Skydivers in plane collision caught on camera: We'll jump again

[Major Nikon]

Source: NBC News

Nine skydivers made an incredible safe return to earth after a terrifying plane collision that caused one to burst to flames.

On TODAY Tuesday, as the exclusive footage of their harrowing ordeal played in Studio 1A, they told Matt Lauer the disaster has not deterred them: They'll jump again.

The fiery scene, which unfolded 12,000 feet in the air above Wisconsin Saturday evening, was captured on five helmet cameras worn by the divers as they were flung into the air.

The two single-engine planes were in position for a maneuver called a tracking dive, with one closely following the other.



Read more: http://www.today.com/news/skydivers-planes-collide-mid-air-helmet-cams-capture-fall-8C11531939

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[Atman]

1. Truly some of the most amazing video ever.

Hollywood SFX guys couldn't have done it better. The GoPro is everywhere!

[chimpymustgo]

5. And NBC paid 6 figures for the video and exclusive interviews. Checkbook "journalism".

In a second episode of apparent “checkbook journalism” in a week, NBC News has locked up exclusive interviews and amateur footage of an aerial accident with a six-figure fee to a group of sky divers who survived the collision of their two small planes.

NBC’s news division has agreed to compensate the nine sky divers and two pilots who were involved in the accident for an appearance on Tuesday’s “Today” show, a story on “NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams” and a one-hour “Dateline NBC” special.

The deal involves TV interviews and footage of the stricken planes taken by some of the sky divers’ helmet cameras, according to Mike Robinson, a sky-diving instructor who was involved in the incident near Lake Superior in northwest Wisconsin.

“NBC has the exclusive right,” Robinson said. “We can do print and radio interviews, but no TV interviews [other than for NBC] for two weeks. That’s the agreement.”

Individuals with the network said the group will receive in excess of $100,000 for their participation. NBC would not confirm that figure, but the network said it paid only for use of the video. NBC said other news organizations were also bidding for the material.

Mainstream news organizations typically frown on paying sources, lest the payments taint the sources’ veracity or color the news outlet’s objectivity in reporting the story. Although some news organizations, such as the National Enquirer and TMZ.com, pay for news, checkbook journalism is considered unethical by the Society of Professional Journalists and other professional news organizations.

NBC News’s agreement with the sky divers follows last week’s disclosure that the news division is negotiating an exclusive documentary deal, reportedly for more than $100,000, with the family of Hannah Anderson, the teenage girl who was kidnapped this summer by a family friend who had murdered her mother and brother.

-edit-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/nbc-news-to-pay-for-skydivers-account-of-air-accident/2013/11/04/08b1c44a-458f-11e3-a196-3544a03c2351_story.html

[Atman]

6. GoPro probably would have paid them a million bucks and commercial contracts!

It is totally disingenuous of NBC to say they only paid for license to the video, since a) the video will be all over YouTube anyway (although I'm sure they have a team of legal assistants scouring the interwebs for contraband uploads), and b) if there is a clause saying the subjects can't do any other interviews for two weeks, clearly they are paying for more than a video license.

[Atman]

7. If there is any defense of NBC, it is this...

"Mainstream news organizations typically frown on paying sources, lest the payments taint the sources’ veracity or color the news outlet’s objectivity..."

It is very rare POV video of a plane crash, and everyone survived. There is no "veracity" to be questioned. If anyone is crazy enough to think these guys made up the crash just to score $100,000 from NBC, they're the ones who need to have their sanity questioned. This in an instance where the video is as much a part of the news as the incredible outcome, and there is virtually no incentive for anyone to question it's legitimacy.

[geardaddy]

2. What about the pilots? n/t

[Evasporque]

3. One landed a damaged plane the other bailed from burning plane with emergency parachute - safe. nt

[geardaddy]

4. Thanks!

[Iggo]

8. Cool!

Now it's a great story!

[benld74]

9. Why do mountain climbers tie each other together with rope?

In order to keep the sane ones from going home.


But what about sky divers???

[rudolph the red]

10. Wow, that is really amazing!

[dookers]

11. Extreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeme!!!!!!

[uppityperson]

12. Glad they all got out. Sunset high dive from the Richard I. Bong Airport?

Very glad they made it.

[Major Nikon]

13. Richard Bong

[yuiyoshida]

14. Its nice to know the pilot has an emergency parachute.

That was some scary footage.