Hurricane Ian coverage

[GoldenShine9 1480]

So far I haven't heard of any Florida stations do anything drastic. Which ones are in evacuation zones?

[Georgie56 2972]

WTSP is evacuating to their backup studios at WMOR.

 

 

[GoldenShine9 1480]

11 minutes ago, Georgie56 said:

WTSP is evacuating to their backup studios at WMOR.

 

 

 

It certainly helps to have that backup option (even though Hearst still owns it which makes no sense), since their closest sister station is in Jacksonville and that may itself be in a flood zone. Next closest option would be Atlanta.

 

The SW Florida stations, except for WFTX which would likely be supported by WPTV, have a real challenge too. I know WSVN and WBBH have separate studios though, but WINK is literally on its own unless a deal can be made.

[susquvalleywgal 469]

WBBH-TV has a live YT feed:

 

 

 

-- Matt

[tyrannical bastard 3249]

WBBH and WZVN just combined their resources at 10pm....using all of their on-air talent and the WBBH studios and graphics package (with a modified bug with both the NBC 2 and ABC 7 logos).

 

Update:  They're using some shots in the WZVN studio as well.

Edited September 28, 2022 by tyrannical bastard

[TheRob 914]

WFLA is zone A, but it looked like they were staying put. Most Tampa stations stuck with network programming tonight, actually.

 

Down in Fort Myers, WINK-TV is zone A, and as I recall, it sits just above a creek or inlet.

 

WBBH-TV is considered zone C.

[mre29 1262]

2 hours ago, tyrannical bastard said:

WBBH and WZVN just combined their resources at 10pm....using all of their on-air talent and the WBBH studios and graphics package (with a modified bug with both the NBC 2 and ABC 7 logos).

 

Update:  They're using some shots in the WZVN studio as well.

 

Here's a screenshot for posterity:

 

[TexasTVNews 1359]

Tampa Bay's 10 (WTSP) Meteorologist (And former Price Is Right announcer) Rich Fields posted a Facebook video earlier today, the staff is already

evacuating the main studio and currently at their backup facility at WMOR-TV where they're going to be broadcast from temporary.

[tyrannical bastard 3249]

I don't know what is going on with WFTX.  Back around 10pm, they were switching from what appeared to be a Florida 24 simulcast (basically looking like the OTT feed with countdowns during commercial breaks), regular programming, aborted live shots, some WFTS, and a makeshift chromakey studio.  Did they evacuate to Tampa or choose another place to originate programming from?

 

Last I checked they were basically in regular programming with weather crawls.

[MediaZone4K 1231]

I know this is reguarding coverage but I had to commed WFLA on their fantastic set visuals. The panelled video walls mimicking a window while showing a storm in the background, great touch! A teriffic balance of physical set details and the flexibility of a video wall.

6 hours ago, mre29 said:

 

Here's a screenshot for posterity:

 

Noticed this aswell. Wondered if they were going to continue with separate coverage or simulcast at some point. 

Edited September 28, 2022 by iron_lion

[doublejman69 102]

WINK was live overnight and so was the NBC2/ABC7 simulcast. FOX4 started coverage at 4am, they were having a lot of problems for the first half hour or so I watched.
 

All the stations do or did have newsrooms in Collier County, none are studios by any means, basically a camera in a workspace, but it’s a option if any of the main studios do have any problems. WINKs building is very close to water in DT Fort Myers but to a certain point of several feet shouldn’t take in any water apparently. FOX4 building had a major renovation right before Scripps bought the station and Watermans building also has recently been renovated, all 3 should be able to withstand the winds of a major hurricane. Water and flooding could be an issue for all the stations.

Edited September 28, 2022 by doublejman69

[tyrannical bastard 3249]

I remember during one of the storms in 2017 where WFTX had to evacuate to WFTS in Tampa.   Given Scripps' expansion in the state with their stations in Miami and Tallahassee, you would think they would have a spare studio in each of their markets they could safely evacuate to should one of their markets become a target for an incoming storm.

 

Not to dive too deep into speculation but if there are conditions with the Standard General-Tegna-Apollo deal, perhaps Scripps could also pick up a station or two in Jacksonville.

[TheRob 914]

 

[NWA_TV_guy 146]

WINK has taken on water in the studio and in the newsroom. 

[GoldenShine9 1480]

1 minute ago, NWA_TV_guy said:

WINK has taken on water in the studio and in the newsroom. 

 

I think they are working to evacuate the building. Unfortunately, there is no obvious place they can go to or pick up from.

