Veronica Harrell Caught in Total Traffic Cutback

[RoddyFreeman]

The AJC's Rodney Ho is reporting that Veronica Harrell, longtime traffic reporter for WSB radio, Kiss 104.1 and WSB-TV, has lost her job in a cutback at Total Traffic, owned by iHeart Media. She was one of my favorite traffic reporters and voices on Atlanta radio. Rodney writes that Total Traffic also will stop providing traffic helicopter services to Atlanta TV and radio stations.

I guess it's just another sign of the times as radio budgets tighten and people get traffic reports on their phone.

 

[TheBigA]

I guess it's just another sign of the times as radio budgets tighten and people get traffic reports on their phone.

And budgets are tightening because advertising revenue is falling. The 4th Q of 2024 has been a disaster.

Some TV stations are using drones instead of copters for overhead shots.

 

[BoboKnight]

Will WSB use their helicopter for traffic or is this the end of airborne traffic reports in Atlanta? Maybe bring back the Skyplane since planes are cheaper to operate?

 

[ShawtyBlack_ATL]

The AJC's Rodney Ho is reporting that Veronica Harrell, longtime traffic reporter for WSB radio, Kiss 104.1 and WSB-TV, has lost her job in a cutback at Total Traffic, owned by iHeart Media. She was one of my favorite traffic reporters and voices on Atlanta radio. Rodney writes that Total Traffic also will stop providing traffic helicopter services to Atlanta TV and radio stations.

I guess it's just another sign of the times as radio budgets tighten and people get traffic reports on their phone.

Oh nooooo! I will miss hearing her voice on Kiss 104.1! On weekends, she was on WSB TV and Sophia Chou would always said “Thanks Ronee”live on air.

So what does this mean for “Triple Team Traffic”? Channel 2 IMO always had the best traffic reports.

 

[PTBoardOp93]

Some TV stations are using drones instead of copters for overhead shots.

That's been true for a long time, a decade or so. There's maybe 50 TV stations across the country who have news choppers. Many stations have them in the large markets but few outside the top 20 markets.

 

[CoreyAtl]

Will WSB use their helicopter for traffic or is this the end of airborne traffic reports in Atlanta? Maybe bring back the Skyplane since planes are cheaper to operate?

It looks to be the end. The Total Traffic chopper hasn't been up this week as expected. Mark McKay hasn't posted this week either.
It's probably not enough contracted hours on the other 2 choppers here to be used for daily traffic reports at this time.

 

[nightmanager]

It looks to be the end. The Total Traffic chopper hasn't been up this week as expected. Mark McKay hasn't posted this week either.
It's probably not enough contracted hours on the other 2 choppers here to be used for daily traffic reports at this time.

The traffic helicopter N2AQ was moved to St. Louis on Wednesday and McKay no longer has the helicopter in his FB profile picture. This looks permanent.

Goodbye N2AQ. Thanks for your service in Atlanta. You will be missed.

It is worth noting that all the remaining media helicopters in Atlanta are also owned and flown by Helicopters Inc. This includes the WSB TV helicopter and the single helicopter shared by 5, 11, and 46. Any footage or speed differences these stations claim on-air are purely marketing. It's one helicopter.

I could easily see WSB throwing their hat in as a fourth share and getting out of the ship they use alone.

There IS an unassigned backup copter Helicopters Inc uusually has available in Atlanta if needed. So no, it would not be an issue if they couldn't fly the shared ship due to maintenance or something. There's a backup.

Atanta stations used to each have their own aircraft, with WSB having several at once. The tragedy in Phoenix was a wake-up call nobody wanted and ownership changes and budget cuts did the rest. Drones are filling in a lot of the gaps. The typical JetRanger is a couple grand an hour to fly. A station can fly a fleet of 4K drones for that money.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

As a listener of WSB’s Atlanta’s Morning News, it sounds to me like there’s something missing on the show. I miss Mark McKay talking about lifting off from PDK and the sounds of the helicopter traffic reports.

 

[CoreyAtl]

The traffic helicopter N2AQ was moved to St. Louis on Wednesday and McKay no longer has the helicopter in his FB profile picture. This looks permanent.

