UNVEILING A NEW PARTNERSHIP PARTNER STATIONS SHOW OFF THEIR NEW NEWS SETS.

Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer

HOLLYWOOD - KCAL (Channel 9) and KCBS (Channel 2) completed the merger of their news operations Monday by unveiling their new sets in the same studio at the storied Columbia Square on Sunset Boulevard.

The two stations have shared news resources for months, following CBS parent Viacom's February 2002 purchase of KCAL. But Monday marked the debut of their new sets, which share space in Channel 2's Hollywood studios. The pair will use the new format to highlight their partnership, with pooled reporting staffs, production crews and news gathering resources.

``It's a brand new day,'' said Patrick McClenahan, senior vice president and station manager for KCBS and KCAL. ``The energy level's incredible. The newsroom's buzzing, and we're all getting to know each other, which is great.''

The Los Angeles market has three such operating agreements, known as ``duopolies,'' under rules adopted by the Federal Communications Commission in 1998, with a partnership between KCOP (Channel 13) and KTTV (Channel 11), as well as a pairing of KNBC (Channel 4) and KVEA (Channel 52). For KCAL and KCBS, the team-up represents a significant advantage, according to Santa Clarita-based online industry critic Ron Fineman.

``They talk about having different brands, but they're more of a superstation,'' Fineman said. ``They have the same news team working for two stations, so they have an advantage over everyone else.''

McClenahan cheered the arrangement, saying it would allow the stations to blanket the market with its reporters. Once on scene, they can file their stories for both anchor teams. Laura Diaz and Harold Greene will continue to hold down KCBS' main news, while their new neighbors, Pat Harvey and Kerry Kilbride, will continue coverage at KCAL. Sports and weather will also share sets.

``There's a real sense of the enormity today,'' McClenahan said.

``No one in the history of TV has combined stations the size of Channel 2 and Channel 9 the way we have. From news and sports standpoint, (the viewer) will see greater coverage. We can combine both talent and equipment, two helicopters, all our news vehicles and everything at our disposal to deploy.''

The combined stations have more than two dozen on-air reporters.

Ideally, the duopoly can send its crews to more diverse locations, rather than try to beat one another to a few spots. While Fineman said this had been the case thus far, he cautioned that budget cutbacks could imperil this partnership down the road, with the united news desk sending one reporter to cover only a few stories.

California State University, Northridge, professor Judith Marlane said the convergence of media outlets could have troublesome ramifications.

``Shared resources is, in practice, a code word for saving money,'' said the professor of cinema and television arts, who worked as a TV producer prior to joining CSUN's staff.

``I can't comment on how much better it will be. I can just use history as my guide. The corporate broadcasting mentality today is so ratings- conscious and so cross-promotion conscious, I'd be surprised if something better happens. ... In large markets, this is not in the best interest for both programming and news.''

The old sets of both stations were auctioned late last year on eBay, with a small-market station on the East Coast placing the winning bid. The duopoly donated the $26,500 raised to the children of former KCBS employee Larry Greene, the Agoura Hills cameraman killed in a helicopter crash last September while on assignment in the Persian Gulf.