Kate O’Brian - TVNewser

News Chiefs Talk Egypt Coverage

Alex Weprin — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 12:18:24 +0000

Broadcasting & Cable spoke to a number of network and cable news executives, to get their thoughts on how they have been covering the crisis in Egypt.

Each had their own perspective on the coverage, and how they will handle it going forward.

CNN’s Tony Maddox said that it is up to CNN’s journalists is they want to stay in Egypt to cover the story.

We’ve made it abundantly clear to our folks that if they want out, we’ll do all we can to help get them out as well. By and large, you’d be surprised at how many of these horrible looking stories people want to be in them, they get a sense of mission, a sense of purpose, they want to be in the thick of it. Makes you proud to work with people like that. But also some of our very bravest people are the ones that say, you know what, I’ve done all I can with this story, now I need a break from it and move on. Whenever anyone’s like that, we’re always very supportive and very quick to be able to facilitate it.

CBS News & Sports chief Sean McManus said that the coverage showed that there is still a commitment to international newsgathering:

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Changes at ABC News Assignment Desk

Chris Ariens — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:58:12 +0000

ABC News president David Westin has announced a restructuring of the newsgathering apparatus of the divison.

“The Desk will become a more active partner with the programs and platforms in choosing the right stories to cover,” Westin writes to the staff, in an email obtained by TVNewser. “The Desk in its current form has served us well for many years. But from now on, we will be asking more of it.”

To that end, “World News” senior producer Tom Nagorski has been named foreign managing editor and 15-year ABC News veteran David Reiter becomes domestic managing editor. Both will report directly to Kate O’Brian.

Nagorski is part of the “World News with Diane Sawyer” “rim” — the top producers who are closest to the program — where he will remain until a new senior is named.

The desk changes come amidst the cutbacks announced two months ago today which are soon to be finalized. ABC News is expected to shed 300-400 jobs.

Westin’s email after the jump…

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Newser Notes from Haiti

Chris Ariens — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:33:56 +0000

• Fox News correspondent Steve Harrigan, who’s covered wars and other international conflict, was overcome with emotion telling the story of a woman who lost 4 of her children in the quake, and her fifth child at a hospital: “That kind of loss is hoffific in any culture. But when you’re in a culture where …. where you’re alone …. it just makes it all the more difficult.” (VIDEO HERE)

• CNN’s Ivan Watson has been reporting from the scene of a rescue attempt of an 11-year-old girl. “She’s crying, she’s in a lot of pain right now and she’s terribly scared. This little girl – it’s kind of heartbreaking to hear this – because she’s pinned there. The right leg is underneath the concrete – her hands are free and her leg is free and she’s talking to us. They only discovered her today. They’re thinking about trying to cut her leg. They don’t know what to do right now.” (VIDEO HERE)

• CNN’s Anderson Cooper was #1 at 10pm in the A25-54 demo last night. Greta Van Susteren was #1 in Total Viewers.

• For Total Day coverage, Fox News came out on top averaging 1.5M Total Viewers (426K in A25-54) to CNN’s 942K (337K). MSNBC drew 449K (129K) and HLN drew 320K (137K).

• Reuters TV, which has been providing coverage for international broadcasters including Al Jazeera, Canal Plus, and ITN, was first with video of the devastation — about 4 hours after the quake Tuesday night. The service had the first TV facility set up at the airport – before NBC’s own dish was set up – Brian Williams, Al Roker, Ann Curry rushed to the Reuters dish so they could do a cross-talk on MSNBC. Williams even thanked Reuters at the beginning of “Nightly News” last night.

• B&C’s Marisa Guthrie talks to Williams, ABC’s VP of news Kate O’Brian, and CBS News SVP Paul Friedman about the logistical difficulties of feeding and housing the news crews as well as keeping them safe as they cover the disaster.

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Job Cuts Coming to ABC’s London Bureau

Chris Ariens — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:45:41 +0000

First on TVNewser: Insiders tell TVNewser the staff of ABC’s London newsroom was called to a meeting this morning to discuss the future of the bureau, which will result in the loss of jobs. ABC News SVP Kate O’Brian told bureau staffers that a month-long consultation process is now underway. During the period, which is required by British law, decisions will be made about cost savings including who among the 65 staffers will be cut. That U.K. labor law kicks in when a company is considering letting go 20 employees. Our insider tells us that’s about the number facing a job loss – about 30% of the staff.

An ABC News spokesperson confirms the meeting telling TVNewser, “We will be consulting with our employees over the coming weeks with a view to reaching an agreement on any changes. This discussion is about aligning our worldwide resources with the new technologies available to us and the economic realities we all face.”

Another source who attended the meeting tells us ABC could find other ways to save (telco, other overhead and discretionary costs, etc.) which could mean fewer jobs might be lost.

In late 2007 ABC News expanded global newsgathering by adding digital correspondents, essentially one-person operations, in countries including South Korea, Indonesia and Kenya. And we hear ABC is looking to expand the digital reporter operation.

The London bureau downsizing is the continuation of cuts at the news division. Says the ABC News spokesperson, “This is an effort we have already undertaken in all our domestic bureaus as well as ABC News headquarters in New York.

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