Local News Coverage: Weird Synchronisity

So I'm watching the local news on channel 11 (NBC), and they cut to a human interest story that I could care less about. So I start surfing the channels, and I notice that ALL the local news channels (NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX) are running the same stories at the same time, often with the same footage!

I'm fascinated by this synchronisity of coverage, so I try to see how often this happens...maybe it was just an weird coincidence. But, no. The same thing has happened throughout the entirety of the broadcasts and has been the same for several nights.

Has anyone else noticed this? Isn't it kinda erie? I can understand reporting AP wire stuff, so some of the footage should be the same. I can also understand covering the same general local stories. But how or why do they coordinate the same stories to appear at the same time on different networks? They aren't the same reporters on location. And you don't see evidence of other networks covering things in the background.

I haven't looked at the National/World news shows to see if it also holds, but the local stuff is identical regardless of the channel you are watching.

Persisting coincidence? Conspiracy?

Oh. I'm in Atlanta, but I noticed this in Austin too.