[Scan-DC] 2 Interesting Stories from WUSA-TV this Evening

[Brooks, Kurt]

I'm in a way not surprised. I called WJZ and got what sounded like a younger desk gal on the phone, identified myself and explained what I heard. 

At the time BNN hadn't paged and when it did the page was pretty benign. The scanner kept saying 'commercial box - shed fire' (though I don't think they were listening to the scanner.) Certainly the volume of units sent was a good clue but scanner listening is a lost art in modern newsrooms. 

In the end I suppose it was all about resources. Crews were tied up at 8:30 and the desk doesn't want to move them. I understand- people would be shocked to know how small news staffs are. 

WUSA has 2 photogs and 2 reporters nightside weeknights. By sending a team to Baltimore we had 1 photog & 1 reporter covering DC!

DC stations had an advantage with a shared chopper- they could see it was a big deal, and the video was cool, so it lead their shows. WBFF had decent ground video but crappy audio when John Rydell showed up for live at 10:30pm. 

But personally I don't think much of any of it would have happened unless I had dropped the dime to my desk. DC stations would have said 'Baltimore fire, who cares?' And we see how Baltimore stations did...


> On Feb 24, 2015, at 00:57, Paul Bowling - W4ATN <Paul at W4ATN.com> wrote:
> 
> Friend from PG County called me about the great video he saw on the DC
> Market stations. I live in AACO and work in Baltimore County so figured WJZ
> would have good early video. I was shocked that they only had stills!! Could
> have found those on my Twitter feed. Don't know if other Baltimore stations
> had video but WJZ was very disappointing. 
> 
> Paul
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Scan-DC [mailto:scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Brooks,
> Kurt
> Sent: Monday, February 23, 2015 23:19
> To: Alan Henney
> Cc: Scan DC
> Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] 2 Interesting Stories from WUSA-TV this Evening
> 
> Make it three - the Tire Fire coverage came from me. I got home around 8,
> turned on my scanners and started prepping dinner. 
> 
> I heard the first due arrive at the 'shed fire' report with that tone of
> voice that we listen to scanners for; "we have a yard full of tires and
> trucks on fire, give me the box and expect to send a lot more."
> 
> I called the station which in turn requested the shared chopper. All the DC
> stations had great video, we even had a live crew inside the Baltimore
> Beltway! Freaking WJZ showed STILL PHOTOS FROM FACEBOOK!
> 
> Hell, I called them and they didn't go!
> 
> Great scanner listening; water issues, crash truck from BWI, foam ops...
> Interesting stuff. 
> 
> Boy this is a fun job at times...
> 
> 
>> On Feb 23, 2015, at 23:12, Alan Henney <alan at henney.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> DC area 911 systems often can't see locations 
>> http://on.wusa9.com/1EpicYN
>> 
>> 
>> Controversy arises over police use of cell phone tracking technology 
>> http://on.wusa9.com/1EKoT5J
>> 
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