Comments on: KBCI-TV automates newscasts

By: Idaho Radio Buff

Idaho Radio Buff — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 18:23:57 +0000

Wow. I just saw that KBCI doesn’t even do a morning newscast anymore. That can’t be good. Who knew KTVB was so dominant?

Do they at least put in taped local updates in the “early show”? I mean even eastern Idaho has three morning newscasts and updates inside the national shows (no Fox news, but they are LMA’ed by KPVI sort of anyway).

By: Fizzle

Fizzle — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 18:55:13 +0000

Local news is all guns and fluff.
I can’t watch it anymore.

By: RadioActive

RadioActive — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 01:47:54 +0000

Wrabbitt, You have a great idea again. Why not package up the concept and try and market your ideas. A great many people in the industry with the talent just dont have the time or energy to keep up with the pace of technology (like myself). If you can figure out a way to make it easy to use and convice reporters and stations that this is the way to go, you can make a mint and keep “local” news from becoming extint.

By: Wrabbitt

Wrabbitt — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 00:18:02 +0000

I didn’t say the TV station/group would install or maintain a server for that.

A freelance reporter, just like I do can have thier own server and offer video to stations. It’s no longer expensive to get decent space on a GoDaddy.com server for example and offer video to stations. Those who air it will get a bill for the use of the video. It’s not all that difficult these days.

The cuts are due to lack of revenue. TV and Radio can not run in the red all the time and stay on the air. What else would you suggest they do? I don’t like any more than you do.

By: Cale

Cale — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 23:50:38 +0000

Well Wrabbitt, the reason that technology isn’t being used is because can you trust the source of a free-lance reporter to not upload more than just a story onto your primary news server? So if you think it’s best to keep that off your primary server, who in Boise can convince corporate they need a separate server for that once-a-week story that they’ll get uploaded.

If KBCI can make it run, more power to them. That said, it does burn me that TV stations are making the same cuts radio did 10 years ago, and they are convinced it was a good thing.

By: The

The — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:04:20 +0000

So, how much does Ignite save a station and how much did the screw-up cost KBCI?

Add the price of the lost spots (and good will) to the cost of Ignite and see if you’re really saving any money, short-term at least.

By: Wrabbitt

Wrabbitt — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 01:51:59 +0000

I don’t see that happening unless GM/Owners totally get out of touch. I am surprised the technology available is not being used. A reporter stationed anywhere could easily upload video news stories to a server. Freelance reporters could do pretty well providing regional stories to stations around the state. I do it all the time to get video to far away places like American Samoa and Hawaii.
A mobile reporter could even use WiFi hot spots. Adobe Premiere and a good camera with FireWire, your set.

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:53:20 +0000

OK, so for a naive reformed newspaper guy that doesn’t understand anything about the technical side of this … wouldn’t this system make it all-but-impossible for KBCI to handle any news that broke during the newscast?

And did they just cancel the 10 p.m. news, or did they get things fixed and air it after Jeopardy?

Are KTVB or KIVI using this system? What about sister station KIDK?

By: The

The — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:17:25 +0000

“You think they aren’t outsourcing newscasts already?”

Yeah, I know that stuff like that already exists. I was talking about running the thing from India or another third-world country, the way a lot of customer service is done these days.

I’m picturing an anchor team which is very obviously Indian but using on-air names like “Dan Adams” and “Cindy Jones.”

Actually, I have a REAL prediction to make. I think in the not-too-distant future, at least in major markets, you will occasionally see someone like Tom Cruise “guest-anchoring” the local news, like when he has a movie to promote.

It’s all just infotainment anyway, so why wouldn’t they do that?

By: El Chupacabras

El Chupacabras — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:55:49 +0000

I can’t think of a worse thing! This is one of the main reasons I left the television business for good! I will never, and I mean, NEVER go back! I hope the whole damn thing IGNITES and blows up in their face. Nothing against the poor souls who work there, of course. How the hell can they do it? I really would love to see how it is done. Is everything done according to the times on the rundown? What happens if the weather guy goes 30 seconds long, or the anchors go 15 seconds over in one segment? What is the role of the producer? Camera automation is nothing new, NBC News has used it for years now. I have talked with colleagues of mine who have used it and they tell me that, “Yeah, I hated those stupid high-school camera kids, but I long for the days of having a human behind them.”

Sure, radio has gone more automated, but there is a difference. Generally if you screw up it is your own damn fault. In TV (at least in the past), it was a cluster (fill in the blank).

Maybe we should take a cue from telephone operators who have been replaced by automated menus (Ever tried to get one when you need one?). Or for that matter, the National Weather Service and its second generation “Perfect Paul.” Good hell, we are almost there. How many stations use the same liner cards from Zeus, Scott Shannon, Mitch Craig or others? Insert your station call letters here and call it Jack Radio, or some other meatless, mayo and zero trans-fat free generic format.