Wednesday, May 21

Video for the sake of video

Blogging some video off YouTube just because it's fun to watch...






One of the "news pegs" used in broadcast newsrooms that J-schools really don't teach to is the compelling "video or audio" element. I'm sure they use the "compelling" photograph news peg at newspapers, even if they don't want to take responsibility for how it drives content. In
television, this explains the endless number of useless, low impact stories. Think about all those fires at abandoned buildings. The assignment desk always makes
any fire more important by justifying it through the video.

"We have flames," someone will shout across the newsroom.

The next thing you know those flames are in the A-block and there's a video tease. Consider all those worthless traffic accidents you see in small and large market newscasts? Do we have video? If you do, it's in the rundown and the less sexy, but high impact story from an important government meeting is cut.

Monday, May 19

Flip Video to the Titan News Rescue!

FLIP VIDEO ON THE SCENE COLLECTING AUDIO AND VIDEO FOR TITAN RADIO NEWS










This story on TitanRadio.net and Titan Radio is courtesy of Alex Hines and my Flip Video camera. Shot on the scene and the audio ripped from the AVI file for the noon radio newscast...and raw video and the interview posted online via TitanRadio.net and YouTube. Quick, easy and the gear fits in your pocket. It's raw and dirty...but when you're working for free...






Stolen truck really runs away
Monday, May 19, 2008
NEW WILMINGTON, Lawrence County-- Borough police solved a case of a reported stolen pickup on Monday as they determined it was never stolen-- it ran away. On Sunday evening, Westminster history major Matt Steffy reported his truck stolen. He and his roommates live in a rented home along New Castle Street. It appears someone may have failed to put the truck in park. Roommate Alex Stubenbort tells Titan Radio News it rolled away from the house and down a hill into McClure's Run next to the New Wilmington park. You can see raw video of the scene where the pickup rolled and hear Stubenbort's account of what happened.

You can also see the video here on titanradio.net or via ou YouTube links below:
Raw video #1 of the runaway truck
Raw video #2 of the runaway truck
More Video- Roommate explains what happened

Sunday, May 18

Shooting commencement highlights with Flip Video










I used Pure Digital's FLIP VIDEO to shoot the video for this year's highlights now on titanradio.net. There's very little to complain about this tiny, tough little camera that saves AVI files you can edit in most video editing software, upload online, embed, etc. Flip Video's files are more user friendly that those expensive consumer hard drive cameras with specialized video extensions that make it impossible to do anything with them outside the limited software that comes with the camera.

Flip Video is affordable and pretty cool. Just keep extra AA batteries handy.


The raw video clips are on YouTube. Links to all of them are on titanradio.net.


Saturday, May 17

BC 601's Amazing Race Theme Comes to Life

















NEW WILMINGTON, Pa (titanradio.net)--Instead of cramming for a final exam, Westminster College junior broadcast communications majors worked with Titan Traverse to bring their own version of reality TV's The Amazing Race to life. Broadcast Capstone instructor Brad Weaver says students were required to come to the first day of class with a completed application for the television show. He also required them to team up with someone in the class or off campus.

"The questions on the application were provocative, forcing them to think about their goals outside of college," Weaver said. "I used the application as a tool for self-reflection and to explore career paths."

You can see and hear from students in the video files here on titanradio.net or watch via our YouTube link.

Initial reactions from the students were mixed.

Melissa Maines of Clearfield said, "I've been watching the show since the first season, so I was really excited when Mr. Weaver told us about the assignment."

At the other end of the spectrum was Aimee Gerber of New Castle: "My first reaction to this assignment was ‘absolutely not,' but this application isn't like any other application. This one forced us to think about ourselves, about our character, what we're most afraid of, how we cope with conflict."



As the semester and the project progressed, attitudes changed especially after Titan Traverse staged it's own version of The Amazing Race for the students to run. Chose the raw video clip you want to view from the links here:
Bill Sadler of Youngstown, Ohio, commented, "Putting the million-dollar prize aside, our project has a hidden message. This was to show us we have a wide variety of strengths, and we are qualified for any task given to us. We will be entering the ‘race' of the job market soon and will be competing against many for one prize."

Doug Kunst of Bellevue said, "The Amazing Race was a clever way for us to reflect on who we are and where we have come from. For me, it was realizing how good a fit I am to broadcasting."

Nicole Piszczor of Broadview Heights, Ohio, related, "In the end, it made me realize more about who I am as a person and as a professional."

Shayna Marti of New Wilmington observed, "The application asked questions that really made you think about yourself and your partner. I realized that I really didn't know my partner that well, but I recently found out we make a pretty good team."

Weaver said, "One of my goals was for the students to discover ways to ‘sell' themselves beyond the bullet points of a résumé, while exploring the kinds of questions employers might ask."

Each team was responsible for producing the three-minute application video The Amazing Race requires. The final exam period was an Amazing Race-themed event organized by Westminster's Titan Traverse staff. It included canoeing across Brittain Lake, climbing a rock wall, mountain biking, and solving clues to reach the finish line.

Tuesday, May 13

WARNING: With YouTube the F-bomb is the last thing you want to drop on local TV

SEE THE VIDEO HERE- WARNING...you will hear it if click it.

WNBC management and anchor Sue Simmons would seem less than professional when this aired in the nation's largest market. While most New Yorkers probably hear it or say it several times a day, it's a shame someone paid that much can't control her language around an open mic. Could it be that big egos carry big tempers with big mouths? Just read the news, please.

USA Today reports she's apologized. Perhaps she should sit out a newscast with a bar of soap in her mouth.

Live from N.Y.: Local anchor apologizes for saying [expletive] on the air

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/05/live-from-ny-lo.html


Sue Simmons says she's "truly sorry" for using foul language during a promotional spot for the newscast she anchored late last night on WNBC-TV.

"Simmons was teasing a story about the high cost of groceries when tape of a cereal box suddenly switched to the cruise ship from which a woman fell and disappeared Sunday night," the Daily News says. "The goof prompted Simmons to shout off-camera, "What the [expletive] are you doing?" The screen then went black."

About 30 minutes later, Newsday says the 11 p.m. broadcast began with an apology.

SEE HER humble APOLOGY HERE.


Friday, May 9

END OF THE SEMESTER IS MID-SWEEPS

My end of the semester frustrations
seems to be echoed on my favorite shows...
where the heck are these storylines going?