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Protest/Riot coverage in your market


tyrannical bastard

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What started in Minneapolis, has seemingly spread across the country to cities large and small, and so has extended coverage of the unfolding events.

So what is your area up to, and how are stations handling it?

 

 

Based on my experience, I watched some coverage online of the riots mostly on KSTP.  Their coverage had a photographer right in the Lake Street area across the street from the looted Target store and "kitty-corner" (as they referred to it) from the now burned out 3rd precinct. They showed the burning of the building that containted the GM Tobacco and Minnehaha Liquor stores.  WCCO seemed to be largely studio-bound and KARE had some live shots sprinkled in.  As dangerous as the situation had become, KSTP was clearly "in the right place at the right time", and was fortunate enough to escape unscathed.   Of course, I had no problem with the other stations not showing these images simply because of the way the situation escalated and likely restrained themselves for their own safety.  Absent in coverage was KMSP, as they had stopped long before the others did.

 

Friday night, I watched some more Twin Cities coverage along with the Atlanta stations.  WSB had crews downtown and along with the other stations, relied on DOT cameras for what was going on in Buckhead.

 

Last night, as cities and states with established protests adjusted their protection with curfews & police / military, riots broke out in more places.  KTTV and KABC covered the looting on the street (and in the air), and even in places like Charleston, SC, showed the aftermath of destruction and looting on King Street.

 

Tonight, it hits home as all 3 Mobile stations are currently on the air (going into 5:30 and pre-empting the network news) airing a rally in Downtown Mobile, and aside from a vandalized police vehicle and some tear gas, police are keeping the situation under control, and even protesters are engaging in a dialog with the Police Chief and Public Safety Commissioner....live on the air!

 

 

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Here in Atlanta...I've been impressed with WXIA so far, especially Jeff Hullinger's and Ron Jones' -- the latter a former police officer himself -- expertise and knowledge. WAGA and WGCL are also solid in my book; WSB, though? Don’t care less, though their late anchor Jorge Estevez on Saturday did have anchor emeritus John Pruitt offering his take in a pre-recorded piece (have yet to hear from Monica Pearson).

 

Thankfully, I'm far away from all this in Clayton County.

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KRDO had coverage earlier today on there website of marches occurring in downtown Colorado Springs they had coverage for around an hour or so, KXRM had brief online coverage but that ended after just 20 minutes.  I didn't see any on live online coverage from KOAA or KKTV.      

In Denver, all of the stations have been covering the protests and vandalism:  KDVR was the last to leave the air Friday night, KCNC was the last to leave the air Thursday night.  Who will it be tonight???   

All of the stations last night with the exception of KTVD also preempted network programing to some extent. 

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Massive fail - as is expected - from WNCT, WITN, and WCTI in eastern NC.  No on air coverage coverage of large protests in Greenville with property damage occurring.

 

WNCT just lead 10:00 news with a live shot FROM THEIR PARKING LOT!

Reporter said that they are following Greenville Police's request to stay out of downtown.  That's not how news works.

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In Chicago.. it has been a huge challenge for each station to cover what’s going on because it is pure chaos across the city (protesting, fires, looting, traffic jams, etc...) as well as in the suburbs.

 

Everyone is doing what they can, but it’s been crazy for the past 24-36 hours almost non-stop. Understandably, there are technical issues some stations are facing also.

 


 

 

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Didn't think I'd see John Hook and Kari Lake on a Sunday night...that's for sure.

 

KTVK/KPHO are doing this strange thing where their footage is purposely blurred. Unfortunately I have no screencaps.

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29 minutes ago, AaronQ said:

All of the Charlotte stations has done a pretty good job on covering the events in the city.

Even WAXN stayed on past their 10pm news produced by sister station WSOC on Friday night..I know because it wiped out the 11pm episode of the Goldbergs and most of the 11:30pm episode...discovered that Saturday when I went to watch the recordings.

 

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A few quick thoughts:

  • For a market of it's size WISC-TV (Channel 3000) has done a phenomenal job covering the protests.
  • NewsOn/SBTV (and the stations that utilize them) need to do a better job serving up live breaking news.
    • Couldn't watch KARE/KSTP via NewsOn Friday and Saturday despite the fact they were live.
  • In fact, a lot of news stations need to start taking streaming a lot more seriously.
  • CBSN's simulcasts of their local stations just further goes to show the utility of having 24/7 streaming operations. I didn't get why they needed CBSN Minnesota, CBSN Pittsburgh, etc. I get it now.
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Sunday Night Coverage In Denver:

KDVR left the air at 10:30

KUSA & KMGH left the air at 10:58

KCNC left the air at 10:59 CBSN Denver Coverage stopped at 11:55

KWGN left the air at 7:56 (KWGN has no 11 pm newscast on Sunday nights)        So nothing too crazy tonight

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All the widespread coverage needs, both nationally and within markets, it's a good thing that stations have full work forces and reporting depth.

