TWC crew arrested

[Court Hubbard]

I apologize if this has already been posted, just clicked on cnn.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/04/15/reporters...d.ap/index.html

 

[Sam Sagnella]

Serves them right -- if, as the CNN article reports, the crew was repeatedly asked to leave then they absolutely deserve to face the trespassing charges. I definitely get more than a little peeved when I hear stories of this nature, especially when they take place on the property of a tornado fatality. No respect...

 

[Marc Austin]

This is exactly what they deserve. That kind of behavior is completely unacceptable. I think that team should publicly apologize for their lack of sympathy for the family of the deceased and their property.

 

[David Drummond]

Wow! That sets a bad precident. As someone that shoots video like this for the news, we would NEVER remain anywhere we were asked to leave from. I am wondering why they couldn't at least move to the street and shoot from public property?

 

[Bill Hark]

I really hope that article is not true because that really makes The Weather Channel look bad. And, though most storm chasers don't work for The Weather Channel, the incident reflects badly on all of us. I always film from public streets or ask permission. Generally, I stay away from damage areas.I could see protocol stretched and asking permission of local authority or possible quickly filming if there is no one in authority to ask. If they didn't have permission and were asked to leave (multiple occasions!), then the crew should be charged. That is absolutely unacceptable.
Just remember, they are innocent until proven guilty.

Bill Hark

 

[John Diel]

A couple of things to remember that Bill eluded to.

The TWC crew was arrested on warrant. A warrant of this type is sworn out by the aggreived party to a Law Enforcement Officer. The LE does not have to witness the Trespass himself. He's acting on the warrant.

Obviously we don't have all the facts. Obviously, the TWC crew isn't saying much. Obviously, there's a lot more than we know.

If the TWC crew was asked to leave private property and didn't, then LE acted correctly. If the TWC crew left private to public property, but still were within sight of the property, then LE still acted correctly working with the warrant as stated.

If the above is true and they moved to a street or adjacent property, then it's more the ethics of the TWC crew in question rather than the lagality of tresspass.

It's hard to believe that a news crew would have to be asked to leave property more than once. Although, it can happen. The more likely scenario is that they moved to the public roadway and were confronted there by family members. The New Crew acting as some news crews do, continued to film, thus escalating the situation already charged with emotion.

As a News Photographer, this is a sticky call. You're basically darned if you do and darned if you don't. I'm sure David Drummond can give a little insight here as well. The ethics vary from scene to scene. As a storm chaser, the ethics are easy. Render assistance as required or asked for. Move on if your not helping.

 

[David Drummond]

Indeed there is more to the story than was told. There ALWAYS is. Remember too that some news crews are actually employeed full time by whatever news agency, and not freelance, and sometime have to measure their own ethics of what they want to shoot vs. shooting what their employer is telling them to shoot to keep their job. I.E., the photographer might not feel personally comfortable shooting a damage scene, but that is part of his job to do so.

All that said, there ARE ways to run and gun without getting in the way and bothering people and often just talking to people before you even get the camera out can go a long, long way. Heck, I don't even like having a camera shoved in my face without warning, I don't doubt that someone that just went through a bad storm does.

I have found most people WANT to tell you about what happened to them, but they also like to be respected to. I have had people talk candidly on camera, I have had people say they would talk with the camera on as long as I didn't show their face. I have had other's that didn't want to be shown but was happy to let me shoot the property. I don't recall however EVER having anyone tell me NOT to shoot their storm damage.

I wish we knew more of what actually happened there, but I am betting you there were quite a few news crews on the scene, and not just the TWC crew.

 

[Tim Vasquez]

There was no response to calls seeking comment Friday from Weather Channel spokeswoman Kathleen Lane. "While we cannot comment on legal proceedings, we are upset and saddened this family suffered the loss of one of its members," she told the Southern Standard on Thursday.[/b]

I'm actually saddened to hear nothing but a corporate mealymouth response. I think at the very least a $1000 check to the victims out of respect and to smooth things over, or a similar donation to a local charity in the area, would be a more meaningful gesture than this. I can't seem to find any excusable scenario where one would hang around a disaster area being asked six times to leave. Thanks, Court, good catch.

Tim

 

[Kenny Drake]

I agree with Tim's assessment. Even if the TWC crew is not to blame, TWC should still write out a nice check or do something nice for the family to smooth things out and calm it down, otherwise this will go down as a bad mark for TWC no matter what comes out of it... it may already have.

 

[Joe Nield]

I agree with Tim's assessment. Even if the TWC crew is not to blame, TWC should still write out a nice check or do something nice for the family to smooth things out and calm it down, otherwise this will go down as a bad mark for TWC no matter what comes out of it... it may already have.
[/b]

Certainly TWC has shown no concern for their substantive image for several years.

 

[Kevin Bowman]

Certainly TWC has shown no concern for their substantive image for several years.
[/b]

its almost like this jorma duran has become the new jim cantore except jorma looks like a fool whenever he is on TV. Im not surprised by this but for having a crew in tornado alley like they say they are makes me wonder why they arent actually chasing the storms instead of waiting a day or two after and looking at the destruction. There have been PLENTY of chances for them

 

[Jeff Snyder]

its almost like this jorma duran has become the new jim cantore except jorma looks like a fool whenever he is on TV. [/b]

Jorma was brought in specifically to cover the spring / summer severe weather season. I think he used to work for a Chicago station... At any rate, I met him back in mid-March I think, and he seemed like a nice guy. TWC showed interest in covering real-time severe weather events much more this spring (partly why they brought in Jorma I assume), which is why you've seen many more 'field reports' (e.g. various anchors across the US to give live reports). I think it was the programming director who said that they are trying to become the 'weather news leader' by including more live reports (with the rise of MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News, they feel they may no longer have the leading edge in breaking weather information/stories, or at elast that's how I interpretted what he/they said). This has no bearing on this case, but just thought I'd throw it out.

 

[Kevin Bowman]

Jorma was brought in specifically to cover the spring / summer severe weather season. I think he used to work for a Chicago station... At any rate, I met him back in mid-March I think, and he seemed like a nice guy. TWC showed interest in covering real-time severe weather events much more this spring (partly why they brought in Jorma I assume), which is why you've seen many more 'field reports' (e.g. various anchors across the US to give live reports). I think it was the programming director who said that they are trying to become the 'weather news leader' by including more live reports (with the rise of MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News, they feel they may no longer have the leading edge in breaking weather information/stories, or at elast that's how I interpretted what he/they said). This has no bearing on this case, but just thought I'd throw it out.
[/b]

I dont think he is from Chicago but i could be wrong, ive never heard of him before his first TWC apperance, he very well could be though because i only watch Tom Skilling in Chicago, no one else is worth the time. im not saying he isint a nice guy, he just looks really uneasy on camera, or at least to me he does. TWC has never been really good at covering severe weather event. Also stations like MSNBC, CNN and Fox have easier access to live local news than TWC which give them a chance at covering events better. i will give credit to TWC though, durning the last Tennessee outbreak when they got a tornado live from one of the Nashville tv stations.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Kevin,

I think this is his first stint in weather reporting. I thought he said he was a sports reporter before this year.

 

[Damon Poole]

Whether this is Duran's first weather gig or not, even a cub beat reporter should know better than to trespass in a disaster area. Especially if, or when, they were asked to leave by a Police Officer. Those are basics of media law, and, hopefully also storm chase ethics, not to mention common sense. I'll bet his Assignment Editor and his News Director will have a few choice words for him..hopefully including The Donald's favorite phrase..."You're Fired!"

Kevin,

I think this is his first stint in weather reporting. I thought he said he was a sports reporter before this year.
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