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W P I X   D A T A S H E E T

Excerpted from a radio news documentary by Martin Hardee, Fall, 1978.  


In-House Reporting Resources...


Reporters: 3 full-time writer/reporters
1 part-time
Specific beats: All generalists
Telephone interviews: “It's done”
From reporter's desk
Do you duplicate coverage of the wires? Yes but “it's gotta be big”
Police info: Off wire, then call
Bureaus: None local
Stringers, freelancers? None local, rely on colleagues outside NY
Versions of voicers: 2 wraps
Audio from the scene
Tape library: Yes, save the “better stuff”
Long distance budget: Yes, unlimted
Influenced by competitors? “No”


Outside Sources...


Subscription services: UPI: Natl Br, Greater NY Br
Alternatives: Newscript, but “not crazy about it”
Audio services: WPIX TV
PR, politicians: No
Daybooks: Just as a tip sheet
Newspapers: Yes, with attribution
Traffic/transit: WOR & WCBS
Traffic desk


Facilities...


Open reels: 1 RCA
2 Ampex 440s
Cart machines: 4 Gates
Timers: Event timers
Phone: Nearby
Cassette portables: Sony TC-110s
Panasonic
Cassette decks: No
On-street mikes: EV 635a
Equalizers: Yes
Broadcast lines to bureaus: n/a
Cart machines at each desk? Nearby
Separate news studio? No


Writing Style...


Stylebook? No
Sound bite limits: No “could range from :09 to 3:00”
Story line limits: No
Grammar: “Coloquial, informal”
Use of 'straight wire copy': Sometimes


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About this report
This research documentary is Copyright 1979, 2002  Martin Hardee - All Rights Reserved. (read more...) Material may be quoted or excerpted for non-profit research purposes without additional special permission. For additional information email martin @ hardee.net.