Comments on: Station Fire, Station Fail http://blogging.la/2009/09/01/station-fire-station-fail/ Lizard people dude. Seriously. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:54:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Disheartened http://blogging.la/2009/09/01/station-fire-station-fail/comment-page-1/#comment-17557 Disheartened Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:56:40 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33498#comment-17557 [...] local television news stations provided no news to those affected by the fire, I went out to drive around the neighborhood to see for myself.  [...] [...] local television news stations provided no news to those affected by the fire, I went out to drive around the neighborhood to see for myself.  [...]

]]> By: Station Fire Video http://blogging.la/2009/09/01/station-fire-station-fail/comment-page-1/#comment-17556 Station Fire Video Thu, 03 Sep 2009 02:39:47 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33498#comment-17556 [...] three times. Visiting officers from the Upper Gwynedd Township Fire Department …   Station Fire, Station FailJust you declare television & radio 'old media' doesn't mean they don't have to [...] [...] three times. Visiting officers from the Upper Gwynedd Township Fire Department …   Station Fire, Station FailJust you declare television & radio ‘old media’ doesn’t mean they don’t have to [...]

]]> By: Matt Mason http://blogging.la/2009/09/01/station-fire-station-fail/comment-page-1/#comment-17555 Matt Mason Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:54:53 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33498#comment-17555 But "hold off on the news" is totally random, since the news happens all day and all night, and the stations have news programs scheduled at specific times during the day and evening for business/ratings/demographic purposes, not because that time of day is somehow a magic time for news events to occur. That's especially true of fires and other disasters over which we have little or no control. In any event, if someone thinks that our local tv stations are failing to cover the fires adequately, they should complain to the station, their elected representatives, and the Federal Communications Commission. TV stations receive their licenses for free. You and I own those airwaves, and they're worth billions. In return, stations are required to operate in the "public interest, convenience and necessity." This has been interpreted to mean that the station must cover news and other matters of concern to its local community of license. Stations must keep a file, available for public inspection, containing quarterly reports listing the programming that it believes satisfies this requirement. This FCC publication provides some explanation: http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/decdoc/public_and_broadcasting.html But “hold off on the news” is totally random, since the news happens all day and all night, and the stations have news programs scheduled at specific times during the day and evening for business/ratings/demographic purposes, not because that time of day is somehow a magic time for news events to occur. That’s especially true of fires and other disasters over which we have little or no control.

In any event, if someone thinks that our local tv stations are failing to cover the fires adequately, they should complain to the station, their elected representatives, and the Federal Communications Commission. TV stations receive their licenses for free. You and I own those airwaves, and they’re worth billions. In return, stations are required to operate in the “public interest, convenience and necessity.” This has been interpreted to mean that the station must cover news and other matters of concern to its local community of license. Stations must keep a file, available for public inspection, containing quarterly reports listing the programming that it believes satisfies this requirement.

This FCC publication provides some explanation:
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/decdoc/public_and_broadcasting.html

]]> By: Foodeater http://blogging.la/2009/09/01/station-fire-station-fail/comment-page-1/#comment-17554 Foodeater Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:36:25 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33498#comment-17554 I'm on TWC cable too, and as of 10:30pm last night the Dodger game was still playing live on channel 9. The news is only supposed to be on until 10:30 and your post was made at 10:43... so maybe they aired the news after the game was over? I didn't check back after 10:30 since it wasn't on when it was supposed to be. Point being, there's a major emergency going on in Los Angeles and the local news channel opted to hold off on the news so they could air a baseball game instead. I’m on TWC cable too, and as of 10:30pm last night the Dodger game was still playing live on channel 9. The news is only supposed to be on until 10:30 and your post was made at 10:43… so maybe they aired the news after the game was over? I didn’t check back after 10:30 since it wasn’t on when it was supposed to be.

Point being, there’s a major emergency going on in Los Angeles and the local news channel opted to hold off on the news so they could air a baseball game instead.

]]> By: Matt Mason http://blogging.la/2009/09/01/station-fire-station-fail/comment-page-1/#comment-17553 Matt Mason Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:43:41 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33498#comment-17553 Not on my cable system (TWC chs. 9 and 409) -- they're airing the news, and, specifically, news about the fires. Not on my cable system (TWC chs. 9 and 409) — they’re airing the news, and, specifically, news about the fires.

]]> By: Foodeater http://blogging.la/2009/09/01/station-fire-station-fail/comment-page-1/#comment-17552 Foodeater Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:03:53 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33498#comment-17552 At this very moment, instead of running the normally scheduled 10pm news on KCAL 9, they're showing the Dodger game. At this very moment, instead of running the normally scheduled 10pm news on KCAL 9, they’re showing the Dodger game.

]]> By: kint http://blogging.la/2009/09/01/station-fire-station-fail/comment-page-1/#comment-17551 kint Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:50:32 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33498#comment-17551 If they ran uninterrupted coverage, I'd understand that that costs money, but they can run it with commercials, no? I think there would be more people wanting to watch fire coverage.. I'm not sure what the contract ramifications with the advertisers are, but I'm sure the local channels would get higher ratings if they ran fire coverage. If they ran uninterrupted coverage, I’d understand that that costs money, but they can run it with commercials, no? I think there would be more people wanting to watch fire coverage.. I’m not sure what the contract ramifications with the advertisers are, but I’m sure the local channels would get higher ratings if they ran fire coverage.

]]> By: Jason Burns http://blogging.la/2009/09/01/station-fire-station-fail/comment-page-1/#comment-17550 Jason Burns Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:43:10 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33498#comment-17550 I didn't know Darleene.. Congratulations! I honestly don't find all news outlets at fault here. I thought KCAL9 was doing a pretty good job when they were covering it. I also think most of the online reporting has been good. The biggest issue I have is with the live on-air coverage. Some local media were MIA for most of the weekend. I think people just want to know why. I didn’t know Darleene.. Congratulations!

I honestly don’t find all news outlets at fault here. I thought KCAL9 was doing a pretty good job when they were covering it. I also think most of the online reporting has been good.

The biggest issue I have is with the live on-air coverage. Some local media were MIA for most of the weekend. I think people just want to know why.

]]> By: darleene http://blogging.la/2009/09/01/station-fire-station-fail/comment-page-1/#comment-17549 darleene Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:38:15 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33498#comment-17549 Jason: I was totally covering the story and not sensationalizing it. I was also the only web person on Saturday night and could barely get to the bathroom throughout the night -- quite a challenge for someone 4 months pregnant. ;-) Jason: I was totally covering the story and not sensationalizing it. I was also the only web person on Saturday night and could barely get to the bathroom throughout the night — quite a challenge for someone 4 months pregnant. ;-)

]]> By: Kint http://blogging.la/2009/09/01/station-fire-station-fail/comment-page-1/#comment-17548 Kint Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:34:48 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33498#comment-17548 It's the area.. La Cresenta isn't as sexy as Malibu. If the fire was in Malibu, there would be wall to wall coverage. It’s the area.. La Cresenta isn’t as sexy as Malibu. If the fire was in Malibu, there would be wall to wall coverage.

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