The companies will make their joint content available to other media outlets in each market, including rival stations, print publications, radio and digital media.
“By pooling resources to provide video coverage of general market events, we can ensure our stations are covering the news of the day,” said NBC Local Media President John Wallace, “and at the same time, focus our efforts on the type of specialized reporting that defines our brands and differentiates our stations within their communities.” READ MORE
This is sort of happening in large markets already where sole proprietors (usually called stringers or freelance photographers) go shoot breaking news and sell the clips to each station in town. Heck, there is even a cable TV show about it. In this case, Fox and NBC are just keeping it in house.
If times are as tough as they appear, I guess it makes sense to pool resources on news that everyone is going to have anyway and let's be honest...looks pretty much the same on each station no matter who shoots it.
The two media companies plan to eventually expand the program beyond markets where they both own stations. File this one under category 'Times are changing.'
- Fox, NBC Try ‘AP’ Approach to Local TV
- UPDATE: Fox and NBC Want To Take Joint News Service National
