It does sod all anyway, so it wouldn't surprise me.
As Sky and the BBC have learnt, the cheapest and easiest way to have a helicopter is to rent one out when you need one. Let's face it, they're hardly in high demand at the moment.
ITN - like with the ITN Building - used it as something to make money from by renting it out.
ED
EDTV
c@t posted:
It does sod all anyway, so it wouldn't surprise me.
As Sky and the BBC have learnt, the cheapest and easiest way to have a helicopter is to rent one out when you need one. Let's face it, they're hardly in high demand at the moment.
ITN - like with the ITN Building - used it as something to make money from by renting it out.
Tell that to the local U.S. stations. In New York, there's one helicopter for all the major television stations! Even the spanish ones!
But here in the UK we don't go around recording inconcequential Police car chases all day, or capture a crook stealing current buns from a bakers.
You don't think the fact that US stations have a helicopter is a sign of your crime rate?
ED
EDTV
Quote:
Techy Peep on 7:48 am on Dec. 20, 2001
But here in the UK we don't go around recording inconcequential Police car chases all day, or capture a crook stealing current buns from a bakers.
You don't think the fact that US stations have a helicopter is a sign of your crime rate?
Thankfully I don't live in the states. But I guess that would make sense.
ITN should buy a crane instead, like the one Robert Hall uses for all his reports.
AL
alekf
Quote:
Techy Peep on 9:48 am on Dec. 20, 2001
But here in the UK we don't go around recording inconcequential Police car chases all day, or capture a crook stealing current buns from a bakers.
You don't think the fact that US stations have a helicopter is a sign of your crime rate?
The major reason local channels use helicopters is for traffic reports and to get pictures of places where traditional cameras can't get (eg, if there is a police blockade). Granted they're especially used for police chases in LA and SoCal, but on a whole that's not their reason. Besides, I don't think America's crime rate is that much greater than the UK's. We do have a lot more people, and a more diverse population, over here anyway
But in these hard economic times, some local US stations have grounded their choppers. And some whose choppers just crashed (eg. Channel 12 in Milwaukee) will likely not get a new one anytime soon.
But on the other extreme, some stations even have 2 choppers! It's like having something to brag about...
No offence to the Americans, but to me it's all to tacky. I'd prefer to watch real news instead of 'Choppercam 6' watching some Sprite truck which has been nicked crashing into a bus (although it would be rather exciting, wouldn't it!)
It brings me thoughts of those dodgy American car chase programmes you see on Sky One and Bravo - some retired cop playing dramatic presenter. You can find some fantastic quotes from these programmes!
ED
EDTV
Quote:
alekf on 12:06 pm on Dec. 20, 2001
Quote:
Techy Peep on 9:48 am on Dec. 20, 2001
But here in the UK we don't go around recording inconcequential Police car chases all day, or capture a crook stealing current buns from a bakers.
You don't think the fact that US stations have a helicopter is a sign of your crime rate?
The major reason local channels use helicopters is for traffic reports and to get pictures of places where traditional cameras can't get (eg, if there is a police blockade). Granted they're especially used for police chases in LA and SoCal, but on a whole that's not their reason. Besides, I don't think America's crime rate is that much greater than the UK's. We do have a lot more people, and a more diverse population, over here anyway
Also, another probable reason I suppose is that in some cities, traffic is horrible. In cities like Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, or Chicago, a helicopter would be feesable for TV stations. But for cities like Whangahoozit, Alabama (it doesn't exist, but I'm just saying a small local-yokel town anywhere), a TV station doesn't really need a helicopter. I'm sure the audience would be satisfied with a consise news report than a picture of the scene from the sky and not knowing what the heck is going on.
Going back in time a bit - TVS used to have a helicopter. It could be used by both the Maidstone and Southampton Coast to Coasts (there wasn't a Newbury centre as now with Meridian)
One thing they said they used it for was linking VT back to the studio centre - they would play it up from a links vehicle to the helicopter, which was high enough to receive it and re-transmit it to the studio centre. This allowed links from locations which were not directly in a line of site to a receive point - of course nowadays satellite up-links are commonplace - but they weren't in the late 80s and early 90s. (Before digital technology, analogue dishes were bigger and much more expensive to use)
But I guess that would make sense.
