Decision-making in television newsrooms : the rationale for live-on-the-scene news reports

The purpose of this study was to find out why television news managers include live-on-the-scene reports in their newscasts when other story treatments are available. Live reporting from the scene of news events is made possible by electronic news gathering technologies, including microwave-equipped vehicles and satellite uplinks. Reporting live enables television stations to deliver news stories as they happen, but immediacy is not the only reason for going live. This research examined the television news decision- makers' rationale for including live reports in television newscasts.

The study employed a qualitative method of inquiry. Field research was conducted to provide the data needed to analyze how and why live technologies were used. Sixty-two news managers who worked for television stations in six markets were interviewed and observed. The news managers included news directors, assistant news directors, executive producers, news operations managers, assignment editors, managing editors, and producers.

The news managers who participated in this study said live reports were often included in their newscasts to create an illusion or sense of immediacy rather than actually covering events that were occurring or unfolding at the time of their newscasts. They said the coverage of breaking news.was limited to less than one-third of the live shots produced. Whereas, the news managers said immediacy and logistical considerations were important reasons to go live, they also based many of their decisions on competitiveness (e.g., to show viewers the station's presence in the community) and presentation (e.g., to improve the flow or pacing of their newscasts.)

This study lends support to past research that showed television news is shaped in large measure by organizational influences. Most television stations are fighting to survive in highly competitive marketplaces, and their survival is linked to attracting viewers. And many of the news managers. who participated in this study said live-on-the-scene news reporting is an element of television newscasts that, according to the market research their stations have conducted, attracts and holds audience attention whether breaking news is being shown or not.