Three L.A. Stations To Begin Local News Video Share June 15

Fox, NBC, Trib debut local news service

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/2/2009 3:22:15 PM

Fox, NBC and Tribune have announced a local news service video share for Los Angeles. KTTV, KNBC and KTLA are involved in the alliance, which launches June 15.
 
The arrangement is set for the trio to share seven days a week, but does not cover the overnight shift. Each station contributes personnel to the pool in the form of photographers and assignment editors. The assignment desk will be housed at KNBC and overseen by KNBC veteran Kris Knutsen.
 
“The gist of the agreement is that it frees up our news resources to allow them to do more enterprise news stories,” says KTTV VP/General Manager Kevin Hale. “It’s an efficient way to help us put on a better newscast.”
 
Fox and NBC were the first to debut a formal news share for their stations, officially launching in Philadelphia in January after an extended trial period. The idea behind such shares is to cut costs by limiting the number of crews going to cover standard news events and free them up for more substantial stories.
 
An arrangement between Fox, Scripps and Gannett for Tampa launched Tuesday.
 
Stations owned by Fox, NBC and Tribune are also working together in Chicago, along with CBS O&O WBBM. That launched May 11.
 
KCBS opted out of the Los Angeles agreement, but Hale says stations remain invited to join in the share. “It’s a good example of looking at efficiencies that we all need to look at,” he says.
 
KTTV and KNBC are also exploring a helicopter share that’s separate from Tuesday’s LNS announcement.