US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Philadelphia Fox29 News reports HP "buyout" of US

It's this kind of quick and dirty storytelling that P.O.'s me on broadcast news. Tonight, Fox29 in Philadelphia broadcast a 30 second blurb story that, in my mind, was designed to kick an airline thats already down after the Christmas meltdown (among other things)

The story was a two parter - both containing either biased or inaccurate info.
Part 1 described how USAirways has had to cancel "over 200 flights" this week at Charlotte due to runway construction. Now, that in itself may be true(well, the cancelled flight numbers may be. I know the construction part is). But, wouldn't it have been less biased or more fair to say how many flights from all airlines that use the airport??? It's not US' fault that the runway has to be repaired! I'd be curious to know how many flights, in total, had to be cancelled this week. Surely, US makes a large percentage of that number but it would have been a little more fair and balanced.

The 2nd quickie part of the 30 second piece was flat out incorrect. They said that the "Wall Street Journal" reported that America West is in talks to "buy out" USAirways. Everything I've read in numerous press outlets has basically said that the talks are focused more on a merger where USAirways would retain the name. I haven't seen the words 'buy out', and I don't think it's been reported that HP would be taking over the airline in the traditional buyout sense.

I have sent a correction message to their web link. Feel free to chime in with your own comments on poor journalism.

http://www.fox29.com/news/tenoclock.shtml#contact

Unless they're directly working on it, I don't think anyone here knows how the deal is going to be structured. It may very well be an asset sale with HP et al. buying US's assets, with one of those assets being the US Airways name.

I won't believe a word unless it comes from Jim Gardner. Hard to believe I miss Action News.

US had announced last Friday here that they would cancel 10% of the flights on Tues and Wed, but the local news just said it is now 17% (with about 575 flights a day, 200 may be close). VERY few flights from other carriers here, so it should be minimal to them. But US said they would cancel the empty flights (how many of those are there), and put them on other flights.
That should drive the load factor up this month.

The story was a two parter - both containing either biased or inaccurate info.
Part 1 described how USAirways has had to cancel "over 200 flights" this week at Charlotte due to runway construction. Now, that in itself may be true(well, the cancelled flight numbers may be. I know the construction part is). But, wouldn't it have been less biased or more fair to say how many flights from all airlines that use the airport??? It's not US' fault that the runway has to be repaired! I'd be curious to know how many flights, in total, had to be cancelled this week. Surely, US makes a large percentage of that number but it would have been a little more fair and balanced.

I'm pretty sure that nobody else is intentionally bagging flights at CLT. US has to do it, because they are stretched thin on aircraft, and if a particular bird gets held up at CLT, it'll muck up flights downline all day. Since CLT is now up to like a 10 bank/day hub, it could throw a serious wrench into their system. A DL MD-80 doing out and backs ATL-CLT all day will simply screw up the subsequent legs to CLT and back. Since the US operation simply cannot afford to have massive problems in CLT, I don't find it biased to only report on US (in this particular case).


The 2nd quickie part of the 30 second piece was flat out incorrect. They said that the "Wall Street Journal" reported that America West is in talks to "buy out" USAirways. Everything I've read in numerous press outlets has basically said that the talks are focused more on a merger where USAirways would retain the name. I haven't seen the words 'buy out', and I don't think it's been reported that HP would be taking over the airline in the traditional buyout sense.

It'll be a buyout, but probably not funded by HP. Certainly by a third party. They'll retain HP's management team (Because they are eons better) and the US Airways name (because it enjoys slightly higher recognition in the US, and loads more in Europe and the islands).

But, let's be real--HP is clearly the healthier of the two airlines. It's not unreasonable to call it a "buy out."

Could the story have been done better? Probably. Does it lack accuracy? Maybe, maybe not--it's all a matter of viewpoint (and, quite frankly, I don't expect any resident of either end of Pennsylvania to have a lot of good things to say about US).

PHL,

The thread title sounded as if the deal had gone through and was being announce. I started searching for headlines.

Reports like this make me wonder why the principals allowed news of this merger to leak out in advance. All involved know/knew how to keep this quiet (remember the shock of the UA/US merger in 01?). I wonder what their intent was in leaking news of the merger in advance?

