KPIX SF Goes VJ

kpixmic

Two down, three to go…

KPIX, the CBS affiliate in San Francisco announced today that they are moving to a VJ-driven newsroom.

The official press release today said:

Ti

Feb 11, 2009 3:58 PM EST

KPIX management told the staff today the station intends to go VJ within a year, pending union contract re-negotiations.

The station’s GM said voluntary training will begin in the near future, with lightweight cameras and servers to follow.

The current AFTRA contract permits on-air staff only limited use of technical equipment except in emergencies. The station’s technical unions gave up jurisdiction some years ago.
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This is hardly news to any of us who have been with the VJ movement for a long time.
In the next few months prepare to see more and more stations in major markets going to VJ as well.
This is the inevitable upshot of the combination of economic necessity and technical reality on the ground.
There is simply no longer any justification for the old 2-man crews and big heavy gear.  As we said a long time ago,
this is going to happen, and it is going to happen everywhere.
Ironically, only yesterday, The Wall Street Journal ran an article pointing out that local TV news stations were in real danger of simply disappearing altogether.
If they have any hope of surviving, they are going to have to cut their costs and make their operations vastly more efficient. The days of employing 150 people and putting 8 cameras on the street are simply over, not that they ever made any sense.
AFTRA’s San Francisco local has vigorously opposed members performing technical duties at KPIX and has threatened sanctions against those who do.

The station’s GM said the decision to use VJs as part of a mix with traditional crews was his alone and was not the result of a CBS corporate edict. He said he recognizes the very real possibility of failure but something needed to be done to reduce expenses.

Michael Rosenblum

For more than 35 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.

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