I am trying to find the frequencies that they may use to assign newscasters to breaking stories for the following news TV channels here in Waco/central TX , KXXV, KWKT, KCEN, KWTX. Does anyone else monitor TV channels and if so where do you find the frequencies? Thanks for any help.
Bob,
I don't have any information as to what your local stations might be using. However, let me point out what is happening up here in the DFW Metro area, Here is the list of media frequencies in the database for DFW.
Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Media (Dallas County)
www.radioreference.com
The majority of those frequencies are in either the 450.000 to 450.999. You see references to helicopters, and also a section of frequencies used for "traffic" reports. That frequency band does not usually deal with assigned licenses. Instead, the various outlets basically coordinated among themselves to keep their channels from conflicting with a different station.
Those have long since been virtually abandoned. Before the 9-11 attacks, several of the "traffic" links listed operated helicopters to monitor traffic for on-air reports during the morning and evening rush. All of the major television stations (4, 5, 8, and 11) had their own copters to cover breaking news events or to show storm damage if part of the area was hard hit. You might have heard reporters talking to the news desk at their station to get an assignment, or to report in what they had found. Those were also used to cue the reporter for a live shot from the scene. In some cases, the news desk would send the reporter or copter a page with information of an ongoing event, so as not to tip off one of the other stations.
All of that usage is long gone, as
Bill noted, after 9-11 . While I still have the frequencies programmed in one scanner, "just in case", I can't remember the last time I heard anything of interest. The field reporters are using cell phones to receive assignments or report back, and in some cases, video is sent back, via the phone, by a reporter on scene who does not have a photographer or live van with them. Using the phones, the other stations would not hear what one channel has found, so they might be the only station at the scene, or at least got a head start on coverage.
All of the local stations here got rid of their own helicopters, and instead use a contracted company based in Garland. The same bird may be feeding video to more than one station, at the same time. One of the local TV stations (I'm not positive, but I believe that it is KDFW, 'Fox 4') has since elected to pay for exclusive use of one of the helicopters rather than sharing shots with the competition. The traffic reports now are basically done from an office, with individuals assigned to monitor agencies & traffic cameras (on the freeways) in specific areas.
RR says the Phase 2 system is the Sheriff primary comms; it could be that they are on that system and the Sheriff dept is still simulcasting just the dispatch on the old 155.7 freq. Looks like they are using encryption on the Phase 2 system. Have you tried listening to the input to 155.7 (159.21)?
Rich - N3VMY - KAG0096
Best is to search 450-451 and 455-456, see if you get any activity
Agreed, that's probably your best bet, in case one of your local outlets is still using the old style of communications.
