Several month ago I wrote on this board that the only way to rescue the news industry is by consolidating and integrating resources not by cheapening the quality of the news with substandard journalists. I was met with a lot skepticism but looks like this is what's happening
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2009/04/01/daily.11/
This makes sense, not the lowering of reporting quality. We are already seeing stations sharing helicopters and other major expenses. At ESPN we've been sharing satellite trucks with the competition for years and even bartering videos. All the savings are taking place behind the scene, the quality of programming remain unchanged and some of the savings were shifted to improve the quality by expanding the number of programs produced in HD (real HD not toy cameras). There's no reason that this type of cooperation cannot be done on the local level.
There's still a lucrative audience watching local news but not as large as it used to be as a lot of viewers drifted to the web. Stations must regroup, reduce those costs that are invisible to the viewers while strengthening their market position with better programming not worse, give the public a reason to stay and even drift back; its very doable, all it takes is talents and sharp management.
The problem is that local markets can no longer support four or more stations broadcasting the very same news to a shrinking audience, particularly during though economic times when advertisers are cutting back. Lowering the quality of the prime product is not the answer, it's only a temporary fix not a solution, those who adapt to low quality because of the current economic times will find it impossible to return to a high standard once all the good talents are gone.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2009/04/01/daily.11/
This makes sense, not the lowering of reporting quality. We are already seeing stations sharing helicopters and other major expenses. At ESPN we've been sharing satellite trucks with the competition for years and even bartering videos. All the savings are taking place behind the scene, the quality of programming remain unchanged and some of the savings were shifted to improve the quality by expanding the number of programs produced in HD (real HD not toy cameras). There's no reason that this type of cooperation cannot be done on the local level.
There's still a lucrative audience watching local news but not as large as it used to be as a lot of viewers drifted to the web. Stations must regroup, reduce those costs that are invisible to the viewers while strengthening their market position with better programming not worse, give the public a reason to stay and even drift back; its very doable, all it takes is talents and sharp management.
The problem is that local markets can no longer support four or more stations broadcasting the very same news to a shrinking audience, particularly during though economic times when advertisers are cutting back. Lowering the quality of the prime product is not the answer, it's only a temporary fix not a solution, those who adapt to low quality because of the current economic times will find it impossible to return to a high standard once all the good talents are gone.
