Delay causes bigger headache for media
By Zach Taylor
Tribune-Star
Friday was a long, hot day for Lance West as he stood watch over the U.S. Federal Penitentiary, Terre Haute, from early morning to late afternoon, just waiting for something to happen.
West, a reporter for NBC affiliate KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City, was but one of the many media representatives in town for Timothy McVeigh's execution.
McVeigh was slated to die Wednesday for the bombing the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people. His execution is now scheduled for June 11.
Friday, however, brought another media onslaught. Satellite trucks and reporters lined the parking lot at the penitentiary training center, waiting on comments from McVeigh's attorney, Robert Nigh Jr.
Over the next couple of days, that onslaught should lessen. A 30-day postponement on the execution means trips to Terre Haute for the nearly 1,500 journalists who were to be in town are now on hold as well.
They'll have to be rescheduled, putting pressure on all those involved and hitting the media market in the wallet. West said bringing in their crew from Oklahoma City cost the station $20,000 for seven days. It now means another $20,000 when the execution actually takes place.
"It adds up in a hurry, but it's the biggest news event to hit Oklahoma and we plan to cover it until the end," West said.
CNN correspondent Bob Franken, who was flown into Indiana on Friday morning from Washington, D.C., to cover the new developments, was unsure how much money CNN was spending to cover the execution.
"Obviously, we were assembling for what was to be a historic event, and now it's been delayed," he said. "I'm sure it's fair to say that each of the networks has a small army here."
Mary McDermott, a general assignment reporter for WISH-TV 8 in Indianapolis, said the delay presents other concerns for media representatives as well.
"The uncertainty is a little unsettling. For TV stations the biggest concerns are just going to be making sure we have the right people around for when this does happen," she said.
That could be difficult. McDermott said in May, station employees are not allowed to take vacations because it's a sweeps month.
"June won't be that way, and I bet a lot of people have vacations planned," she said.
The delay does mean somewhat good news to the prison and law enforcement officials, though.
"I think in the area of the media, it has helped us to see what to expect," said Jim Cross, penitentiary spokesman. "I don't think we'll have to revise our plans; it will just help us to be more prepared."
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