Does the media have scanners for the hurricanes?

[radiolalaland]

I was curious does any of the media crews that are in these hurricane disastor area's in Texas and Louisiana carry scanners with them?

I was sure I saw one of CNN's correspondants carry what looked like a scanner.

Wouldn't it make sense for them to carry them?

 

[mmartinfan]

i would for many reasons

 

[JerGoTV3]

I work for a local media outlet, not in that area, and always carry a scanner. When Ophelia hit here, I had mine on and going for the whole storm.

 

[DaveIN]

I'd say many of the media now use the BCD396T. Some news stations bought several at a time.

 

[bear105]

I'd say many of the media now use the BCD396T. Some news stations bought several at a time.

This would make sense as its small, light, portable and very capable.

 

[mkewman]

if you don't have a scanner, and you work in the media, you are either an intern, or someone who doesn't really want to do a good job.

i work in the media, and there's always one on in the newsroom, unless we're scooping something like crazy.

 

[K5MAR]

Yeah, but the scanners are being monitored by the newsdesk or the photogs, not the talking heads, excuse me, that's "broadcast personalities".

As for what scanners are being used, that depends on the budget and needs of the station, as well as the preferences and prejudices of the engineer or whoever decides those things. I think it's not a good idea to make a blanket statement that TV stations are all going to the XYZ scanner, because it's the latest and the greatest. The station I'm familiar with, most of the scanners are Uniden base/mobile scanners of varing vintages (one ENG truck has two 895s mounted in it), with a couple of HH scanners used by a couple of the photogs who were able to convince the news director they needed them.

Mark S.

 

[ajpritch]

I know 2 of are 3 major stations and I assume the third use them. With both of the 2 have 3-5 scanners on the news desk with a staff member sitting there all the time to listen for something interesting to go report on.

 

[JerGoTV3]

I carry a Pro-95. We're in a small market so we only have two on the assignment desk. We also have a couple Pro-94's that float from car-to-car, nothing installed.

 

[jellotor]

We have just recently purchased 250Ds. There was some concern about buying them since, in the words of one person, "the salesman said these were the last ones he had to sell."

At our assignment desk we have an 895, an 890, a 245 and a 296D along with one or two Motorola MTX-838s. Trucks carry a combination of 245s and 250Ds with one poor sod forced to work with a 235.

When TV gear (and I mean just about ANY TV gear) costs thousands and thousands of dollars to not only buy but also maintain ("Sorry, the capital budget this year is much lower because the maintenance budget shot thru the roof.") scanners sometimes get the short shrift.

I know of some people who own their own scanners or portables because the ones the station gives them are not sufficient to meet their needs.