 

...Wait, what?

 

They what???

 

Shit.

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9 hours ago, appleachian said:

Massive fail - as is expected - from WNCT, WITN, and WCTI in eastern NC.  No on air coverage coverage of large protests in Greenville with property damage occurring.

 

WNCT just lead 10:00 news with a live shot FROM THEIR PARKING LOT!

Reporter said that they are following Greenville Police's request to stay out of downtown.  That's not how news works.

Such an embarrassment. WITN was much better with main anchor on the desk, two field reporters, and the mayor by way of phone. WCTI had a live report with an mmj in uptown. WNCT was once again live from their parking lot.

 

The place has gone downhill fast.

 

In the past few weeks they've run the Amazon VNR and a local health system VNR. Both on this weekend crew's watch.

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/Almost/ out of nowhere, protests and looting broke out around 3PM in Champaign, IL yesterday. We (WCIA) took air quickly, and we were on and off from about 3:40 until just after midnight. None of the other market affiliates (**that I know of**) broke in (WICS, WAND, WCCU) and our coverage was underscored by reporters live on the street, on the phone, and the city mayor holding a news conference.

 

oh, and this moment:

Skip to around the 9:55 mark for expletive city. Where's my BLEEEEEP button!? I digress, I doubt the FCC will be slapping anyone with fines.

 

Not bad coverage for DMA #88, if I do say so myself.

 

--

 

I was pleasantly surprised to see KABC and KNBC streaming on YouTube; I know that's a bit unorthodox in 2020, but given the circumstances, streaming everywhere possible seems like the right thing to do. More stations need to embrace the idea of streaming in multiple places, not just to their respective websites and Facebook.

 

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I think we need the big station owners such as Gray, Nexstar, Scripps, Tegna, Meredith, Hearst, Cox and others all speaking out with a joint statement with one voice condemning the violence - from both the violent "protesters" (I use that term loosely) and rogue police - against journalists. A situation like this needs to throw the competition out the window.

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3 hours ago, TheGuru said:

. Where's my BLEEEEEP button!? I digress, I doubt the FCC will be slapping anyone with fines.

Don't give the orange one any ideas.  He'd reason it to be the "greatest economic recovery in the history of EVER" with all the f-bombs flying and painted on things causing the FCC to issue a record number of fines.

Of course, it would likely NEVER happen to begin with, since these expletives are fleeting, and you can't NOT show something with the F-word spray painted on it....like Action News.....it's EVERYWHERE!  Also, much of this coverage and activity falls after safe-harbor hours.

 

It is VERY troubling to see all of the media organizations, journalists, and photographers being attacked in cities, and even worse is when law enforcement is the ones doing it.   Much of this can be traced straight to the top, from someone who can't handle the simple acts of responsibility and accountability, so he runs and hides to the nearest "safe harbor", so he can decry all of what the "fake news" is doing to him.

 

42 minutes ago, GoldenShine9 said:

I think we need the big station owners such as Gray, Nexstar, Scripps, Tegna, Meredith, Hearst, Cox and others all speaking out with a joint statement with one voice condemning the violence - from both the violent "protesters" (I use that term loosely) and rogue police - against journalists. A situation like this needs to throw the competition out the window.

 

That would be a start, especially if they were to join forces in their own markets for a special program.  I know the Atlanta stations did something about a month ago for COVID-19, and way back in the 2000s, all of the Cleveland stations (including WVIZ and WNEO/WEAO) did a joint program on Martin Luther King day.

 

 

And finally, thank you to WOIO for tasking the City of Cleveland to allow media in the streets to cover the unfolding events.  Their GM, Erik Schrader, asked the city to allow media to be in the streets, after the Cleveland Police said that there was no exception for the media.

https://www.cleveland19.com/2020/05/31/woio-challenges-city-cleveland-inclusion-news-media-curfew-orders/

 

Going back to 2003, that was another story, as 19 Action News was BANNED from covering City Hall, in reaction to then-mayor Jane Campbell being shown unfavorably for using city resources for her own purposes.
(paying police overtime to have them chauffeur her kids around town)

https://www.cleveland19.com/story/1525092/judge-makes-ruling-in-19-action-news-lawsuit-against-mayor/

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Coverage-wise, there were a few more protests in Mobile, but they were confined to and reported in the existing newscasts.  WKRG and WALA brought their weeknight teams in to anchor, while WPMI stuck with their normal Sunday anchor, Andrea Ramey, who also hosts the paid LawCall show after the 10pm news.

 

Minneapolis coverage seemed to be more restrained, as the protests were less violent, aside from the truck incident on 35W.  All stations were off by Midnight CT.

