Covering Haiti, At a Cost

Days after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the meter is still running for news organizations that have flooded the region with personnel.

The bill for Haiti is expected to come to approximately $1.5 million for each broadcast network, say current and former television news executives. "It's an enormous investment," says one network news executive who didn't want to divulge costs on the record. Most of that will have been spent on charter flights and satellite costs. And while the tragedy has consumed headlines and galvanized charitable giving, it also comes amidst across-the-board belt-tightening for a media industry grappling with realities of a continuing recession. "I'm certainly cognizant of the world we live in these days," says Kate O'Brian, senior VP of news at ABC News. "This story has not had any more or less attention in terms of finances than any other. It has come into play on every single story I have covered. At some point, someone wants to know how much it's going to cost." The bulk of the costs are spent on getting crews in and out of Port-au-Prince, which still has no commercial air traffic. On the first day alone, NBC chartered five aircraft—four planes and one helicopter. A round-trip charter flight between New York and Port-au-Prince can easily climb to more than $50,000.