WESH flying high with its new Chopper 2

Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird? It’s a plane? No, it’s …. the new, blue Chopper 2.

 

WESH has a new eye in the sky, debuting its improved Chopper 2. Piloted by veteran helicopter reporter “Chopper DanMcCarthy, the new Chopper 2 is quipped with four cameras and an automatic pilot feature. But perhaps the most important part of this model, known as the “Long Ranger,” is its larger fuel tank. That will allow the chopper to stay in air for longer periods of time.

 

“We are committed to covering big news stories in a big way. This new helicopter allows us to stay above the scene longer,” WESH News Director Barbara Maushard said. “This gives WESH 2 News a huge advantage when covering brush fires and other big news events that are best covered from the air.”

 

Added McCarthy: “I’m thrilled to be piloting one of the best news helicopters in the country. The new Chopper 2 is the envy of everyone I’ve talked to!”
When not covering breaking news, the new helicopter will be scanning the sky every morning during WESH 2 News Sunrise and WESH 2 News on CW 18.

 

WESH was the first station in the Orlando-Daytona Beach market to bring viewers news from the air. The first Chopper 2 debuted in 1979.

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WKMG Dominates AP Awards

WKMG was the big winner when the 2006 Florida Associated Press Broadcasters awards were presented on Saturday night. Local 6 News won both first- and second-place awards in the Best TV Newscast and Individual Achievement categories, plus a first place in spot news.

The Jan. 11, 2005, WKMG newscast — featuring exclusive video of a fatal plane crash on Dubsdread Golf Course — was voted best newscast, edging another WKMG newscast from Aug. 2. Sky 6 pilot Dan McCarthy and photojournalist Chris Miller won the spot news category with the aerial video of the Dubsdread crash.

In the Individual Achievement competition, Tony Pipitone took first place with a composite of live, investigative and feature reports, while Local 6′s Erik von Ancken won the second-place award.

WFTV received a first-place award in Hard News Feature for Berndt Petersen’s "Lake County Cold Case." Channel 9 also picked up second-place awards for Sportscast, Public Affairs and Best Overall.

WESH received one award, for a Marc Rice photo essay with Kathy Marsh titled "The Chicken Man."

Orlando’s stations were competing in the AP’s large-market division, that also includes stations from Miami and Tampa.

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