lisaviolet
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2002
I seriously do not understand how awful people can be. That poor family!
Just awful. Brings sadness and anger.
I seriously do not understand how awful people can be. That poor family!
Our local crews don't normally have security. Even during some of the Spring Break craziness when people were destroying cars, they just stayed back and filmed from a distance. They don't put themselves in harm's way.No they don't. Yes, if covering events where violence might be expected (like the protests the last couple of years), it wouldn't be unusual, but not ALL crews and not ALL the time.
I know. I read all about it. I was just adding background information as to why the news crews need security, now more than ever.The primary issue in the area (and why guards have been used) has been theft of expensive equipment. The reports of what happened here were that an armed group ordered everyone to the ground at gunpoint, Kevin Yashita (a retired police officer) tried to intervene, and he was shot before the equipment was stolen.
He was an officer in Oakland, Hayward, and San Jose, but apprently retired as a sergeant in Colma, which is a small town known more for cemeteries than people in its area under two square miles. They have a living population of around 1200, but their tax base (in addition to the cemeteries) is primarily the various strip malls in town. Sergeant Nishita would have likely been familiar with dealing property crime.
All TV crews have some sort of protection, especially when covering events that revolve around violence or destruction. Besides, it's California and they dont care about anything so whoever shot the guard will probably get a slap on the wrist.
I know. I read all about it. I was just adding background information as to why the news crews need security, now more than ever.
I don't think the rising levels of violent crime have anything to do with California.You have an odd notion of what California is and is not.
Well, our photographers last year got training on using their tripod as a defense weapon, so hopefully that is always with them.No they don't. Yes, if covering events where violence might be expected (like the protests the last couple of years), it wouldn't be unusual, but not ALL crews and not ALL the time.
Agree- nothing specific to California. But I think a misintpretation is that it's mostly urban violence. We've seen stories and situations that indicate it might be just as prevalent in sub-urban and even some remote areas. De-civilization seems like a very accurate term.I don't think the rising levels of violent crime have anything to do with California.
I think there is just a perceptible de-civilization going on, especially in major urban centers around the country. Most urban centers have seen dramatic increases in shootings and other violent crimes, and simple verbal disputes now seem to devolve into brawls and shootings on a daily basis.
Pro tip: Don't bring a tripod to a gunfight.Well, our photographers last year got training on using their tripod as a defense weapon, so hopefully that is always with them.
The sad thing is, these days most of the camera gear news crews use isn't all that expensive. The station I just retired from uses Sony HXR-NX-100s that retail for $1,500. Not sure how much of a discount we got since corporate bought 700 at once and divided them among the stations.The primary issue in the area (and why guards have been used) has been theft of expensive equipment.
We had an incident here in Denver where a local news security person shot and killed a person when two opposing rally groups started getting into it. The hiring was arranged through Pinkerton which caused a lot of, "Wait, they still exist?" but it was ultimately revealed the person was unlicensed. So yeah, news stations have security for things like this.
These weren't connected to any of the demonstrations. HOW BOUT THOSE BUCKEYES??? Nice D....... 300 yards on the ground.......but it was a peaceful demonstration
Felony Murder. The only difference is in California, you have to be a major participant in the felony.If they killed Sergeant NIshita during the commission of an armed robbery, in most of the US that is a felony murder and a capital offense in states which have the death penalty. I don't know what it is called in California.
California's overcrowded prison system would beg to differ with that assessment. Only three countries on this earth lock people up at a greater rate than does California. And one of them is the U.S. national average. The other two are El Salvador and Turkmenistan.Besides, it's California and they dont care about anything so whoever shot the guard will probably get a slap on the wrist.
It's not my camera, its channel 10's. I wouldn't even risk my life for my camera. I'm certainly not risking it for theirs.Well, our photographers last year got training on using their tripod as a defense weapon, so hopefully that is always with them.
The crime here, as you described it, was neither "gang on gang" nor "property crime."
When an armed group puts everybody on the ground at gunpoint to steal their equipment, that is called "armed robbery," and it's #3 on the list of violent felonies right behind murder and rape.
If they killed Sergeant NIshita during the commission of an armed robbery, in most of the US that is a felony murder and a capital offense in states which have the death penalty. I don't know what it is called in California.
Absolutely. And corporate policy very specifically says leave the gear behind. The problem during the civil unrest wasn't protesters wanting to steal gear, they wanted to assault news crews with the fists and whatever they could find like rocks.Pro tip: Don't bring a tripod to a gunfight.
It's only a camera, and it's not even your camera. Let them take it.
The sad thing is, these days most of the camera gear news crews use isn't all that expensive. The station I just retired from uses Sony HXR-NX-100s that retail for $1,500. Not sure how much of a discount we got since corporate bought 700 at once and divided them among the stations.
When I was shooting in 1979 I used an RCA TK-76 camera that retailed for $45,000 in 1979 dollars (and about $171,000 in today's dollars) and a Sony 3800 U-matic deck that sold for $7,000 in 1979 dollars ($26,000 in today's dollars)
I don't think the rising levels of violent crime have anything to do with California.
I think there is just a perceptible de-civilization going on, especially in major urban centers around the country. Most urban centers have seen dramatic increases in shootings and other violent crimes, and simple verbal disputes now seem to devolve into brawls and shootings on a daily basis.
Most smartphones today shoot the same quality video as "professional" camera gear. Another part of our safety training last year was for crews to do just that, shoot with their cell phones so they don't stand out with the camera on their shoulder and tripod..I was thinking that these days the cost of equipment for high quality results is so cheap that some people use it for webcams and YouTube or TikTok skits. I'm kind of annoyed at it, but my kid still watches some of the Dhar Mann skits (which I don't like) as well as imitators with even lower quality acting/scripts. However, the video quality is nearly as good these days as seen on actual TV shows.
Why anyone would really be looking to armed robbery to steal this stuff just kind of shocks me.
You may be right, but what I see is almost exclusively urban. And even in bucolic South Beach, whenever we have a shooting there the arrestee is almost always from NYC, Philly, Detroit, Atlanta -- never Lenexa, KS.Agree- nothing specific to California. But I think a misintpretation is that it's mostly urban violence. We've seen stories and situations that indicate it might be just as prevalent in sub-urban and even some remote areas. De-civilization seems like a very accurate term.
You’re likely to get attacked for that statement. But it’s not wrong.All TV crews have some sort of protection, especially when covering events that revolve around violence or destruction. Besides, it's California and they dont care about anything so whoever shot the guard will probably get a slap on the wrist.