20 Comments Add your own

• 1. Jason  |  July 27th, 2007 at 3:21 pm

  This is obviously a horrible accident. As a frequent helecopter photographer, I can can tell you it is your worst nightmare.

  My experience is that helecopter pilots usually don’t get into the breaking news game like the stations do. The stations compete for viewers…not the helecopters.

  That being said, this accident should be a wake-up call to news managers that put such a heavy emphasis on this visceral type of coverage. From a voyeuristic standpoint…it is exciting to watch. But these things are rarely news.

  Even more troubling was the line of questioning I heard on one of the PHX stations (don’t remember which) that was already going down the path of, “Why did police let the chase go on for so long?” Please…let’s not blame the police for this.

• 2. Allen  |  July 27th, 2007 at 5:47 pm

  You couldn’t pay me enough to fly anymore.

• 3. Frank Catalano  |  July 27th, 2007 at 6:14 pm

  I have to agree with Jason on all counts.

  This is horrific. It reminds me of when I was working in radio news in Seattle in the 1980s and we heard live audio — being fed down the NBC Radio network news line to show the line was operating properly — from the NBC NY O&O when the station’s traffic chopper crashed into the Hudson, killing the reporter. Her last words were, “Hit the water, hit the water, hit the…” It still gives me chills.

  However, news managers need to take re-think how and when they dispatch news helicopters. The idea that any chase is deserving of live or air coverage is just a bad idea, especially when the mechanism of coverage requires great precision to operate.

  As someone who was, in his early days, a traffic reporter, my condolences go out to the families and colleagues of those lost today.

• 4. Rob  |  July 27th, 2007 at 6:31 pm

  In my early days I spent a lot of time jumping out of perfectly good helicopters … fast roping, SPIE rigging, helo casting, you name it, we did it. I lost one friend in a chopper crash off Somalia, attended memorials for others who died in Harrier and chopper crashes but, being in the Marines, that was the nature of the job.

  News gathering shouldn’t be inherently dangerous, people’s lives shouldn’t be on the line when covering the news of the day and yet we have incidents like what happened today in Phoenix.

  No story is worth that price.

  I’m saddened by what happened today, I’m saddened for the news departments who lost two fine pilots and photographers, and most importantly for the families of those that died today.

• 5. Anonymous  |  July 27th, 2007 at 8:36 pm

  Can we please cease with the “who’s to blame?” commentary already and think about the news colleagues who died today?

• 6. Anonymous  |  July 27th, 2007 at 9:05 pm

  I don’t see posts that don’t reflect on the news colleagues who died today. It is incredibly sad.

  However, I can’t imagine there is a single thinking news person who isn’t also wondering what we can learn from it.

  There but for the grace of God….

• 7. Eric  |  July 27th, 2007 at 9:14 pm

  I interned at KNXV-TV about six-and-a-half years ago (back in the “We won’t waste your time” days). I don’t remember too much about Krolak, but I’m sure I went out on a few stories with him. My condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues at ABC 15.

• 8. rorahoch  |  July 28th, 2007 at 12:05 am

  Sad enough for the families -

  BUT: on the other hand, why are people chasing police cars chasing potential criminals?
  Why are people watching this live on TV?
  Why do broadcast station send such programs.

  There’s only one answer: GREED…
  …after money and sensations

  and there’s always a price to pay.

• 9. David Johnson  |  July 28th, 2007 at 6:02 am

  Scripps’ CEO Ken Lowe sent all of us employees this message this morning, he speaks well for everyone:

  View As Web Page

  Dear colleague:

  It is with great sadness that I pass along tragic news from our television station in Phoenix.

  As you already may have seen or heard from the national news coverage, two members of our KNXV, Channel 15, news team were killed today in a mid-air collision between the station’s helicopter and another operated by KTVK, Channel 3. Fatalities also have been confirmed on the KTVK helicopter.

  Rick Krolak, a photojournalist who has worked for KNXV for more than 10 years, lost his life in the accident as did Channel 15’s helicopter pilot, Craig Smith.

  Our sense of loss over the deaths of these dedicated professionals is tremendous. I know I speak for all of us at Scripps when I say that our thoughts and prayers go out to all of the families, friends and co-workers whose lives have been touched by this tragedy.

  Ken

• 10. Mike Escutia  |  July 28th, 2007 at 6:21 am

  This is sad. My condolences to the family, friends, and co-workers of the four men killed.

• 11. Richard Warner  |  July 28th, 2007 at 7:09 am

  This was the first time I’ve ever called up a local station’s Web site (KTVK) and watched a live stream of a local news story. I’m 2,000 miles away, but it drew me in and I watched for more than an hour.

  It was very moving to watch, not only station personnel, but eyewitnesses, struggle to maintain composure and tell stories. I feel like I know these people, and the experience of viewing the story as it unfolded has stayed with me.

• 12. Off topic  |  July 28th, 2007 at 8:43 am

  Wait a minute - Richard, you’re the president of Whats Up Interactive and make broadcast websites for a living, yet you have never watched a live stream of breaking news from out of the area you live in????? That’s odd.

• 13. Off topic  |  July 28th, 2007 at 9:03 am

  MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO ALL THE FAMILES. REPORTERS DO A GREAT JOB GIVING US THE NEWS GOOD OR BAD.. MAY GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU.

• 14. Allen  |  July 28th, 2007 at 10:05 am

  I would our industry would show the same compassion we are showing here toward other stories that we cover. TV news would be better for it.

• 15. John Gabaldon  |  July 28th, 2007 at 10:28 am

  I worked with Rick and really appreciated his kindness and talent. Our prayers for his family and friends who will truly miss him.

• 16. Anonymous  |  July 28th, 2007 at 12:44 pm

  8. rorahoch

  “Potential” criminal? Obviously you didn’t see the full story or know what was going on before the crash. It wasn’t about greed, the guy they were following was indeed a manace to the neighborhood he was in. But hey, thanks for the self-righteous sensitivity anyway.

• 17. Erik Lee  |  July 28th, 2007 at 1:57 pm

  While I shot news in Phoenix, I knew, and enjoyed Rick and Jim, but I spent some of my favorite time in the valley flying around with Scott Bowerbank–and I’m really going to miss him.

  As many have written, and said, on all the station and newspaper websites, Scott was a first class pilot–and a great guy. He never cut corners regarding safety–but he always got us where we needed to be to do the best jobs on our stories. It was great fun and very exciting covering news with Scott. I can’t believe he’s gone.

  Condolences to everyone in the Phoenix news market–between the four of them–I know just about everyone there lost at least one good friend on Friday.

• 18. Charles  |  July 28th, 2007 at 6:03 pm

  My condolences to the family and friends of these men. I’m not in the industry (yet) and hadn’t heard of these guys. But from what I’ve heard, they sound to have been extraordinary gentlemen who will be sorely missed.

• 19. No Remorse  |  July 30th, 2007 at 1:49 pm

  Serving up slop as “news” to slop-eating sheep who feed on OJ and lindsay and paris and car chases and runaway brides is not doing any of us any good.

  They knew and took the risk, and this was bound to happen. They got what they deserved. How’s that? Sorry to the families, but those are the breaks. How about the families of our dead soldiers?

  In the end you can blame… well VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

  Hey reporters: Try chasing some relevant stories… ones that dont require helicopters

  Hey Sheep: Try watching something relevant… besides car chases that kill reporters… or better yet, throw away your TV.

  Signed,
  The Truth Hurts

• 20. DeJaVuTv  |  August 1st, 2007 at 2:08 pm

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