By Frank MacekIn today's tough economic environment, local newsrooms have to be smarter, more efficient and budget conscious while still gathering the same amount of content that is needed to fill hours each day on their newscasts.
But does it make sense still to have 4 local stations in the market cover the exact same general news of the day when a pool could do the same job? The answer is absolutely NOT.
Welcome to the concept of LNP or Local News Pool (or Service) - a locally developed pool system to cover the basic local news of the day - the fires, the shootings, the KFC robberies. Why send 4 reporters and 4 cameras from 4 different stations to cover the same event. In the current structure, when the story airs now, the most you'll notice is different cameras angles or sounds bites.. but does anyone care at home? That is the big question.
NBC and FOX owned and operated stations have been quietly working together to see just how fruitful sharing resources can be, without losing their own station identities, franchises or competitiveness.
In Philadelphia according to Television Week, both group operators have created an LNP which has its own set of assignment editors, reporters and shooters, selected from each station who are assigned to cover the basic news of the day. This is their job.
This pool feed is then shared between participating stations or sold to other news outlets in the market, crossing the medium to include newspaper and radio who are finding more uses for on-line video from their own websites, but can't afford their own video staff.
Stations can still pick and choose what they wish to use in their newscasts and how. Other journalists and beat reporters are freed up to work on more in depth projects where the ultimate goal is a broader depth of coverage than ever before.
Executives say this isn't so much about saving money, as it is to bringing more news and better coverage to the audience on a local level.
For years, local stations have used the same feeds from CNN or AP that act as a pool for national and international event that a local station could never cover themselves because of the cost. This same footage airs on every station...just edited differently or placed in positions in the rundown.
Now, broadcasters are understanding how that same concept can be applied to the local level as well.
I truly feel this will be next move for local stations as we head into 2009.
Cleveland is one market where such enterprising of ideas is likely to take shape, sooner than later - and by necessity. With all local stations hurting financially thanks to a lose of advertising revenue from car makers, you are going to see more cooperation between rivals in certain areas you would never have dreamed of seeing until now.
While newsrooms won't merge completely and it's highly unlikely stations will fold given they serve the public interest, the dynamics of news gathering are going to change dramatically.
Something to watch as head into 2009.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this spotlight feature are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of WKYC or Gannett.