[MediaZone4K 1231]

NBC News Daily  (west coast) anchors Kate Snow & Aaron Gilchrist are anchoring a special report about Ian, rather than Lester Holt (or Savannah Guthrie).

Edited September 28, 2022 by iron_lion

[mre29 1262]

WBBH and WZVN are still in "team-up" mode, with both live streams available via YouTube, but WZVN's stream has a banner at its bottom with "For local coverage tune into Sunny 106.3, 96 Krock (96.1), B103.9, ESPN SWFL (98.1)".

 

[gbsgeo 18]

1 hour ago, iron_lion said:

NBC News Daily  (west coast) anchors Kate Snow & Aaron Gilchrist are anchoring a special report about Ian, rather than Lester Holt (or Savannah Guthrie).

Lester Holt anchored a special report live from Florida from 12pm ET - 2:30pm ET before tossing to Kate and Aaron. 

Edited September 28, 2022 by geojustiniano

[MediaZone4K 1231]

3 hours ago, geojustiniano said:

Lester Holt anchored a special report live from Florida from 12pm ET - 2:30pm ET before tossing to Kate and Aaron. 

Ahhh! Thanks

[GoldenShine9 1480]

WINK is huddled in the 2nd floor, there until the water recedes then will need to find a new facility.

 

I have a feeling they will need a whole new studio too and a complete rebuild. Can a small independent company afford such?

[nycnewsjunkie 1256]

3 hours ago, GoldenShine9 said:

WINK is huddled in the 2nd floor, there until the water recedes then will need to find a new facility.

 

I have a feeling they will need a whole new studio too and a complete rebuild. Can a small independent company afford such?

Sadly, most likely not. In any case, here’s hoping everyone over there stays safe, and that they get back on air ASAP.

 

This is video from Matt Devitt. The studio’s a goner, and there’s flooding in the newsroom too.

 

[TexasTVNews 1359]

2 hours ago, nycnewsjunkie said:

Sadly, most likely not. In any case, here’s hoping everyone over there stays safe, and that they get back on air ASAP.

 

This is video from Matt Devitt. The studio’s a goner, and there’s flooding in the newsroom too.

 

 

This is like KHOU all over again when the Houston CBS station's building was destroyed by flooding at the hands of Harvey.

[doublejman69 102]

7 hours ago, GoldenShine9 said:

WINK is huddled in the 2nd floor, there until the water recedes then will need to find a new facility.

 

I have a feeling they will need a whole new studio too and a complete rebuild. Can a small independent company afford such?

Insurance will take care of the building but it will be awhile before things get back to normal for WINK. Before WINK went off the air both WINK and the abc7/nbc2 simulcast did a very

good job covering the storm. 
 

Fox4 production was done remotely from Detroit and apparently they were broadcasting at FGCU in a makeshift studio, also Fox4 may have taken on water. I’m sure everyone was trying their best but Fox4 coverage was a technical disaster the times I check, everything that could go wrong did go wrong. 
 
I’m a winter resident of SW Florida and gone past each station several times, WINKS building is across the street from the caloosahatchee River that connects to the gulf and a creek that’s snakes almost around the whole building.WFTX is in Cape Coral and the Cape has canals all though out the city and many connect to Gulf. It makes both stations susceptible for storm surge (Waterman’s building is inland Fort Myers). In the last 10 years or so each building has been renovated to withstand major hurricane winds but they will likely have to do more against storm surge,  WINK has a barrier around the building and 

reinforcements for all the doors but those weren’t high enough.

[MediaZone4K 1231]

On 9/27/2022 at 5:33 PM, susquvalleywgal said:

WBBH-TV has a live YT feed:

 

 

 

-- Matt

 

13 hours ago, mre29 said:

WBBH and WZVN are still in "team-up" mode, with both live streams available via YouTube, but WZVN's stream has a banner at its bottom with "For local coverage tune into Sunny 106.3, 96 Krock (96.1), B103.9, ESPN SWFL (98.1)".

 

I see both stations are now simulcasting the NBC's Today show.

 

It seems like NBC 2 may be the "mother station" so to speak between the two as alot of the reporters had on NBC 2 gear and the NBC feed is what's being show now. 

[GoldenShine9 1480]

7 hours ago, TexasTVNews said:

 

This is like KHOU all over again when the Houston CBS station's building was destroyed by flooding at the hands of Harvey.

 

Unlike KHOU, WINK has no backup available either nearby (or at all).

 

I think they will need to rebuild their studio on the east side of I-75.