When he wanted to interview a source in Connecticut for a recent “World News” story on technology, ABC reporter Pierre Thomas didn’t even leave the office. ABC’s cameras showed him sitting in front of a computer screen, talking to Michael Coppolla through Skype.
The video phone service has become an important tool for television news organizations over the past several months. Producers say it enables them to reach many more people for interviews. It also saves money, although its current users insist Skype won’t become a crutch.
Skype encourages news organizations to use the service, doesn’t charge for it and offers detailed advice on how to best take advantage of the technology. The company asks networks to display its logo or verbally identify Skype.
“It really has changed the way we do business,” said Tom Costello, a Washington-based NBC News reporter.
While reporting on a bad egg outbreak a week ago, Costello found an elderly woman in a remote section of Pennsylvania who has lingering stomach problems from a salmonella poisoning five years ago. There was no way to reach her in time with a camera crew for “Nightly News,” but Costello was surprised to find she regularly used Skype, and that’s how they did the interview.
One of Washington’s paralyzing snowstorms last winter left Costello without power and stranded at home, but his wife held up a laptop to take a picture of him thigh-deep in snow in their front yard so Costello could do a live report.
All three broadcast network newscasts use Skype to a certain extent. Fox News Channel interviews people under the banner “Skype gripe.” Barbara Walters talked about her heart surgery on “The View” by way of Skype. The “Today” show keeps connected with viewers through Skype.
“This opens the entire country up for us to get to instantaneously,” said Jon…