Goodbye N2AQ. Thanks for your service in Atlanta. You will be missed.

It is worth noting that all the remaining media helicopters in Atlanta are also owned and flown by Helicopters Inc. This includes the WSB TV helicopter and the single helicopter shared by 5, 11, and 46. Any footage or speed differences these stations claim on-air are purely marketing. It's one helicopter.

I could easily see WSB throwing their hat in as a fourth share and getting out of the ship they use alone.

There IS an unassigned backup copter Helicopters Inc uusually has available in Atlanta if needed. So no, it would not be an issue if they couldn't fly the shared ship due to maintenance or something. There's a backup.

Atanta stations used to each have their own aircraft, with WSB having several at once. The tragedy in Phoenix was a wake-up call nobody wanted and ownership changes and budget cuts did the rest. Drones are filling in a lot of the gaps. The typical JetRanger is a couple grand an hour to fly. A station can fly a fleet of 4K drones for that money.

Yeah, I figured, WSB would pony up to pay for it but I guess not.
Once the chopper sharing begun, those 3 dropped the footage difference.

Channel 2 still using the vintage videos showing the old NC2 (N2QU).

I was shocked yesterday that WSB didn't send their chopper down to cover the return of President Jimmy Carter. That was definitely shocking to me.

If I'm not mistaken, it is 2 backups in the hanger. I would have to look at Mark old pictures but I remember it being 2 backups (1 each for the 2 choppers) in the hangar but I may be wrong.

 

[BoboKnight]

Some TV stations are using drones instead of copters for overhead shots.

I’m not sure how useful drones are.

I’ve been streaming a lot of the local coverage of the So Cal fires. Drones are grounded with flight restrictions prohibiting aircraft (and drones} from flying below several thousand feet in the areas around the fires. Yet TV helicopters are flying above the restricted airspace.

 

[PTBoardOp93]

I’m not sure how useful drones are.

Drones are way more useful because they don't require a certified pilot, or a million dollar machine, or $800 of fuel each hour. (Technically drone operators need an FAA certification, but it is a really simple thing that basically makes sure they know about TFRs)

What you're describing in Los Angeles is an outdated regulation that needs changed, not an actual problem with usage of drones for television news.

The main drawback to drones is that they are reliant on cars. So if you have something that snarls traffic (e.g. the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 that closed all the SF Bay crossings), you can't get to where the drone needs to launch.

 

[BoboKnight]

What you're describing in Los Angeles is an outdated regulation that needs changed, not an actual problem with usage of drones for television news.

What are the chances of them actually changing the regulation?

Does the grounding of the super soaker fire fighting plane for several days after it was damaged by a drone being flown illegally give you second thoughts?

Listening to the coverage, there have been times when the fire fighting aircraft have had to back off because of illegally flown drones.

TV helicopters are flying over the fire almost non stop, the TV stations obviously think it’s worthwhile to have them flying.

 

[TheBigA]

TV helicopters are flying over the fire almost non stop, the TV stations obviously think it’s worthwhile to have them flying.

They really don't have any choice. Not so in Atlanta. If there are wildfires burning up Atlanta, all the TV stations know where to find helicopters.

 

[ShawtyBlack_ATL]

Such a shame WSB os the only station that owns a chopper. The video and technology used in News Chopper 2 is way better than the other shared chopper.

 

[CoreyAtl]

Such a shame WSB os the only station that owns a chopper. The video and technology used in News Chopper 2 is way better than the other shared chopper. View attachment 8428

WSB doesn't own their chopper as far as I know.

They've downgraded as well so I don't think the current News Chopper 2 has the sky map tech and other features either.

Last time, I saw it, it still didn't have a channel 2 wrap on it either. Same stripped colors for it's old station.

The AJC had an article on chopper disappearing with their old reporter.

Gridlock Guy: Cheers and farewell to the WSB Skycopter

This one may be harder to write than my farewell to 95.5 WSB from last September. It certainly is a bigger deal. The famed WSB Skycopter took its last flight on December 30th, ending nearly 65 years of airborne coverage. As Rodney Ho explained in his column on the changes with both the traffic...

www.ajc.com