California train crash

One word: Why?

I think Sky may have picked up on the story first, with helicopter shots from the local Fox affilliate, and also a spot of local commentary. But they're sticking with it, going right past the top of the hour, and now on a split-screen with a Dubya news conference.

I flicked over to News 24 (mainly because the story isn't a particularly exciting one), and saw that they were also carrying some helicopter shots - but had absolutely no details, other than the location. Claiming there was no word on the number of casualties, or the time it happened - when Sky had just been giving those exact details from people on the scene.

Two questions: is it just getting blanket coverage because the pictures are available, and why are News 24 bothering if they can't actually report anything on it?

Its 3.15pm now, and the following is being reported:
Sky News, Live FOX Los Angeles TV Pictures and reports
BBC News 24, Iraq elections coverage (Yawn)
CNN, Pres. Bush (Ouch, awful man)
Fox News, The awful man again
ITV News , NBC Pictures, Phone reports with LA News reporters

As a viewer, choice of Pres. Bush giving his usual C**p speech, or a live report of a train crash in LA, there is no competition.

BBC WORLD are also running past the half hour. Red BREAKING box at the bottom of the tower is up , it has turned to orange now at15.35GMT, then back to red at 15.50. Mixing the story with other news of the day. They also put up some text explaining that scheduled programs would be distrupted.

Does anyone know why the colour changes at the bottom of the tower.

The crash took place more than an hour ago and both CNN and FOXnews haven't said anything about that yet. How on earth can it be possible??? The news does not even appear in the rolling text!!! Isn't that nonsense?

Both BBC World and Skynews are covering the story quite well in my opinion.

Superb map on News 24 locating the crash. Zoomed from a full satellite globe down to a street map of LA marking Glendale. Seen a few of these on 24 recently, think they look fantastic.

I guess they pick up stories like that just in case they are terrorist related - especially in the run up to the Iraq elections.

It seems slightly parochial to want coverage of a local train crash instead of the leader of the world's only superpower talking about his plans for the future of the country. But maybe that's just me.