I won't believe a word unless it comes from Jim Gardner. Hard to believe I miss Action News.

We all miss Action News.... I miss the music.


Move closer to your world my friend
Take a little bit of time
Move closer to your world my friend
And you'll see

Just a little bit of time
That's all it takes to bring your world together
Take a little bit of time
Don't turn away my friend tomorrows are forever
Get close to people
Your world needs you to care to share it, take the time
Join hands my friend with all the people in your world
Moving close
Move on in and you'll see

Move closer to your world my friend
Move closer to your world
Move closer to your world my friend
And you'll see

From 6 ABC, this has been Action News, the most watched news program in the Delaware Valley.

There is, of course, a web site that can help with this:

http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/2020/news_themes.html

We all miss Action News.... I miss the music.


Move closer to your world my friend
Take a little bit of time
Move closer to your world my friend
And you'll see

Just a little bit of time
That's all it takes to bring your world together
Take a little bit of time
Don't turn away my friend tomorrows are forever
Get close to people
Your world needs you to care to share it, take the time
Join hands my friend with all the people in your world
Moving close
Move on in and you'll see

Move closer to your world my friend
Move closer to your world
Move closer to your world my friend
And you'll see

From 6 ABC, this has been Action News, the most watched news program in the Delaware Valley.

I loved it when I lived in Delaware and they still had the old-fashioned weather map with highs, lows, clouds, and temperatures stuck on (velcro/felt?)......and how they used to say "From Channel 6, this has been Action News...." before switching to "6ABC" more recently. Anyone know if they switched back to "Channel 6" on that voiceover?

When I connect at PHL (ugh), I keep hoping that maybe I'll hear the Action News theme on a TV in a bar or something, but never any such luck.

On the linked page above, be sure to listen to "Big Daddy Graham's Action News Theme" if you've never heard it before......it is a hillarious parody.

remember the shock of the UA/US merger in 01?

Believe it or not, that was May 2000. A lot has transpired in 5 years, huh?

As for you Channel 6 Action News fans - the song and weather map have remained unchanged. The team is still in tact. Yes, it is the best and most trusted news in the DE Valley. The other stations keep scrambling to keep up. Channel 10 is the absolute worst.

Believe it or not, that was May 2000. A lot has transpired in 5 years, huh?

As for you Channel 6 Action News fans - the song and weather map have remained unchanged. The team is still in tact. Yes, it is the best and most trusted news in the DE Valley. The other stations keep scrambling to keep up. Channel 10 is the absolute worst.

Is Channel 10 still very, very tabloidy? It seemed that when CBS sold the station to NBC that their news started to slide into the muck.

And how is Lisa Thomas-Laury doing? I heard she was ill and on leave.

Interesting how even when ABC was in third or even fourth place, Action News was still the ratings winner. People are more discerning than they get credit for sometimes......

Is Channel 10 still very, very tabloidy? It seemed that when CBS sold the station to NBC that their news started to slide into the muck.

And how is Lisa Thomas-Laury doing? I heard she was ill and on leave.

Interesting how even when ABC was in third or even fourth place, Action News was still the ratings winner. People are more discerning than they get credit for sometimes......

Lisa Thomas-Laury has retired, although WPVI says she is free to come back when and if she is feeling better.

NBC10 still is quite tabloidish -- every fender bender is BREAKING NEWS!!!! Its ratings are finally reflecting that. I think the turning point was when former weatherman John Bolaris warned people during sweeps of the storm of the century that never materialized....

I won't believe a word unless it comes from Jim Gardner. Hard to believe I miss Action News.


Jim Gardner ?? i remember when he was a rookie.

I MISS LARRY KANE (showing my age), on both Channel 6 and 10!!

For those of you who miss it.....

WPVI's website has an Action News ringtone. Whenever somebody in my phone's address book calls my cell, I am treated to the Action News theme. I always get a few smiles in the PHL airport when my phone goes off.

