You might think, “What an exciting job to be a helicopter pilot!” Some days are pretty routine for Sky 10 pilots. But when breaking news hits, that gets the adrenaline pumping.

Sky 10 has two helicopter pilots – one has the early morning shift and the other has the afternoon/evening shift. The day starts off with a review of Sky 10 — checking to make sure all parts are in working order because safety is their main priority. Then they go into the station and check to see if there are any notes left from the last pilot. They also need to log all their flights and who goes up with them.

The average flight for Sky 10 is an hour when they cover weather and traffic for a newscast. The longest flight they usually do is about two hours when there’s breaking news. The average speed is 75mph and they can get up to 120mph if they need to get to a location fast. After every flight before returning to the station, they fill up the gas tank at the closest airport.

One of the pilots, James, described his most exciting flight covering a car chase to the border. While in flight, he’s constantly communicating with air traffic control, law enforcement and the other news helicopter pilots. The driver in this particular car chase drove down to the border then made a couple of u-turns so James had to communicate his flight plan to not get in the way of law enforcement while working with the news photographer to get the best shot for 10News. Fortunately, there’s a special camera that’s mounted Sky 10 that can zoom in from far distances and get a clear shot of the subject.

That’s a basic look at a day in the life of Sky 10 helicopter pilots. If you have more specific questions, let us know.

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Hey Everyone!

This is the beginning of my Blog. My first Blog. I am very excited about sharing my life and job and my thoughts with you. I don’t know where to start. Ok, from the beginning. I Started working for 10 News about 10 years ago. I can’t believe how fast time has gone bye since I first arrived here. They say time flies when you are having fun and this applies to my life here in San Diego. I feel very fortunate to come into your house’s every day and personally give you the weather. I used to live out in Texas. Completely different weather. So hot and so humid. I feel very blessed to live in a place like this. I just love the cool ocean breeze. Except when we don’t have one and it gets hot and feels like Texas again. Don’t get me wrong. I love Texas! It’s just hot.

I will keep blogging and I invite you to ask questions or to make any comments and I will always do my best to answer questions about myself, work, weather or life. So we begin the journey. Take care my friend and have a great day!

Submitted by James Quinones, 10News Weather Forecaster

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Throughout my internship here at 10News, I have tried to become familiar with the “television station lingo.” I now know that “b-roll” is video footage and a “white balance” balances and adjusts colors for a video camera, but the words Digital Correspondent still had no meaning. So in order to find out exactly what a Digital Correspondent (DC) is, I looked to KGTV’s South Bay DC, Joe Little.

With technology constantly changing, it is important for a newsroom to be able to react, adapt and improve on a constant basis. Advances in technology such as fast laptops and light weight cameras have created new positions in the newsroom, one of which being a DC.
                                                             
A DC is a shooter, reporter, writer and editor all in one! Working by himself or herself, the DC is free to go wherever the story goes. DCs are the “wave of the future.” In contrasting DCs with traditional reporting, they are cost efficient and provide instant news to our community.

A DC has ownership of everything they do. If a story goes well, they get all of the credit. However, if something goes wrong, they are the one to blame. Another downside of being a DC is it gets lonely and there’s also a safety concern.

When asking 10News DC, Joe Little, what he would recommend to someone who might want to pursue a career as a Digital Correspondent, he replied, “Be a sponge!” He noted how important it is to learn everything, talk to everyone and really respect all of the skills involved with being a DC. “Be pushy, take classes and actually APPLY the skills,” Little stated.

Here at 10News, a typical workday for a DC involves arriving somewhere between 8:00 and 9:00 am. At 9:00 am, the newsroom meeting starts and stories are assigned. Immediately after being assigned a story, the Digital Correspondent starts making phone calls and driving to the site to interview and film. The story must be submitted by the Digital Correspondent’s deadline, being the evening news.

According to Joe Little, the most challenging part of his profession is, “Staying on point.  Staying sharp.  Keeping your mind straight on your story.  We sometimes collect information from several different sources, at the same time, under deadline, and it’s done while traveling from place to place.  It gets very, very stressful some days.  If we don’t stay focused, we could slip up, get information incorrect, mislead the public, mislabel someone, or just screw up royally.  Under the most stressful circumstances, we still have to perform at a high level.  That is one of the most challenging parts of this job.”

Although it is uncertain how technology will advance in the future, one thing is certain…Digital Correspondents are here to stay!

Submitted by 10News intern, Ashley.

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“How did you get started in television?”
“If you work on the morning show, when do you sleep?” 

These are the most common questions people ask me about my job as a producer for 10News.  I started as an intern on the morning news with Bill Griffith and Lisa Lake in 1997.  After months of learning how to write stories, prepare scripts and review video, I was hired as a writer.  Eventually I became a producer, deciding which stories to run, booking live interviews and sending the crew to live shots.  During the show, I’m listening to my head-set in the control room and I keep the pace moving with the occasional “wrap it up”! 

