Two Philly TV stations to share news reporting

ABC's WPVI-TV 6, whose Action News has dominated televised local news in Philadelphia since the 1970s, and WUVP-TV 65, the local outlet of Univision, the dominant North American Spanish-language TV network, say they'll share resources to expand both stations' news coverage.

The collaboration includes a new live 11 pm Spanish-language broadcast, Noticias 65, which will debut Dec. 26, as well as content sharing, like this recent report on the death of a Vineland student and the resulting effort to improve traffic safety. The South Jersey city is outside Philly's English-language stations' usual coverage area, but Channel 65 was there because it focuses resources on communities in Cumberland County, southern Chester County, Reading and the Lehigh Valley which have large Spanish-speaking populations alongside the English-speaking majority.

The stations will "cross promote news content," according to a joint statement. ABC and Univision are working together in New York and other markets, noted Ramon Pineda, SVP at channel 65. Channel 6 expects working with Univision will improve its coverage of the growing Latino community, added Bernie Prazenica, the station's general manager.

An ABC-Univision combination also helps both networks combat Philadelphia-based Comcast's ownership of NBC and the Spanish-language Telemundo network. NBC's Philadelphia affiliate has beefed up its local news staff in an effort to catch Action News.