Calif. Daily To Share News With TV Station p.10

By: Editorial Staff THE BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN is going on the air and a local television station is taking it there in an arrangement that is gaining in popularity.
The newspaper has entered into an agreement with KBAK-TV in which some of its top stories will be previewed on the nightly news and the two news departments will pool resources and work together on a public journalism project in 1997.
In addition, the Californian's teaser, "Tomorrow's Headlines Tonight," will be featured on Eyewitness News (KMPH) at 10 o'clock.
Also, when the newspaper is involved in a major news project or producing a special edition, KBAK may air interviews with Californian editors.
Other parts of the pooling allow for the forecasts of KBAK's chief meteorologist, Miles Muzio, to appear on the Californian's daily weather page and the possibility of joint viewer polling on local issues.
"We think both organizations will benefit from this new relationship," said Californian executive editor Richard Beene. "The viewers of KBAK will be informed nightly of some of the stories they will read in the newspaper the next day. And teaming with KBAK will allow us to conduct broader and more sophisticated polling on some of the issues that readers and viewers are concerned about."
KBAK general manager Wayne Lansche termed the joint venture a "melding of videotape and paper that will result in enormous benefits to viewers and readers."
Beene noted there probably will be stories "we simply won't choose to share with KBAK, and I suspect they feel the same way. Our news departments remain fierce competitors, but that doesn't mean there is not some room for cooperation."
The editor said the program is modeled after similar agreements in Miami-Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Fla., Philadelphia, Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth.