The Video Vultures Circle
It seems when tragedy writ large strikes, local news crews are dispatched to the scene no matter where it is. This week’s bridge collapse in Minnesota was no different with, as of last night, WCBS, WNYW, and WABC shipping reporters off to cover the death and destruction live. It seems more like vultures flocking to the carcass instead of legitimate coverage.

Sending local reporters off just seems a bit much and we wonder how news directors can justify the expense and if some local coverage would be sacrificed for this. The stations have their respective networks affiliate news services to provide reporters and live shots from the scene, so there is really no need to send local talent off. It seems more like a prestige thing that looks good in a promo down the line than any attempt at serious coverage.

Skin Health to the Max
After being let go from WNBC as part of NBC-Universal budget cuts last fall, Dr. Max Gomez recently started as a freelancer for WCBS doing weekly reports. This Sunday morning at 11 a.m. he’ll be co-hosting along with WCBS medical reporter Dr. Holly Phillips a half hour special Sunburned... Skin Cancer Exposed. The show will take a look at ways to protect yourself, sun screens, the latest advances in skin cancer treatments, and Phillips and Gomez will be answering viewers questions.

Fox Duopoly in Giant Partnership
Our local Fox owned duopoly of WNYW and WWOR has entered an exclusive partnership with the New York Giants involving programming on both stations and website content. Given the Fox network’s NFL football coverage of the NFC the move makes sense, since most of the Giants games will air on Fox 5.

The first program in the new partnership airs this Sunday at 11:30 a.m. on WNYW with a half hour Giants Training Camp Report which will run in the same timeslot through the preseason. Once the season starts Giants Game Plan takes over the slot. Good Day New York will also air some Giants themed segements.

Over on channel 9, a weekly half hour lifestyle show focusing on the team Giants Access Blue starts on September 8th at 10:30 p.m. The station will also air four specials including one about the team’s game in London.

The Bronx is Burning Wrong
Watching ESPN’s The Bronx is Burning we have noticed that the police vehicles used appear to be late 1980s Chevrolet Caprice Classics, which is about ten or twelve years in the future from when the mini-series is set. As the series progresses, we are also getting more and more disappointed by the treatment of Jonathan Mahler's book, Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx Is Burning, that had an even focus on the events in the city and the Yankees season. ESPN, as almost expected, gives more prominence to the Yankees making the goings on in the city a mere framing device. Go get the book instead.