Thursday, November 13, 1997
The University Daily Kansan
Section A • Page 3
Company creates niche in news-gathering world
Russ Ptacek reviews a tape in the editing bay. Posters from television shows on which Video Information News programs have aired are displayed in the bay. Video Information News has more than 40 clients, including "20/20" and CNN. Photo by Geoff Krieger/KANSAN
Major networks use local service
By Corrie Moore
cmoore@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Video Information News is a Lawrence-based company that provides researchers, photographers, producers and equipment to television networks.
The company has been in operation for almost six years. It started in Topeka and moved to Lawrence two years ago.
It has two departments. One provides a camera crew for television networks, and the other publishes summaries of each day's news-magazine programs for the company's clients.
More than 40 clients use Video Information News' services, including "20/20," the CBS Evening News, ESPN, "Hard Copy," "Rescue 911," "Donahua" and CNN.
The new Morning Edition Show Report, which will debut Monday, and the existing Evening Edition Show Report summarize the entire day's and evening's news-magazine programming. The reports also provide immediate access to what different programs are doing before, the programs are aired.
The research department, which has eight employees, views television programs on a computer, said Russ Ptacek, company president.
As they watch the programs, employees write summaries, which are sent by fax, e-mail or through the Internet to the subscribers.
"Our guys get paid to watch TV," he said.
The company's four large satellites receive syndicated programs, such as "Entertainment Tonight," hours before the programs are aired by local television networks.
"We're able to watch it much earlier than anone else." he said.
Pitacek said because a subscription to the reports cost $250 a week, most of the subscribers were larger organizations such as CBS.
Jeremy Wilkins, research manager, said the publications were helpful for television networks because the publications were an instant information source. The reports allow shows such as "20/20" to get story ideas.
"At a glance, you know exactly what the story was on every show," Wilkins said.
Wilkins said that Video Information News was the only company in the United States to publish news-program summaries and to have its own production crew.
"We definitely fill a niche in the industry," Wilkins said.
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- infertility counseling and treatment.
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