The amalgamated First Coast News here in Jacksonville looks like a college journalism amateur newscast compared to WPVI (here in Jacksonville the NBC and ABC stations merged, so we basically have one local newscast simulcast on up to three stations at the same time... plus there's the joke Fox news that simulcasts on the CBS station which they also own).

Jim Gardner ?? i remember when he was a rookie.

I MISS LARRY KANE (showing my age), on both Channel 6 and 10!!

Ok, this is getting way off topic now, but for the record - Larry Kane $ucked. I hated his tabloid, pompous style that he slowly took on when he kept getting shuffled from station to station. It's sad that someone with his long history (only American journalist to travel with the Beatles) had to be slowly squeezed out of Philly while his nemesis (Jim Gardner) just kept on chugging.

Larry was at all 3 Philly network affiliates at one time or another, ending his stint at Channel 3 (KYW/CBS), which never really had great ratings to begin with.

I echo the earlier sentiments regarding Channel 10. You know that it is sweeps time.....this week they have been running a "lose weight with the women of Channel 10" special on the news.... just an excuse to show us their anchors and reporters in workout gear...
So, what's up with the overweight Health Reporter ? (Cherie Bank)...

Please keep your comments on topic. Thank you.

For those of you who miss it.....

WPVI's website has an Action News ringtone. Whenever somebody in my phone's address book calls my cell, I am treated to the Action News theme. I always get a few smiles in the PHL airport when my phone goes off.


it's tidbits like that that make FT worth its weight in upgrades!

as to the original post, on the scale of unfair-to-US, surely this story ranks toward the pretty tame end. any story about disruption at CLT is bound to be mainly a US story, given their huge market share there. as to mergers, well, it's not so unusual for the surviving entity to use the bought party's name-- wachovia being a recent prominent example.

I am sorry for this question. but who is HP?

I am sorry for this question. but who is HP?


HP = America West

Thanks. Then I really hope the deal could go through. :)

HP = America West

Am I the only one against this merger?

Am I the only one against this merger?

I'm not sure myself. I just don't have enough info. Conceptually, anything that makes US larger (network of cities served, etc) and presumably stronger, and that comes at the outing of mgt in CCY sounds pretty darn good. It's hard to judge because I don't have a sense of whose culture or product will dominate the new airline, and I don't know what HP's culture or product is. I'm not thrilled but I'm not against it. I'm anxious! :(

Am I the only one against this merger?

Byrd, I think there are a few others out there that are against the merger as well. From what I have read your biggest gripe would be if the new US Airways were to drop BA. It might not happen but we will have to wait and see. If the new holding company is still HP management (and I am sure BA has a good relation with them) it might be that the new US Airways will still be part of *A and have it's code share still with BA. US Airways still has it's code share with Qantas and they are with One World. It really is hard to say what will happen. But if they keep both *A and BA would that make you happy? It sure would make for a lot of code share possibilities that is for sure.

Like it has said many times before. No one has a crystal ball here. If and when the merger goes through I would not dump the new US just yet. I would sit and wait to see what will happen over the next few weeks/months before moving some where else. They are still going to run two separate companies for a good long while even after they paint the planes ect.

I must say though I do like one of your liveries that one of your planes that I have seen come into DCA many times. It is the colored USA flag one. Beautiful 757 (at least I think it is a 757).

T

I echo the earlier sentiments regarding Channel 10. You know that it is sweeps time.....this week they have been running a "lose weight with the women of Channel 10" special on the news.... just an excuse to show us their anchors and reporters in workout gear...
So, what's up with the overweight Health Reporter ? (Cherie Bank)...


Cherie used to be a member of the gym I go too. When I saw her there she really put in a good workout, mostly cardio work. As for the weight I guess she has a love of food like I do. She is a real sweety.


Jay

I was going to make a comment about Philly TV news (since I work for one of the above mentioned stations), but I'll refrain, since safetymom stepped in.

As for the accuracy of reporting in 20-30 second stories, well, a lot of the business/national headline stuff is re-written from wire copy (AP, Reuters, etc.), then either specific video is pulled from the satellite, or probably in this case, they used file footage of US aircraft or pax at the airport waiting in line at the US ticket counters. I didn't see the specific story, but this definitely sounds like sloppy "journalism."