Frontline makes news: Web story makes it to broadcast

A story that was completely developed on the FRONTLINE/World Web site made it to broadcast news, according to editor Stephen Talbot.

"Last night we made a little history," Talbot wrote, since this is not traditionally how stories make it to TV news.

Reporter Mark Schapiro collaborated with the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) and Mother Jones magazine to produce the four-part FRONTLINE/World Web series called "Nuclear Underground," which eventually became a NewsHour story.

U.S. officials are calling it "one of the biggest cases of nuclear smuggling they've ever uncovered," Talbot wrote.

"We have always tried to provide visitors with a dynamic online experience, offering high-quality streaming video of all our broadcast stories. What's exciting now is that with this nuclear blackmarket story -- and with our new Rough Cut series of weekly Web videos -- we are originating stories online. Our Web site is rapidly becoming the place where we develop and shape our broadcast stories. ... we like this track we're on ... We will continue to breakdown the barriers between broadcast and online media."