Why a television station is producing a “newspaper”

I’ve been spending a lot of time with police lately.  Even more than usual.

It’s because we have a new publication, called Crime Tracker.

You: Wait … Publication?  Isn’t WSLS-10 a television station? 
Me: Last time I looked, yes. 
You: So, why do a newspaper thing? 
Me: Because it makes sense.
You: To Whom?

I thought we might get some questions like that, but we haven’t.  At least I haven’t.  I figured lots of people might wonder why a television station would produce a print piece on crime or anything.

The answer is a not-so-simple mix of opportunity and entrepreneurship.  WSLS station manager Warren Fiihr, first approached me with the idea last year.  He saw a need no one was filling and we were uniquely positioned to do it.

WSLS-10 is owned by Media General.  The company has newspapers and television stations, and all of the properties have web sites.  Like many media companies we are doing something called “converging.”  That means we share resources so we can be more efficient and better serve you the viewer/reader/web user.

On the air you’ve heard us mention our “media partners” the Lynchburg News & Advance, the Danville Register & Bee and the Richmond Times Dispatch.  Of late you may have heard us say our “Lynchburg” or “Danville” newsroom.  It’s all part of working in the media in 2008.

Five years ago the thought of working with our print properties to produce the Crime Tracker “magazine” would have been unlikely at best.  But in 2008 it seemed almost natural.

We already have the stories.  We gather those everyday as we prepare the television newscasts.  We worked with local police to gain access to public records such as arrests, outstanding warrants, and calls for service. 

Because we post most of our stories on WSLS.com, they need to be converted from broadcast style to print style anyway.  So we take out the references like, “as you can see in this video…” and add some, “he said’s,” some punctuation, and we’re darn close to a newspaper story anyway.  (Ok that’s over simplified, but you get the point.) I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the support from Charles Wilborn and Amanda Meadows in our “Danville Newsroom"and Alison Bourne-Vanneck our multi-media intern.
We’ve told local police departments to supply us with information concerning public events, such as child safety seat checks, VIN etching for your car and other opportunities, and we’ll put that in there as well.

We then e-mail our reports, and public information to our “Danville Newsroom” and the print people lay it out, like they do the paper everyday, print it and send it back on a truck.

We put it out at Stop-In stores, and you get it for free. WSLS-10’s advertising executives sell space in the publication just like they do commercial time, and we hope to have a self-sustaining, publication that has value to both you and us.

You: Well since you put it that way, it kinda makes sense.
Me: That’s what I thought.
You:  Good thing, since it was the boss’ idea.
Me: Good point.  Now excuse me, I’ve gotta go add some punctuation to my television story.