TV stations juggle sensitive information, regular programming

By ERIC DEGGANS

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 7, 2001

At the time, it probably seemed like an important news scoop.

Not long into noontime coverage of the police shooting and standoff that paralyzed a Tampa neighborhood for hours, WFTS-Ch. 28 announced the name of the officer killed by a suspected bank robber.

But there was one problem. There was no way Lois Marrero's family could have been notified -- likely less than an hour after the woman had died -- violating a long-held policy among area broadcasters to hold off on such announcements until the next of kin can be notified.

"I can tell you it was a mistake," said Bill Berra, news director at the ABC affiliate, rejecting the idea that the lapse occurred because of a recent effort to ramp up hard news coverage at the station. He says staffers confused the officer's name with the name of a hospital spokesperson.

"There were people in our newsroom who were just as shocked to hear her name as anyone," added Berra, who was traveling out of town Friday and got the news by telephone from staffers (WFTS aired an apology during its evening newscasts Friday).

TV stations struggled to keep up with unfolding events as it became obvious a shootout with police officers was turning into a possible hostage situation. Most area stations devoted their midday newscasts to the subject and broke into regular afternoon programming with live reports.

Broadcasters also were juggling two other important local stories: a possible tornado touchdown in Hernando County and a big accident on the Gandy Bridge.

"We were waiting for locusts and frogs to show up next," said Jim Church, news director at CBS affiliate WTSP-Ch. 10, which pre-empted the soap opera The Young and the Restless for a half-hour of continuous coverage.

TV stations don't often brag about not showing news. But both WFLA-Ch. 8 and cable channel Bay News 9 reminded viewers repeatedly that lackluster footage resulted from policies that prohibit showing police positions during standoff and hostage situations (so as not to tip off a suspect who may be watching TV).

Bay News 9 even directed viewers to its Web site, where viewers could read in detail about the station's prohibitions.

"We wanted viewers to know why we can't show them certain pieces of information," said Rod Fowler, news director at Bay News 9, shrugging off the self-congratulatory tone of the announcements. "It's policing yourself. Just because you have (footage of) a dead body, doesn't mean you have to show it."

WTSP aired live footage from a helicopter, but news director Church maintains the pictures didn't reveal information that could have helped the suspect. The reports stopped after police asked local media to pull back their helicopters.

Despite carrying reports of the incident early on during their hourlong 11 a.m. newscast, WFLA could only present brief news updates after noon, while telecasting star Andre Agassi's loss in the men's Wimbledon tennis semifinals.

It was a curious dilemma: Should they pre-empt broadcast of a highly anticipated tennis match, or break in with live reports where little information was available and their own guidelines prohibited showing the scene very clearly?

"As long as there's a public safety threat, we have to try and keep people informed," said Susan DeFraties, executive producer at WFLA.

The pre-emptions angered viewer Barbara Sieling, 46, of St. Petersburg.

"I understand this was a tragedy . . . (but) it upsets me that they took 10 minutes to keep saying the same thing over and over," she said. "What else did I need to know?"

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright