Emmis Communications' Fox affiliate, WVUE New Orleans, is temporarily taking up residence in Alabama. The station, forced out of its New Orleans facility by Hurricane Katrina, is building a temporary news studio at sister station WALA Mobile, Ala., where WVUE staffers have been working since the devastating storm.
Using the WALA facilities, Emmis says WVUE is working to start a web newscast as early as the end of the week. The company is asking interested WVUE staffers to report to Mobile and volunteer to help work on the transmitter and the New Orleans building.WALA is on the air in New Orleans on DirecTV.Other New Orleans affiliates are working feverishly to improve their broadcast capabilities, too. Hearst-Argyle's WDSU is operating out of sister station WAPT in Jackson, Miss, streaming live on the Internet and simulcasting on Pax station WPXL New Orleans, which has been able to get back on the air. Belo-owned WWL never lost its signal, though it had to abandon its French Quarter studios. The station has been broadcasting from Louisiana State University and an emergency studio at its transmitter site, with the Louisiana Public Broadcasting station carrying the signal. WWL is also simulcasting its coverage online.The Tribune-owned ABC affiliate WGNO remains off the air, but has been working out of WBRZ in Baton Rouge to update its video with video and news.
