Three members of a WTTG(TV) Washington news crew were badly burned May 2 when the mast of their satellite van struck a power line in Alexandria, Va. At press time, Geoff Manifold and Jim Forner were said to be in fair condition at the Washington Hospital Center. Manifold had been listed in serious condition. Reporter Laura Evans was treated and released. The crew was set up at police headquarters reporting about the investigation of the murder of an 8-year-old boy.
In February, WIOI(TV) Ames, Iowa reporter Kimberly Arms, who was badly burned when the mast of her station's news van hit a 13,000-volt power line, settled her lawsuit against several equipment manufacturers for an undisclosed but significant amount, sources believe.
Her lawsuit attempted to hold the manufacturers accountable for not providing such available safety equipment as alarms to warn of the proximity of power lines.
- Also at wttg, SkyFox pilot John Guazzo has complained to the National Broadcast Pilots Association that he was booted from airspace while trying to shoot the arrival of Elián Gonzáles and his father Juan Miguel at Andrews Air Force Base two weeks ago. Even though there were no temporary flight rules declared, Guazzo said, the controllers at Andrews decided to boot him. "We had to fly up to 3,000 feet" said Guazzo, to get the money shot of Elián and his father.
