Media Converges On Orlando

The media have come to Central Florida for major stories before, and now they're camped in a media village on Orange Avenue some 200 yards from the  Pulse nightclub, site of the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

"CBS Evening News" anchor Scott Pelley had broadcast from Orlando since Sunday and would do so again Tuesday. He was full of praise for the city, reports The Orlando Sentinel.

Florida Governor Rick Scott

"The Orlando Police Department, if you ask me, much to their credit, has had an enlightened and proactive view of how to accommodate the media and, therefore, the public," he said. "I've been in a lot of jurisdictions where the police think the media is the enemy. I've been amazed how smart and sharp the Orlando Police Department has been. They recognized instantly this would be a huge story around the world. They cordoned a generous space off for the reporters to work in."

Pelley has run into reporters from Japan, Australia and Germany. Satellite trucks sit on Orange Avenue, and media trucks pack the parking lots of fast-food restaurants. Journalists work under small tents that offer some shield from the sun.

The logistics have been easy compared to other stories because Orlando Regional Medical Center is so close, Pelley said. "It's one of the stories I'll never be able to forget, especially after the interviews with the survivors," the CBS anchor said. "We had two hospital news conferences that were stunning."

He added that he was surprised so many survivors have been willing to talk. "One young man I interviewed wanted to talk because his friend was killed," Pelley said. "He said, 'My best friend can't talk to you, so I'm going to do it for him.' He had a mission."