Producing has its glamorous moments.  I’ve met dozens of celebrity guests including “The Fonz”, Henry Winkler, Jennifer Garner, and Rita Moreno.  When Disney opened its California Adventure theme park, James Quinones and I traveled to Anaheim to produce live weather segments.

Being a producer also has its challenges.  The 10News staff is constantly working to bring up-to-the-minute information to you at home.  Behind the scenes, that means we’re rushing to meet deadlines and verify facts.  We work long hours and some of us work overnight to make sure you wake up to the latest developments in San Diego and the rest of the world.

Whether it’s staying on top of the headlines or learning something new, I plan the show with the goal of informing and entertaining everyone at home.  At the end of the day, the effort pays off when I’m at the grocery store or the gym and someone mentions a great story we’re following on 10News!

 Submitted by Allison Horn, 10News Producer

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Submitted by Dave Gonzalez, Senior Promotion Producer

As you’re probably already aware, 10News is the only local TV station with a newscast on at 7 PM. One of the key advantages to you, the viewer, is time. As a station, we recognize the demands on your schedule, and we’ve adjusted our schedule to meet your needs.

In doing so, I’m working on reformatting the news tease that airs right before the 7PM newscast. If you’re a regular World News viewer, you’ve probably seen this 17 second tease within a commercial break. You usually hear Steve Atkinson or Kimberly Hunt telling you what’s coming up.

In reality, the tease portion only lasts 13 seconds, and the remaining 4 seconds reinforces the time and name of the show. These 13 seconds are critical. They let you know whether it’s worth your time to stick around past World News.

We want to make those 13 seconds more valuable to you. In the coming days, you’ll notice some experimentation with the tease. You’ll see more of the anchor on camera. We’re also going to be using video only to support the story. And we’re going to try to make that brief experience more engaging.

I am open to your constructive criticism. Feel free to drop me a line and tell me what you think about the changes. What works for you? What doesn’t? Did the tease help you make an informed decision on whether you wanted to invest your time in watching the 7pm news show?

My e-mail is dave_gonzalez@10news.com. Make sure to put “Viewer Comment” in the subject line. I don’t expect many people to write in. I’ll be surprised if even one viewer comments. However, I think it’s important that you have an opportunity to comment. Everything we do at 10News is a service to our viewers, and our viewers should let us know whenever we can do something better.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts. And even if you don’t comment, you can be assured, we’re working hard every day to make sure every second counts.

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If you’ve ever been curious as to how a news department picks the stories that are featured in a newscast, this blog is for you.

Every morning, there’s a meeting in the newsroom to discuss the newsworthy events and ideas of the day. Those in attendance are the news director, the assignment desk editors, reporters, anchors, digital correspondents, producers, web editors and promotions staff. They go around the room and discuss what’s buzzing around the “water cooler” — whether it’s yesterday’s news that’s still on people’s minds, the latest rumors or new stories they’ve heard. Then they’ll go over all the story ideas that have been sent to the assignment desk through press releases, emails or phone calls. On this particular Wednesday, about 30 story ideas were pitched – topics ranged from gas prices to science fairs…educational budget cuts to the Olympics. The next task was to figure out the top ideas that could be covered with the reporters and photographers scheduled for the day. Reporters were assigned multiple projects, in case some fell through and had to be shelved for the next day. So the communication is constant throughout the day between news staff members. The last task was to decide which stories will air in which newscasts – the 5pm, 6pm, 7pm or 11pm show.

It’s truly a group collaboration that decides which stories will be covered for our newscasts. The challenges they face are not having enough reporters/photographers to report on all the news that’s happening. There’s always crime and court cases to cover – but the news staff really makes an effort to balance those stories with new and interesting information that viewers can use.

Do you want to know more behind-the-scenes stuff on 10News? Let us know what you’re interested in – contact Sofia at sofia_salgado@10news.com.

 Submitted by Sofia Salgado, Public Relations & Marketing Specialist

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Submitted by Carol LeBeau, 10News Anchor.

These days, the news is full of stories about Holllywood celebrities in and out of rehab for all kinds of addictions. Some of these celebs treat their time in rehab like a badge of honor… a sort of rite of passage before achieving true “star” status. 

That’s too bad.  Because it’s sending a message to their young fans that flirting with possibly addictive behavior is okay. It’s not. Just ask the more than 14 million Americans in the real world fighting dependence or abuse of either alcohol or illicit drugs.  It’s no rehab party. For some, it’s a painful, day-to-day struggle to survive. Roughly half of those with serious mental disorders are also affected by substance abuse. And sadly, alcohol-related accidents are the leading cause of death among young people between the ages of 12 and 14.

The fact is, no one is untouched by the effects of alcohol, drug abuse or mental illness.  Many of us have felt, first-hand, the devastating impact of these problems in our own families, within our circle of friends, our neighborhoods,our workplaces and communities. I lost my mother to suicide many years ago and have several loved ones who have been down the road to recovery.

