The Escapees: Caught

First off KWCH definitely had the cards in their hands when the 2 escapees and prison guard from El Dorado were caught in New Mexico this morning. When the news was breaking the brother and mother of the guard were doing an interview live at KWCH so anchor Felicia Rolfe delivered the news to them live. Definitely an emotional moment. KWCH certainly was in a spot at that point to throw whatever they were going to do out the window, because you had the story live on the set. Since the trio was caught in New Mexico, KWCH had the interview for the moment. Rolfe was put in a interesting spot. Obviously producers didn't want her to let them go since they have the get live on TV, so Rolfe kept the interview going as they were hoping to get additional info. Rolfe did a good job of recapping things every few minutes and she wasn't over the top when it came to breaking the news. She was very calm and not alarming and let the brother and mother react. However a little urgency would have been good on Rolfe's part, but for something developing, not bad. And as the interview progressed Rolfe got better. I would rather have her calm and relaxed as opposed to if it happened on another station on the West side of town, it probably would have been frantic and alarming. -Hal

http://kwch.com/Global/story.asp?S=7289873

Prison Break Update

So day 2 of the Prison break and we saw the stations all try to develop angles on the Prison escape story. As a total complete package of coverage, I thought KWCH did a decent job. They owned the story at 5 and 6PM and continued it through 10PM. The interview with the mother was a great get and I believe they were the only ones with it, and they also called it, "Exclusive." There must have been some sort of a "friendly" understanding to only do the interview with them, because I would assume everyone would have followed to get her Today. KSN had a decent effort at 10PM with an interview of the brother of the prison guard who aided in the escape. On a pure emotional scale, the interview with the brother was better than the mother. From an overall viewpoint of things, I thought KWCH gave a solid perspective of things with all angles covered. KAKE'e personal angle at 10PM was a former inmate who knew one of the escapees. In comparison to the family member interviews I don't think it was as solid. On most other stories, the interview would probably have been viewed as a great get. -Hal

Jail Break and Weekend Happenings

I thought I would create a separate post here for reactions on the El Dorado prison break coverage. I thought KWCH did it best, although if I was actually making the decisions I don't know how I would have reacted to the news. I might have backed off of it at first. Two people breaking out is big news. If 2 break out you have to wonder, how and if someone else is involved. Now it looks like a former employee of the prison is involved and that makes it an even bigger story. Thinking more about this no matter if they were assisted or not, a prison escape is news and especially on a sleepy Sunday. Although there was probably more news this weekend than most others, that shouldn't be looked as an excuse for not covering this appropriately. Was going back to the story in the newscast necessary? Well, the station would say it is for the public's good to spread the word prisoners have escaped out to the public. TV news people amongst each other would say its about making sure they stay out in front of the story and maintaining a message to the public that they are covering the story. I definitely think it was necessary to recap the story at the end of the cast. I didn't get to see this morning's early casts and am curious if stations brought reporters in for the morning shows about the prison escape.
Also I am curious no one has commented on KSN anchor/reporter Paul Petite's future departure to Wesley hospital as VP for marketing and public relations. It kind of caught me by surprise when I read it in Carrie Renger's column in the Wichita Eagle this weekend.
http://kansas.com/business/rengers/story/212035.html
According to the column, it is interesting he said he would have probably stayed at KSN if he had remained as a full-time anchor. The column says he now is a reporter, when he isn't anchoring the 5PM show. I probably could have created two separate posts for these topics. -Hal

Weekend Discussion: The Future of TV as we know it

-First, thanks for the rather interesting discussion on KWCH's move to broadcast the name of a convicted sex offender who was convicted 9 years ago. Quick recap: A bus stop was placed across the street from a registered sex offender's house in Haysville. The poll question as well as the dialog definitely show how this is a contentious issue for folks. The poll ended up with 8 in agreement, 8 against, and 7 split down the middle of KWCH's decision to broadcast the name of the offender. That's one of those topics you could have a debate and discussion well into the night and early evening or well beyond a journalism class period. Good discussion though.

-Its ONLY a Drill - By the way some of the stations are treating it, you would think that a disaster drill going on this week in Wichita was the real thing. KAKE had 2 reporters on the story at 6PM, for a drill. The others all had reporters on it. I think I saw a number of stories on it this past week on the stations. Is it worth a story today? Sure, 1, but ease up on it from here on out. I would say once you know what it is and why traffic is messed up, I think the story is done and move on. However, I am sure Saturday will be filled with more disaster drill stuff.


