Two news helis down in Phoenix - four dead

From what I understand, most of the news helos are contracted from only a few different companies. I met a guy last year here in Atlanta who flew for one station while his company flew for several. These guys tend to be pretty close as a result of their working relationships. I can't imagine the loss felt among those pilots and news reporters there.

According to one reporter on Fox News just now, the crook being chased may face criminal charges for the death of the helo crews. I'm stating this only for its news value. Any further discussion on this one piece should be continued in the Spin Zone.
 
Yeah, that guy was reporting live from the helo (on air) when they collided. Pretty tough...
 
I was just watching the Channel 12 video. That is another helo that was one scene. Obviously the reporter was upset but he actually said this, "We don't want to get to close to cover this as it could be our friends down there". So I guess the 'if it bleeds it leads only applies if the news people don't know you and you are not their friends. :(

This is news and you have to cover it just the same as anything else. If you don't you are violating your journalistic ethics.
 
smigaldi said:
I was just watching the Channel 12 video. That is another helo that was one scene. Obviously the reporter was upset but he actually said this, "We don't want to get to close to cover this as it could be our friends down there". So I guess the 'if it bleeds it leads only applies if the news people don't know you and you are not their friends. :(

This is news and you have to cover it just the same as anything else. If you don't you are violating your journalistic ethics.
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Being that stations have monitors on for every other station in the city, I think one thought may have been the view of any bodies. One, I doubt they would want that showing to that chopper's own station. Then, there's the concern it may be shown to the families of those lost. That's just a thought.

They want to cover it but don't want to get that close to the potential details that soon; especially when these guys tend to be close friends on the ground. I can think of at least three helos from two TV stations and one radio station that are out of the same hangar at PDK.
 
KennyFlys said:
Being that stations have monitors on for every other station in the city, I think one thought may have been the view of any bodies. One, I doubt they would want that showing to that chopper's own station. Then, there's the concern it may be shown to the families of those lost. That's just a thought.
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I am sure you are right about that. That is exactly what they were thinking. However, if it had not been two news helos you can bet that those concerns that were raised for the news helos would not have been raised at all. Double standard.
 
Nobody told the story right. Did one helicopter have a mech problem? Who knows. These guys were all talking on 123.025 like they should have been. The problem, as I see it, is the stations are too damn cheap. You have a pilot and a shooter. That's it. The pilot has to follow the action and keep clear of other a/c. There's no other set of eyes...

I hate to see guys killed for this kind of nonsense...
 
RotaryWingBob said:
Nobody told the story right. Did one helicopter have a mech problem? Who knows. These guys were all talking on 123.025 like they should have been. The problem, as I see it, is the stations are too damn cheap. You have a pilot and a shooter. That's it. The pilot has to follow the action and keep clear of other a/c. There's no other set of eyes...

I hate to see guys killed for this kind of nonsense...
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From what I've gleaned, two were stacked and the upper bird descended when they turned to follow the runner after he switched vehicles. More will come out in time. I've never listened to PHX tower on LiveATC.net but I'm sure there will be some audio archive from today.

Or, I hope... right now, the feed is down.
 
While I don't really want to see closer photos of the crash, I admit I don't want to see close up shots of any disaster, but that didn't stop the low life media in the past.

But this is different. Its personal now. They lose one of their own, and suddenly its more "real" to them than it is when a family of 4 dies in an Archer, or when....well, that's enough to bring bile to my lips.

The behavior of the media disgusts me. I do not want to see incidents like this happen, ever, but the news botched the coverage of this, for sure.

edit: btw - the pilots ain't "heros" as they're being made out to be. Great people? Probably. Good pilots? Most definitely. Heroes? Possibly, but not because they crashed their helicopters chasing a car so that their respective stations could get a quarter point rating increase.
 
SkyHog said:
While I don't really want to see closer photos of the crash, I admit I don't want to see close up shots of any disaster, but that didn't stop the low life media in the past.

But this is different. Its personal now. They lose one of their own, and suddenly its more "real" to them than it is when a family of 4 dies in an Archer, or when....well, that's enough to bring bile to my lips.

The behavior of the media disgusts me. I do not want to see incidents like this happen, ever, but the news botched the coverage of this, for sure.
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I don't know what media market you're in, but I have to say that I've never seen the media (US TV Market) show gruesome photos during prime time live TV coverage, not intentionally at least. They ALWAYS keep it panned back. I've never seen them zoom in to show bodies or gore. Am I wrong on this?! I think they have an unwritten rule of common decency (if not a written policy) covering what to show/what not to show.

Sure, you CAN see the gory stuff if you're "into" that... there are sites that have it. But whether due to FCC regs or some internal policy, I again state that I've noticed news stations being careful about showing "too much" and staying panned back when bodies are evident.

And I'm glad for that... particularly for the families and friends of those that new the victims.
 
SkyHog said:
While I don't really want to see closer photos of the crash, I admit I don't want to see close up shots of any disaster, but that didn't stop the low life media in the past.

But this is different. Its personal now. They lose one of their own, and suddenly its more "real" to them than it is when a family of 4 dies in an Archer, or when....well, that's enough to bring bile to my lips.

The behavior of the media disgusts me. I do not want to see incidents like this happen, ever, but the news botched the coverage of this, for sure.

edit: btw - the pilots ain't "heros" as they're being made out to be. Great people? Probably. Good pilots? Most definitely. Heroes? Possibly, but not because they crashed their helicopters chasing a car so that their respective stations could get a quarter point rating increase.
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I agree 110% with what you wrote above Nick.
 
SkyHog said:
While I don't really want to see closer photos of the crash, I admit I don't want to see close up shots of any disaster, but that didn't stop the low life media in the past.

But this is different. Its personal now. They lose one of their own, and suddenly its more "real" to them than it is when a family of 4 dies in an Archer, or when....well, that's enough to bring bile to my lips.

The behavior of the media disgusts me. I do not want to see incidents like this happen, ever, but the news botched the coverage of this, for sure.

edit: btw - the pilots ain't "heros" as they're being made out to be. Great people? Probably. Good pilots? Most definitely. Heroes? Possibly, but not because they crashed their helicopters chasing a car so that their respective stations could get a quarter point rating increase.
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That's what I thought when I heard it on the news. My reaction was pretty much a..."heh." Tragedy long averted by circumstance and kissing rabbits feet, if you ask me. If they had collided with the police chopper, then it would have qualified as a real tragedy involving heroes.
 
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