KGTV and the Fires

This just in (or lifted from) Lostremote.com

 

KGTV ‘digital correspondents’ cover fire

Cory Bergman October 26th, 2007

The San Diego fires took their toll on microwave receive and relay sites, limiting local TV stations’ ability to send back live shots while covering the story. KGTV recently switched to a one-man-band newsgathering approach with 27 “digital correspondents” armed with Panasonic AG-HVX200 P2 camcorders, Apple MacBook Pro laptop computers, Apple Final Cut Pro and Verizon broadband wireless Internet cards. When they were able, the digital correspodents met up with either one of three microwave trucks or three temporary microwave relay stations. When those weren’t available or out of range, some were able to file reports on the laptop’s webcam (using iChat) via the Verizon wireless broadband cards. KGTV tells Broadcast Engineering that the quality was not nearly as solid as a microwave shot, but it gave the station more reach on the ground. (Thanks, Greg!)

Michael Rosenblum

For more than 30 years, Michael Rosenblum has been on the cutting edge of the digital video journalism revolution. During this time, he has lead a drive for video literacy, and the complete rethinking of how television is made and controlled. His work has included: The complete transitioning of The BBC's national network (UK) to a VJ-driven model, starting in 2002. The complete conversion of The Voice of America, the United State's Government's broadcasting agency, (and the largest broadcaster in the world), from short wave radio to television broadcasting and webcasting using the VJ paradigm (1998-present). The construction of NYT Television, a New York Times Company, and the largest producer of non-fiction television in the US. Rosenblum was both the founder and President of NYT TV, (all based on this paradigm (1996-1998). The President and Founder of Video News International, a global VJ-driven newsgathering company, with more than 100 journalists around the world. (1993-1996). Other clients include Spectrum News, Verizon and CBS News.

2 Comments
  • ziggy October 28, 2007

    Who are they kidding?
    Their coverage was a joke!

  • Aaron October 27, 2007

    I’m curious 1) how many crews the other stations had covering the fires at any given time, and 2) how many of those 27 VJs/DJs from KGTV were in the field at any given time.

    Assuming they’re not counting producers and assignment desk folks as DJs, it looks like KGTV should have been reporting from at least twice as many locations as the competition.

    If that’s the case, great job. If that wasn’t the case, why not?

    Oh, and iChat over Verizon broadband is a good start… just wait ’til WiMax comes online.