That’s why I thought I’d alert you to a special event coming up Saturday, April 5.  You can join with thousands of San Diegans as they “challenge addiction” at the 6th Annual Walk For Recovery. It’s a great way to celebrate life and sobriety on a pleasant 3-mile walk through the lush grounds of the historic and beautiful Balboa Park. There will be live entertainment along the route, bands, bagpipers, steel drums, even a Chinese dragon dance… plenty to keep you motivated!

Your $25 registration fee will help support more than a dozen local, non-profit agencies working to fight and treat substance abuse issues. Without the support of family, friends, the community and the many agencies working to help them, many addicts would be lost in the downward spiral of their addiction.

So plan to start your day bright and early on the west side of Balboa Park near Quince Street and Balboa Drive. You can register starting at 7 am. Honorary Chair and Starter, Greg Cox will kick of the “Walk For Recovery” at 8. Then make a morning of it at the post-walk expo and entertainment venue. 

For more information, call Greg Block at 619-236-8397 or go to http://www.benedettopr.com/.  Have a great walk and thanks for your support!

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Submitted by Steve Atkinson, 10News Anchor

For the last couple of years I have had the honor of working with an organization called the Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Centers. This weekend I will be emceeing an event to benefit the organization’s three Family Care Centers located in San Diego County.

Before I tell you more about the Glenner Centers, I wanted to give you a few numbers to think about. It may be hard to believe but according to the Alzheimer’s Association every 71 seconds someone develops Alzheimer’s Disease. It’s also estimated that 10 million baby boomers, the largest growing part of our population, will develop Alzheimer’s disease over the next couple of decades.

Alzheimer’s is a disease that robs the brain of memory, reason, and ultimately life. It’s also important to know that 80 percent of those who have Alzheimer’s live at home. Now just imagine those family members, friends, and volunteers who provide care for these individuals and the number of people affected by this devastating disease grows exponentially.  

That’s where the Glenner Family Centers offers it’s “Sharing the Caring” program that helps so many people in San Diego. Dr. George Glenner was a researcher who spent his life trying to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. He made major discoveries about the disease but the battle continues. However, what Dr. Glenner and his wife Joy may have accomplished most was a way to provide assistance for those who give care to loved ones with Alzheimer’s. They founded the Glenner Centers which serve as a daycare program for those with Alzheimer’s disease. Each center is staffed with a registered nurse and a 5:1 patient to staff ratio. The three centers here in San Diego are so successful they have become the model for other centers like them across the country. And more importantly they provide relief and piece of mind for those who sometimes must provide 24 hour care to their family members.

I encourage you to find out more about the Glenner Centers by visiting their own website at www.alzheimerhelp.org. There are a number of needs the organization has for donations as well as volunteers. I think you will find the work and the care provided by The George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Centers a very worthy cause.

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Do people really win TV contests?
Are any ABC shows taped in San Diego?
Do news anchors get their hair and make-up done for them everyday?

These are questions you may have asked yourself while watching TV. The answers are yes, no and no. If you’ve got questions about 10News… here’s your chance to get some answers. It can be about news, programming, or any department/staff at the station.

Send your questions to sofia_salgado@10news.com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Submitted by Ben Higgins, 10News Sports Anchor 

Like so many of us, it seems like I’ve been sick all winter. Sore throat, runny nose, cough…and then it starts all over again. But there’s one disease I don’t mind catching this time of year…March Madness. And thanks to the USD Toreros, there could be an epidemic running through the city over the next couple of weeks.

College basketball has been on the rise in our community for the last 6 or 7 years, but it’s even better when one of your teams makes an unexpected run to the NCAA Tournament, which is exactly what the University of San Diego did. Stunning wins over West Coast Conference powers St. Mary’s and Gonzaga on back-to-back nights (including Sunday’s come-from-behind thriller over the Gaels) means USD knows its name will get called on Selection Sunday. The Toreros will face an even tougher test once the “Big Dance” begins. ESPN’s “expert” says USD will be a #15 seed and play a team like Kansas in the 1st round. I don’t think that’s giving the Toreros enough credit. After all, they beat Kentucky on the road in December, topped Gonzaga on Monday, and beat a very good St. Mary’s team twice. I’d like to see USD get a 13-seed. Still a tough task, but there’s at least a chance for an upset.

My last trip to the NCAA Tournament came a couple of years ago when the Aztecs took on Indiana in a 1st round game in Salt Lake City. You probably remember it well—San Diego State has the Hoosiers beat with less than two minutes to go, and they let the game slip away. I was already gearing up for 2 more days in snowy Utah and a winnable second-round game against Gonzaga. That was a tough day for fans of the Red and Black. Who knows…maybe the Aztecs will make a run in the Mountain West Tournament and join the Toreros in this year’s tourney. If that happens, watch out—we might have to quarantine the whole city because of a rampant outbreak of March Madness.

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