Discussion: TV's Future
I have done it before, but once again I would like to thank the guys over at lostremote.com. They had an interesting article posted about how some newspapers and TV stations have stopped their daily internet webcasts.
http://www.lostremote.com/2007/10/18/roanokecom-ends-timescast-do-news-webcasts-work/

As described in the article, many TV stations and newspapers are realizing people on the internet do not go to it for traditional newscasts like these webcasts to a degree. A number of newspapers and TV stations who started daily webcasts have stopped them due to a lack of viewership. Frankly it seems many people like the internet to be able to pick what stories you want to see and then read or view them at your own pace. I think that might speak to the future of TV as we know it. On the otherhand it might also point to those who say TV news will survive because folks don't necessarily want their dose of TV given to them off of the internet. What do you think? -Hal

Poll Question and Friendly debate

We have a nice debate going at the end of the previous post. Here's a recap. KWCH did a story about a bus stop in Haysville placed across the street from the house where a convicted sex offender resides. You can view the story with the link down below. (Video has now been added).

http://kwch.com/Global/story.asp?S=7222967&nav=menu486_2_2

In it they mentioned the name of the convicted sex offender. I watched the story and didn't really think much about it, until I received this comment Today on the blog:



Anonymous said...
What do you think about KWCH's decision to show the sex offender's name, picture, and home. I know legally it's fine, and the information's out there if someone wants it, but it seemed a little unnecessary. It didn't add anything to the story.
October 17, 2007 2:03 PM



I then responded that I could see it a number of ways. One, the offender was convicted in 1998 and since he is convicted it is readily available public record as well as on the Kansas Sex offender Registry. From that perspective you could argue that you could broadcast his name. Two, on the other hand one could argue he is trying to move on with his life and if he hasn't re offended since, then he is indeed moving on. Now one could counter that argument by saying the victim in the case didn't have a choice in the matter and probably still suffers mentally from the incident. I received a number of comments on this and here they are:



Anonymous said...
When someone is charged and convicted of a crime it is public record. This is not an accusation that hasn't worked its way through the courts.
October 17, 2007 6:08 PM



Anonymous said...
No one is suggesting KWCH didn't legally have the right to do what it did.The question is what is gained from putting this guy's name, home, and picture out there for this particular story?I personally don't see why it was necessary. The guy's identity was irrelevant to the issue.
October 17, 2007 7:38 PM



Anonymous said...
I think at some point in time you have to let sleeping dogs lie. Has he re-offended since 1998? Did he choose to live in front of a school bus stop that wasn't there until this year? I feel we should have mentioned where he lived, and his crime, but not his name or shown his picture. Just a personal opinion, but I think this guy's had 9 years to make a life for himself. It's unfair a news station can ruin that for him in 1:30.
October 17, 2007 7:40 PM

Anonymous said...
He assaulted a child. You have no right to privacy or anonimity after that.
October 17, 2007 9:52 PM

I'd like the dialog on this topic to continue on this entry. I also posted a poll question on this, probably against my better judgement. I am afraid it will turn it into a battle between those from KWCH VS the rest of the stations. If you are in the business, I want everyone to try to distance yourself from your station and think of it neutrally, if only for a few minutes. I would like to continue the dialog right below this entry where the last comment left off from the last post. -Hal

Hal's Back With Nothing But Praise....sort of

As I said in a reply to a previous post I have been out of town a lot over the last few weeks and haven't had a chance to really turn the TV on and watch all the stations. Its sad but, the internet makes it increasingly easy to keep up with the latest news from the stations. But it often doesn't provide the subject matter that watching it on TV, with the other stations going at the same time, does. My first post will actually usher in praise, well with 3 of the 4 subjects.
KWCH had 2 interesting stories in its newscasts tonight. The story of a school bus stop in Haysville near the house of a sex offender and a story about a kid at a Catholic school who was asked to leave because his family would not sign a form saying their child would speak English at all times of the day in school including recess were new and interesting. It doesn't matter what you think of the later issue, it does pose some interesting issues to be resolved possibly by the Supreme Court in the future.
Meanwhile KSN was on the right side of things with a well done piece by Jason Kravarik on the lack of Pediatric psychiatrists. The story says Kansas has the lowest numbers of such doctors in the country. After watching the story, it shows KSN's Achilles: Promotions. This was a story which should have been promoted a couple of days earlier rather than their constant banter of weather, weather, weather and more weather. Finally a negative comment: Tonight on KSN you would have thought the Shockers were in the Sweet 16 again with a news story about the Shocker madness or whatever the preseason scrimmage was called. This wasn't necessarily a fault of reporter Paul Petite, but his story on the event probably came off bad because he had to be careful not to touch on subject matter the sports guys were (and rightly so) going to handle in their sportscasts which was placed I think only a commercial break apart. Note to KSN management, let the sports guys do their jobs, unless a Shocker team gets to an NCAA tournament. And even at that point tread carefully. If another station did something similar let me know and I'll rib them too. Where is KAKE in all of this? Today is characteristic of the other 2 stations the last few weeks. KAKE basically did the day's news, stuff you saw on the other stations, and didn't really wow nor offend in anyway. Some may take this as bashing. Actually if you don't offend an audience on a given day, then it should be considered a win.
Also, if you have a good poll question to ask the readers, let me know. -Hal