|
03/03/93
Broadcast of statement keeps media focus on KRLD-AM; TV stations differ on handling of Koresh talk simulcast
By Ed Bark / The Dallas Morning News
KRLD radio again took center stage Tuesday during a sometimes-surreal day-long electronic stakeout by the Dallas-Fort Worth area's three network TV affiliates.
The dramatic high point came at 1:30 p.m., when Branch Davidian cult leader David Koresh's rambling 58-minute taped sermon began airing unedited on KRLD AM (1080) and KDFW-TV (Channel 4), which simulcast the entire message while training a live camera on KRLD's newsroom.
The radio station, cooperating with law enforcement officials, broadcast the message with the understanding that Mr. Koresh and his followers would surrender in return. But Mr. Koresh's promise at the outset of the audio tape-"I, David Koresh, agree upon the broadcasting of this tape to come out peacefully with all the people"-went unkept as day turned to night.
"Disappointed? You bet," KRLD station manager Charlie Seraphin told Channel 4 reporter Tim Ryan during the station's 5 p.m. newscast.
About half of Mr. Koresh's statement was simulcast on KXAS TV (Channel 5). WFAA-TV (Channel 8) simulcast only a few minutes of it, as did CNN to a national audience.
"It sounded like the same things he had been saying (on a much briefer radio message played Sunday and Monday). But we didn't know for sure," Channel 4 news director Mike Sechrist said. "Once we started with it, I thought we should continue all the way through. We would have left it immediately if something else had been happening. But there was nothing new going on outside the compound. We decided to let viewers make whatever judgments they wanted to make about him (Mr. Koresh)."
Channel 8 news director John Miller said the station largely ignored the elongated message because "obviously it was going to be 58 minutes of his religious beliefs, which we thought already had gotten sufficient coverage. We weren't interested in just turning our air over to an unedited message."
Continuous, mostly commercial-free coverage on Channels 4, 5 and 8 began shortly before 11 a.m., when law enforcement officials appeared to be closing in on the cult compound near Waco.
"It's obvious something is shaking now," said Channel 5 anchor Brad Wright.
But a quick resolution to the crisis wasn't forthcoming. Channel 8 became the first dropout, resuming at 3 p.m. with the game show Jeopardy. Channels 4 and 5 stayed with live coverage for the rest of the afternoon. The stations mostly recycled previously reported information while waiting for something-anything-to happen.
Before KRLD played its starring role, Channel 5 provided viewers with late-morning pictures of two armed law enforcement agents climbing onto a roof on the compound grounds near Waco.
Mr. Wright identified them as "sharpshooters" but later regretted making such a statement on the air.
"The last thing we want to do is give David Koresh any kind of a tipoff as to what federal authorities are up to," Mr. Wright told on-the-scene reporter Mike Androvett.
The compound has a rooftop satellite dish that has been in full view on TV screens. But the Dallas viewing area's only satellite-fed "superstation" is KTVT-TV (Channel 11). That station has a news operation but did not provide coverage of the ongoing crisis during daytime hours Tuesday. While Mr. Koresh's statement aired, Channel 11 was showing a rerun of Highway to Heaven. A satellite dish could pick up CNN's intermittent coverage of the crisis. On Tuesday, the all-news network's mid-afternoon coverage alternated between live updates from Waco and Ross Perot's congressional testimony on Capitol Hill.
The marathon local TV coverage showcased the work of two talented newcomers.
Channel 5's Mr. Androvett, usually based in Austin, was a calm, collected point man throughout the day. When a Channel 5 anchor or reporter became overly judgmental, Mr. Androvett invariably saved the day with a big-picture perspective.
Phoenix-based Rick Ross stood out among the imported cult analysts.
Channel 4 hooked up with him after station general manager Jeff Rosser heard Mr. Ross being interviewed Sunday on KRLD. Channel 4 asked Mr. Ross to fly to Dallas, where he became an integral part of Tuesday's coverage.
Mr. Ross, who has "deprogrammed" some of Mr. Koresh's followers, has had some blunt opinions. "David Koresh is interested only in what is good for himself," Mr. Ross said.
|
Back to Top
