The Newsroom

Helicopters Used for News Coverage

Live Chopper coverage (February 2017)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
EL
elmarko
Oh yeah it's a really lovely package. Loved it since they brought it in.
MO
Mouseboy33
KGO 7 San Fran and KABC 7 Los share a similar styled graphics. Both O&O stations. Meaning they are owned and operated by ABC (Disney)
KGO

KABC
DB
dbl
The flat graphics are massive improvement to past packages (I know it's been a few years now)
RK
Rkolsen
A police pursuit just wrapped up in LA, here is look what the inside of a newsroom looks like during one of these chases.



I've seen Instagram Stories or twitter posts in the past of newsrooms from other markets standing still watching a chase from LA (or rarely locally) that was uplinked via CNN Newsource, the AP or the networks news exchanges.

I seem to remember a wild chase that the CBS Evening News mentioned on their newscast and actually showed their staff on the edge of their seats watching/cheering the chase.

Also we need to keep in mind that we are in the February book and chases bring in ratings. The higher the ratings the more the station can charge.
TM
Telly Media
Not interested in the action, but the graphics on that ABC station are nice.



Was thinking the same. Nice colour scheme and quite refreshing in their simplicity ....
EL
elmarko
For my part, I must admit, I am very voyeuristic about this sort of thing. I am addicted to rolling news, and to big breaking stories. While I wouldn't say I wanted the suspect to get away or hurt anybody or anything like that, I find myself entertained the more "exciting" a pursuit is.

Human nature, I guess, but I probably shouldn't be proud of it. I should probably be horrified by it. Although the technical side of how these things are done are also a draw for me too, otherwise I wouldn't be a poster on this forum...
RK
Rkolsen
Not the typical car chase coverage that normall gets posted here. But there are mandatory evacuations in Oroville, CA whose eponymously named dam which is the primary dam in California is at risk of collapse. Here's a link to a live stream showing amazing images from KCRA who I think have the only helicopter in the market.

Edit : The dam is full. their primary spillway is damaged and the emergency spillway which appears to be a hill that leads down stream is at risk of collapse. There's a nice graphic here:

http://www.kcra.com/article/evacuation-orders-issued-for-low-levels-of-oroville/8735215



Last edited by Rkolsen on 13 February 2017 2:19am
SC
scottishtv Founding member
A number of people on Twitter seemed a bit annoyed that only local stations were reporting on this, with cable news in the States mostly airing pre-recorded programming. In fact, as CNN Domestic went into their 3rd hour of a repeats of Anthony Bourdain's food travel show, ironically it was CNN International that was covering the story:

*

*

Also, the BBC did a few hourly updates with Ben Bland doing some breaking coverage on World.
RK
Rkolsen
A number of people on Twitter seemed a bit annoyed that only local stations were reporting on this, with cable news in the States mostly airing pre-recorded programming. In fact, as CNN Domestic went into their 3rd hour of a repeats of Anthony Bourdain's food travel show, ironically it was CNN International that was covering the story:

*

*

Also, the BBC did a few hourly updates with Ben Bland doing some breaking coverage on World.


It's ridiculous. You know it's a big deal when the BBC has it at the TOTH and does five or six minutes and has an update later in the bulletin.

I just scanned through NBC Nightly News and there was no mention of it. Unfortunately I think it's one of those east coast bias things. However Sacramento is a large media market (#20) and is close to the Los Angeles bureaus compared to some stories they cover in the Midwest (five hour drive from LA) - so there's no excuse. If the networks can make it to a tornado in Alabama overnight (likely coming from the Dallas Bureaus 9 hours away) they can make it to Oroville.
RK
Rkolsen
Just to update the previous criticisms about US coverage of the dam - it was the top story on NBC's Early Today on CNN's Early Start is was teased at the end of the B block and aired 24 minutes into the program.
MO
Mouseboy33
I think this is a result of the many factors. This really hard shift to coverage of nothing but politics. Most of the news channels only cover US politics now even more than they did previously. Its such a circus, so its really hard for any other story to divert their focus. Plus there is a east coast bias. They briefly covered the snow storm. Only just. This is a major reason why its a problem when all the news channels are based in one city or region.
Only when the dam fails and people die will they cover it. Its a sad fact now under this new regime. The chopper footage from KCRA 3 Sacramento was amazing, as well as the footage of the motorways and people fleeing in their cars. Certain regions require a helicopter, this one such case.

12 days later

MO
Mouseboy33
KABC 7 Los Angeles. Just got a tech upgrade to the chopper. They installed a new Shotover F1 Live with 650mm zoom. Which is supposedly the longest ever produced. Which is over eight times that of conventional systems.
*

According to Broadwayworld.com
Quote:
Introduced earlier this year by SHOTOVER, a manufacturer of high-performance stabilization platforms, the SHOTOVER F1 LIVE is the broadcaster-optimized variant of the company's popular SHOTOVER F1 gyro-stabilized camera platform. Featuring 6-axis gyro-stabilization with look down capability, the F1 LIVE utilizes an open platform design that can accommodate new cameras and lenses as they become available. The system supports all major broadcast cameras, including both 4K and 2K models and comes equipped with the SHOTOVER Rain Spinner, the industry's top tool for keeping the lens clear when shooting in wet conditions.



The coolest tech that been used first in Oklahoma City to chase tornadoes is the mapping overlay.
Quote:
KABC-TV is using the system with an optional moving map upgrade from Churchill Navigation to power SkyMap7. Fully integrated into the F1 LIVE platform, the state-of-the-art moving map system will enable in-air reporters to quickly identify ground locations and addresses during fast moving assignments via location-specific video overlays.

KWTV Promo (or a something like that , not sure if this aired on telly) KWTV was the worlds first tv station to use this tech for its SkyNews9. It was introduced last year.

Newer posts