 

Washington DC was a little more selective, as WUSA broke in to cover events, while the other stations remained in regular programming (WJLA had gone live the night before).

 

Up in Birmingham, only WBRC broke into regular programming to cover the events in Downtown Birmingham as crowds were getting out of control.

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16 hours ago, johnnya2k6 said:

Here in Atlanta...I've been impressed with WXIA so far, especially Jeff Hullinger's and Ron Jones' -- the latter a former police officer himself -- expertise and knowledge. WAGA and WGCL are also solid in my book; WSB, though? Don’t care less, though their late anchor Jorge Estevez on Saturday did have anchor emeritus John Pruitt offering his take in a pre-recorded piece (have yet to hear from Monica Pearson).

 

Thankfully, I'm far away from all this in Clayton County.

She was interviewed by Jorge and it posted on the station website.

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18 hours ago, tyrannical bastard said:

What started in Minneapolis, has seemingly spread across the country to cities large and small, and so has extended coverage of the unfolding events.

So what is your area up to, and how are stations handling it?

 

 

Based on my experience, I watched some coverage online of the riots mostly on KSTP.  Their coverage had a photographer right in the Lake Street area across the street from the looted Target store and "kitty-corner" (as they referred to it) from the now burned out 3rd precinct. They showed the burning of the building that containted the GM Tobacco and Minnehaha Liquor stores.  WCCO seemed to be largely studio-bound and KARE had some live shots sprinkled in.  As dangerous as the situation had become, KSTP was clearly "in the right place at the right time", and was fortunate enough to escape unscathed.   Of course, I had no problem with the other stations not showing these images simply because of the way the situation escalated and likely restrained themselves for their own safety.  Absent in coverage was KMSP, as they had stopped long before the others did.

 

Friday night, I watched some more Twin Cities coverage along with the Atlanta stations.  WSB had crews downtown and along with the other stations, relied on DOT cameras for what was going on in Buckhead.

 

Last night, as cities and states with established protests adjusted their protection with curfews & police / military, riots broke out in more places.  KTTV and KABC covered the looting on the street (and in the air), and even in places like Charleston, SC, showed the aftermath of destruction and looting on King Street.

 

Tonight, it hits home as all 3 Mobile stations are currently on the air (going into 5:30 and pre-empting the network news) airing a rally in Downtown Mobile, and aside from a vandalized police vehicle and some tear gas, police are keeping the situation under control, and even protesters are engaging in a dialog with the Police Chief and Public Safety Commissioner....live on the air!

 

 

From that last few days KSTP coverage has always been top notch, but their anchor team not going to move their ratings. WCCO still tops despite CBS' woes. WCCO never been big and heavy of being a mandated CBS clone like BBM, KCBS/WCBS.. KARE coverage was good, but TEGNA's disaster camouflages the goodness of their product.  KMSP from what I saw did a good job.  Randy Meier definitely has the anchorman type as in delivery .

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Here in Dallas/Ft. Worth: KDFW [FOX 4], KXAS/KXTX [NBC 5/Telemundo 39] WFAA [ABC 8] and KTVT [CBS 11] all running live coverage of the protest at this hour preempting network programming.

KTVT has not moved CBS programming to KTXA at this time.

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11 hours ago, TexasTVNews said:

KDFW, KXAS, and KTVT ended their coverage and went on to their late night shows and syndication shows (Modern Family, Fallon and Colbert) while WFAA continues their live coverage.

Fixed it for you.

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On 5/31/2020 at 8:59 PM, johnnya2k6 said:

Here in Atlanta...I've been impressed with WXIA so far, especially Jeff Hullinger's and Ron Jones' -- the latter a former police officer himself -- expertise and knowledge. WAGA and WGCL are also solid in my book; WSB, though? Don’t care less, though their late anchor Jorge Estevez on Saturday did have anchor emeritus John Pruitt offering his take in a pre-recorded piece (have yet to hear from Monica Pearson).

 

Thankfully, I'm far away from all this in Clayton County.


Monica Pearson got interviewed by Jorge Estevez.

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Last Sat Wood TV, WXMI Fox17, WZZM were covering the GR Protest Wood TV was on the longest 9:30PM to 3AM when the riots and the looting was happening in downtown GR I think Fox17 & WZZM signed off at 12AM or 12:30AM, WWMT didn't air any of it other than the newscast at 10PM on CW7 & 11PM on WWMT, WXSP  also aired it was surprised they didn't air Syndie programming at 10:30PM, WOTV aired Syndie programming as they always do on the weekend as they don't air News at 11PM like they do form M-F which is just the same news that is aired on Wood TV.

 

Kazoo there protest was peaceful last Sat but late Mon/Early Tue the looting happened at the Downtown Mall WWMT had liver coverage along with Wood TV Fox17 & WZZM didn't have live coverage. This weekend was peaceful no problems like what happened last weekend.

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