Los Angeles, CA--The Covid-19 catastrophe may well change forever the way TV news is gathered and broadcast.   The nation’s news operations have been forced to have some reporters work from home.  They’re suddenly gathering news as they conduct their routine interviews via Zoom, Skype and Facetime .  The Multi Media Journalist is a mainstay everywhere except where the photographers unions are politically anchored.  That’s all about to change.  Drones, smaller and cheaper DSLR type cameras are capturing startling video images.  Quality video live streaming has never been so easy.  The technology learning curve for reporters is no longer an obstacle. The increased efficiency and cost savings connected to news gathering are really monumental.  There will always be a need for helicopters, and news crews to chase breaking news.  We need to forever end those ridiculous and expensive reporter’s live shots in front of stale ...

Canon 80D Los Angeles,CA —I just got a new vlogging DSLR camera.  I already had a decent news gathering video camera, a couple GoPro cameras, an iPhone and four drones.   I actually have a working video and photography studio in my home. Needless to say, I also have a video editing suite and can post whatever I please on Social media sites.  However now, I really do have all need to regularly produce a very watchable vlog.   I’m still learning new things every day.  The largest vlogging obstacle is a lack of subject material.  I finally made the realization that the best vloggers can make a story out of a trip to the dentist or even the grocery store watchable and interesting!  It’s time for me to learn how to be an enterprising vlogger.  I must go out and find my stories and share them.   I do have a huge TV news background working on such stories as The Oklahoma Bombing and Ted Kaczynski , the long sought UNIBOM, serial ...

That’s a sad but realistic view of our society that tolerates ignorance despite our taxpayer funded public education.   Our massive immigration invitation to the worlds poor and illiterate combined with acceptance of their refusal to learn how to read and write has become a major crisis. Too many of our own children, particularly Blacks and Hispanics are allowed to reject the tools needed to escape a lifetime of financial dependency.   Our illiterates are doomed to only receive communication rather than creating and influencing their world.   The future is in clearly creating watchable video.  Government, businesses, news providers and entertainers must cater to our illiterate society.  Of course video communication is now superior to any other form.  Being able to create exceptional video will be the ultimate influencing skill.   We must equip our children with the tools and resources so they are not allowed to fail. The best ca...

Los Angeles, CA —I’ve worked in TV news as an investigative freelancer for nearly 30 years.  I never sought nor obtained a formal journalism education but was drafted into TV news strictly for my investigative ability.  I was lucky to be given a, second to none, on the job journalism education by many gifted reporters, producers, media lawyers  and TV news consultants.  For the last 15 years I’ve watched the slow death of news, as we knew it.   News consumers have left broadcast and print news in droves. They’ve escaped to Internet bloggers and vloggers for their information.   Left behind are the folks that simply never learned computers or even smart phones.   Because they’re technophobes they’ve become a captive audience for television and print news.   Then there are the illiterate and poor.   Few of these folks are great targets for advertisers other than drug and reverse mortgage companies. I think print is failing as society ...

Roanoke, VA —Most of my readers know that aside from being a private eye,  I’m also a freelance investigative TV news producer and have an extensive history working in this field. I’ve been blessed to work with some pretty terrific and talented people over the years. TV news people are a special breed that thrives on creativity to show their viewers what’s going on in their world.  TV news hires a diverse selection of people where race, gender, sexual preference is controlled by strict efforts to reflect Liberal ideals. They strive to meet strict diversity quotas rather than simply finding the most qualified candidates. Thankfully in the end it all seems to work out. Saying that I find the minorities they hire to be dedicated and gifted professionals that simply enjoy doing news.  I’ve been on the receiving end of kindness, lifetime friendships and the privilege of simply knowing like-minded people that are different.  We’re not really different because at ...

Los Angeles, CA —Television news has been a 60-year exercise in monkey see, monkey do plagiarism. Today’s TV executives are playing to the lowest common denominator.   The unproductive and ignorant seem to be the current TV news target audience.     Does this serve the sponsors that thrive on financially sound viewer’s buying power? Is this more about guiding the lame, dependent and ignorant to vote for the Liberal political ticket?   I have no doubt that’s too often the reality.   It’s not the number of viewers but rather their spending power that counts in the end.   How can anyone sell new cars to brain-dead and impoverished underachievers? TV news would have died long ago but for lucrative political ads during elections.   My recommendations? I will begin with the abuse of the Breaking News label.   Last night’s news is not breaking in the morning.   Are viewers so dumb they can be convinced yesterday’s news is breaking? ...

Los Angeles, CA —Journalism school may give you building blocks and give you the polish to craft a news story, but the future of traditional reporting is beyond bleak. In the end journalist show us in print, photos, audio and video what’s going on in our world.   Can someone that never paid tuition to Northwestern or Columbia or sweated those final exams steal your job?   It’s already happening! There is no special magic to TV news reporting.   At the most, it’s all about monkey see, monkey do!    The way to get compensation for reporting has changed dramatically.   It’s your audience that determines how well you’re paid.   Balancing sensationalism with truth to gain and maintain an audience is the difficult challenge. This past January I took a part-time model and turned her into reporter to cover the Shooting, Hunting Outdoor Trade show in Las Vegas. I could have done this all myself but it’s much easier when there are two people sha...

 courtesy of AZ Republic  Phoenix, AZ --It was in July of 2007 when cops were chasing a fleeing pickup truck through the streets of Phoenix.   Also in pursuit were two TV news choppers that were covering this breaking story. Soon the story of the day changed dramatically and tragically as the two news helicopters somehow collided in midair.   Two veteran pilots and gifted photojournalists that I knew personnaly were killed.   The financial and personal damages of that event were beyond catastrophic and heartbreaking.     Since 1960, there were 91 deaths and scores of serious injuries directly related to News helicopters alone.   Another TV news pilot/reporter I once knew was Karen Key .   She was a young and very attractive lady that gained quite a following in Phoenix.   One day she was arrested by Phoenix police for DUI.   Quickly her news director unceremoniously sent her packing.   Some of her fans t...

From an Undisclosed Location —Ok, that’s a fair question.   The answer is complicated.   I’ll do my best to answer that. Yes, I’m a licensed private detective but I avoid work that’s meaningless, illegal, or immoral.   My primary specialty is criminal defense and I’m considered an expert in self-defense cases involving deadly force.   I accept other cases including personal injury cases where liability must be established and fixed. In 1989 I was recruited to work as a TV investigative news producer .   I did not shut down my agency but agreed simply do the work for TV news like all my other clients.  On news cases I spend my time finding out what the cops and other authorities do  NOT want the media to know about the most high profile murders and such.   I’ve actually reported stories but generally never have the time to do anything but locate and hand over the material and important witnesses for interviews to those familiar TV face...