Anne Blythe at News-Observer: Public workers used in promos - Showing that journalism still works when cross ownership is low, Blythe reports on WTVD ABC-11 (Durham, NC) using firemen and fire fighting equipment to film commercials touting their journalistic qualities. Sigh.

The Fire Chief, Bruce T. Pagan, was quoted as saying, "Our personnel were on duty. If we needed them for a call, we could have called them and they would have been out of there fast." The Fire Chief added that it was actually a benefit because of the firemen being promoted on television for free.

Curtis Miles, WTVD's creative services director, as of posting, was unavailable for comments. Blythe reports that news of the 'mini-movie' appeared on the Watts-Hillandale electronic mailing list (which doesn't appear to be available publicly online.)

Kathy Schenley, whose house was the one used in the commercial (she wasn't paid), was told something about it airing on the SuperBowl. (Is all this, then, just pre-commercial hype? No, I think it's good that it was noted. You?)

From the article:

John Sweeney, a journalism professor at UNC-Chapel Hill who specializes in advertising and sports communication, said the shoots raised interesting issues about staging events.

"If the president can do it, why can't the local news station?" Sweeney said.

Contact info for article:

Staff writer Anne Blythe can be reached at 932-8741 or ablythe(at)newsobserver.com

Orig. Published:

Published: Dec 16, 2005 12:30 AM

Related Links:

• TV station uses on-duty firefighters for staged news promos - Poynter.org (Romenesko)

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