Media Metropolis at Peterson Trial

ByABC News
December 11, 2004, 2:42 PM

Dec. 11, 2004 — -- It takes a village to cover a story -- a media village. There's a skyline of tents in front of the Redwood City, Calif., courthouse, home to the Scott Peterson trial.

A phalanx of cameras is set to catch the comings and goings of lawyers, jurors and the professional "commentariat" of courtroom coverage.

"This whole media compound is hot from five in the morning until 11 at night. Around the community at the network tents, it's actually a 24-7 operation," said media pool producer Peter Shaplen.

There are as many as 50 television trucks and 850 journalists credentialed to cover the trial. High-profile reporters sign autographs. The major television networks have more people in Redwood City than they do in Iraq.

"You can say, is it as valuable as others stories in the world? Certainly not, but people are fascinated by this story, they want to know about it," said Don Knapp of San Francisco's KRON-TV.

On cable television, the next development is always coming up.

Journalists have identified jurors and their home addresses through their license plates. The networks have charter jets standing by to fly jurors to New York. Reporters believe the public has an insatiable appetite for this story.

"That's what our research shows," said Deanna McQueen of KFSN-TV in Fresno, Calif.

When the trial press breaks camp here, they won't have far to move the village. The Michael Jackson trial is set to start next month just 200 miles south.

Brian Rooney filed this report for "World News Tonight."