Los Angeles Area Fires & Coverage

[GodfreyGR 591]

Just curious- if anyone has insight- on how gathering info via helicopter is being worked out... There was the story earlier this week that a drone interfered with a copter working on putting out the fires, and I see this morning that KTLA is making use of "Sky 5" as a split screen during morning press briefings. Are stations sharing a helicopter to reduce interference with the firefighting effort? Are news stations keeping well away and zoomed in like all hell?

 

7 hours ago, roundtown said:

They noted the long hours and the fatigue that's setting in with everyone and how support from other markets are coming in to help with the load

You can see it on the faces and hear it in their voices that anchors and reporters are all getting fatigued (also- camera operators and producers!) All of the reporting and news gathering I have watched this week has been an all-star effort from all the news teams. 

[GodfreyGR 591]

On 1/10/2025 at 11:15 AM, MediaCriticLA said:

KNBC stayed on the air live, as far as I know. They've been mentioning how many consecutive hours they've been live, so I anticipate a marketing campaign around that soon.

Just did a scan- since any LA Fire coverage interests me more than my local news. Unless KNBC is still live OTA, their website is streaming the "Peacock Edition" of an earlier newscast. KTLA is the only station still going with live continuing coverage.

That said, with curfews in place, little to be able to show on TV this time of night, probably not the worst idea to let everyone try to get a little sleep unless the winds suddenly kick back up. 

 

EDIT: KTLA's newscast just ended as well.

Edited January 12 by GodfreyGR

[CraigViewer 76]

1 hour ago, GodfreyGR said:

Just did a scan- since any LA Fire coverage interests me more than my local news. Unless KNBC is still live OTA, their website is streaming the "Peacock Edition" of an earlier newscast. KTLA is the only station still going with live continuing coverage.

That said, with curfews in place, little to be able to show on TV this time of night, probably not the worst idea to let everyone try to get a little sleep unless the winds suddenly kick back up. 

 

EDIT: KTLA's newscast just ended as well.

KCAL News (CBS Los Angeles) has coverage as part of its regularly scheduled prime time newscasts right now.

[CraigViewer 76]

From watching KCAL News for a short while this evening, it appears as if they have given -- and deservedly so -- many of their general assignment reporters a break, as I have seen a parade of out-of-town reporters report from the field tonight.  They, along with the other out of town reporters that I have seen on the other local stations in town, have done a fantastic job.  Quite a few of them, in fact, appear seasoned enough to report from the No. 2 market full time, in my opinion.

Edited January 12 by CraigViewer

[CaptainNews 287]

On 1/9/2025 at 11:32 AM, DENDude said:

The Eaton fire is currently threatening Mt. Willson & the TV Transmitter sites for KNBC,KABC, KCBS, KKTV, KTLA, & KCAL.   And probably transmitter sites for local radio stations.

 

So quick question: where is the backup site for the L.A. TV stations?   Thanks..

Santiago Peak (5,689 Feet) in Orange County, directly southeast of Mt. Wilson (5,713 feet). Santiago is also far more centralized than Mt. Wilson to the DMA.

Edited January 15 by CaptainNews

[MD TV 233]

Obviously, viewership for all stations really went up last Tuesday:

 

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/la-fire-local-news-ratings-audiences-double-triple-coverage-1236273532/

[CraigViewer 76]

22 hours ago, CaptainNews said:

Santiago Peak (5,689 Feet) in Orange County, directly southeast of Mt. Wilson (5,713 feet). Santiago is also far more centralized than Mt. Wilson to the DMA.

Given the geography and very high elevation, KABC is one L.A. station that uses Santiago Peak as a location for its weather radar, if I'm not mistaken, as well.

[appleachian 130]

On 1/11/2025 at 11:48 AM, GodfreyGR said:

Just curious- if anyone has insight- on how gathering info via helicopter is being worked out... There was the story earlier this week that a drone interfered with a copter working on putting out the fires, and I see this morning that KTLA is making use of "Sky 5" as a split screen during morning press briefings. Are stations sharing a helicopter to reduce interference with the firefighting effort? Are news stations keeping well away and zoomed in like all hell?

 

You can see it on the faces and hear it in their voices that anchors and reporters are all getting fatigued (also- camera operators and producers!) All of the reporting and news gathering I have watched this week has been an all-star effort from all the news teams. 

I heard KTLA's chopper reporter mention a few times they were flying at 8000+ feet.  I suspect they are a ways out and also up above all the fire activity.

[FiveNews 357]

Once again, all LA stations are wall to wall with coverage of the Hughes Fire. The fire is burning in Castaic on the northern end of LA County, north of Valencia/Magic Mountain. So far, 5k acres burned, 19k under evac orders. Winds are a factor as well.