top pick: Lin Sue vs. Kent Dana vs. Patti Kirkpatrick? I could see KPHO getting the heads up during their 6:30 p.m. newscast but what about the others going against going head to head with the female leads in the Valley?

Will we see Bruce Haffner or Scott Clifton is this new HD chopper.

It's highly possible that KNXV could join in? I'm not to sure about FOX 10 given the fact that it's O&O, don't know if that makes a difference or not but it's all up to Rupert I guess.

On a side note I'm curious if KPHO was the push behind this idea given Kent Dana's $650,000 salary. And isn't he getting close to the end of his contract or does he have the option for a 6th year in his contract to take him into 2010?
 
MusicFan2009 said:
To answer one of your questions I think for the most part this could work. I'm curious as though how they will handle it during Breaking News. Who will get top pick: Lin Sue vs. Kent Dana vs. Patti Kirkpatrick? I could see KPHO getting the heads up during their 6:30 p.m. newscast but what about the others going against going head to head with the female leads in the Valley?
Click to expand...

I'd take it that it will be used only for video gathering, not for in-the-air reporting, just like what KNXV has done with "Air 15."

MusicFan2009 said:
It's highly possible that KNXV could join in? I'm not to sure about FOX 10 given the fact that it's O&O, don't know if that makes a difference or not but it's all up to Rupert I guess.
Click to expand...

FOX O&Os has been teaming up with NBC O&Os in the major markets to pool helicopter services, but I haven't heard if they've done so with groups where they don't have an NBC O&O to partner with (I'm not counting NBC's Telemundo 39 here). I wouldn't be surprised if KTVW joins forces with one of the English-language stations for the use of in-air video as well.

MusicFan2009 said:
On a side note I'm curious if KPHO was the push behind this idea given Kent Dana's $650,000 salary. And isn't he getting close to the end of his contract or does he have the option for a 6th year in his contract to take him into 2010?
Click to expand...

Either that, or they KPHO could just eliminate or shorten their struggling morning newscasts. As good of a product as they may deliver, they can't seem to find an audience.
 
Well I am maybe biaus on this situation since I know many of the media pilots so I am saying that I am shocked about this.....but at the same time it does make sense in this economic times. And that is a place that they could save money in their helicopter program. But it sucks thinking that guys like Bruce Haffner or Scott Clifton who have been well known and well liked in the valley for many years could be out of a job. Not only them but other jobs over at Westcor that are gonna be cut with only 2 helicopters in that hanger (not including 15). Idk as hard as this is to say since as I stated earlier, I know alot of the pilots that maybe we dont need 5 helicopters overhead a situation since the media in this town can never get anything right ( I finally learned this after the "bomb" scare at my school).

Im just wondering what 3 & 12 are going to do with their copters....it would almost make sense to keep 3's copter and just paint it black or white or whatever since its the newest and most state of art copter in the valley....even thou 12's is kinda up there too. Idk....it will be wierd not to see a big white and red or a gold copter sticking out from a mile away.
 
Rumor mill says: Scott Clifton remains as a pilot with another pilot and two photographers to be hired. 3 does have the newest aircraft, but the contractor who owns channel 12's is going to manage the new arrangement. Belo can always put the helicopter on eBay. Any word on Bruce?
 
Besides Scott Clifton, any news on the other airborne reporters? Has anyone seen any of the news chopper segments?
 
brian4 said:
Besides Scott Clifton, any news on the other airborne reporters? Has anyone seen any of the news chopper segments?
Click to expand...
The other Pilot/Reporter is Tammy Rose from KPNX 12! KTVK 3 showed a news chopper segment back on Friday during Good Evening Arizona!
 
We don't have a substantial number of freeway chase stories to cover so why the need for a chopper in the first place? Surely not to fly into thunderstorms and get all excited about the raindrops on the windshield???

Oh, wait.....maybe it's to film the occasional junk tire or bales of hay fires we have here every few years.

Definately breaking news!!!
 
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