AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - September 2013 - 75

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‘AOPA LIVE THIS WEEK’: ON A SCREEN NEAR YOU
Recognizing the coming trend of streaming video
and the ability of the medium to so powerfully
engage members, AOPA last year launched its weekly
webcast, AOPA Live This Week, a video compilation of
general aviation news, feature, and aspirational stories. Hosted by AOPA Senior Vice President of Media
and Editor in Chief Tom Haines, the show has gained a
remarkable following in a short amount of time.
“The web is the way of the future. It’s hard to
imagine a future of video journalism that isn’t via the
Web,” Haines said. “I projected that if after a year we
had a regular audience of 20,000, we’d be OK. We
regularly exceed that.” AOPA Live This Week often
boasts 50,000 views. Its six-week average is 30,000
per show.

chase the equipment needed to produce the weekly
Web-based program. Posted online each Thursday
afternoon Eastern time on its “three-screen strategy”—
desktop, mobile device, set top—ALTW features the
most up-to-date general aviation news, pilot profiles
and aircraft reports, and AOPA advocacy and issue
stories. It is, in fact, a magazine on the screen.
The program recently celebrated its one-year
anniversary and Haines estimates the small production
team has produced more than 60 shows (segments
often are produced daily during aviation events such as
Sun ‘n Fun, AirVenture, and Summit).
Haines credits Morningstar’s editorial strategy and
high production standards as reasons the show is so
well received.

ALTW producers Warren Morningstar and Paul Harrop are the crew that makes it happen. Morningstar is
the show’s executive producer and has an extensive
background in television production. An instrumentrated multiengine commercial pilot, Morningstar
started in radio at age 15. He built a TV studio in his high
school. A graduate of the University of Utah, Morningstar joined the foreign service and reported for the
United States Information Agency all over the world.
Harrop, too, has an impressive résumé. The 29-yearold Oklahoma native was an on-air storm chaser for the
ABC station in Oklahoma City. He is a flight student.
ALTW is an extension of AOPA Media’s other channels. AOPA Media started producing videos in 2005 to
accompany stories in the magazines. Videos connect
“members where they are,” a mantra the association
takes seriously, Haines says. “Videos bring aviation
to you. They help us tell stories, educate, and inform,
meeting you where you are.” In other words, on your
computer or other electronic device.
It was AOPA President Craig Fuller who proposed
a greater focus on video. With a contribution from an
anonymous donor, the association was able to pur-

“My editorial strategy is to use the medium for
what it does best—to convey emotion and allow
the audience to vicariously participate,” Morningstar
said. “We want to show you—not just have a talking
head tell you. We want to inspire you.
“We’re different from The Aviators in that most of
our stories are quick turn. We want to be timely. You’ll
see our videos from Oshkosh or Summit the same
week they are shot.”
Taping the weekly show was at first very laborintensive, but the three-man team has reduced the
workload with their experience.
“It’s great fun and very rewarding,” Haines said.
“I’ve been surprised when members come up and
tell me they appreciate our advocacy stories. It tells
me video is a good way to communicate the work
AOPA is doing on issues that matter to general
aviation.”
“I love the feedback we get from members about
AOPA Live,” says Harrop. “We’ve started from scratch
and grown a loyal audience. People tell us they make
the show a part of their week. As a content producer,
there’s no higher compliment.”
—JSW

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AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - September 2013

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