tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11430886257563673672024-03-13T06:26:55.565-05:00News McNabbJim McNabb is an Austin, Texas journalist. He's seen TV news go from black and white film to digital; radio news go from vitality to virtually disappearing; Austin go from two daily newspapers to one; And, he's seen all create web sites. Now come blogs and other alternative media. No one in media particularly likes analysis or criticism, but that what all media needs.
Through the lenses of experience and academe, that's what Jim McNabb will do. Thus, the blog, "News McNabb."NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.comBlogger268125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-69588141434678108512020-03-09T15:18:00.000-05:002020-03-09T15:18:13.550-05:00
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You Know?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You
know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently, a lot of people don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As one who
teaches public speaking at the university level, I shutter when I started hearing
things over and over and over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vocalized
pauses have been a part of our speech patterns forever, but one has invaded
discourse rather recently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s “You
know?”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Bite my tongue,
but I’ve heard “You know” escape from my lips too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of “uh”, “uhm”, “like” and the like,
people are saying “You know”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve heard
interviewees say it as many as six times in one reply. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s a habit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A bad habit littering our language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d rather hear “uh”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What folks need to do is slow down, think
about what you’re saying, and pause, you know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s driving me <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>c r a z y.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">While I’m on
the subject, here are some more.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What does “There
is no there there” mean?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where did that
come from?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When did we
start saying people were in someone’s “orbit”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Give some space.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How did
something get “baked in the cake”?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Is it
another “shiny object”?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Is the “red
line” near the “guard rails”?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How did we
get in “uncharted waters?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did we go off
the guard rails?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Did it
happen “of late”?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Did it
happen when something or someone become “unhinged” or “unmoored”?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Is it an “existential”
threat?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Are we at an
“inflection point?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Huh?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, it
must come to a “full stop”.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Maybe it’s “a
bridge too far”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They keep “moving the
goal posts”.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If so, it’s
impossible to “center around”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may center
ON.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then, there
are the grammatical issues that drive me nuts.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There is a
difference between “further” and “farther”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Look it up.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Something
isn’t “very unique”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the same as “completely
destroyed”. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Who” and “Whom”
are not interchangeable.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do you feel “good”
or “well”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Which is
correct?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Pleaded guilty” or “Pled
guilty”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The former is technically
correct, but grammatists have given up. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How about, “It
may not be 2019, but…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It isn’t 2019 but…”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here’s one I
hear one the news very often:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“[Name] has
died.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, [Name] is dead.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Admittedly,
some of these useful and descriptive, but they’re often overused, you know.</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-30514399761904101662018-08-28T17:12:00.000-05:002018-08-28T17:21:10.002-05:00Ch-Ch-Ch Changes!!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">I hate change, but change is inevitable in the news business,
it seems.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GzmtdyqkD10/W4XHCYLOchI/AAAAAAAATAQ/PGNpPjKJVDE3urmloBL7a2l07IDheIumwCLcBGAs/s1600/statesman.com%2Blogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GzmtdyqkD10/W4XHCYLOchI/AAAAAAAATAQ/PGNpPjKJVDE3urmloBL7a2l07IDheIumwCLcBGAs/s320/statesman.com%2Blogo.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">I saw this latest change coming.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>New<i> Austin</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American-Statesman</i> owner GateHouse Media has something of a
reputation for buy-outs and layoffs.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Sure
enough, “GateHouse recently announced they were extending voluntary buyout offers
to all of it’s employees,” according to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American-Statesman</i>.</span></div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GzmtdyqkD10/W4XHCYLOchI/AAAAAAAATAQ/PGNpPjKJVDE3urmloBL7a2l07IDheIumwCLcBGAs/s1600/statesman.com%2Blogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GzmtdyqkD10/W4XHCYLOchI/AAAAAAAATAQ/PGNpPjKJVDE3urmloBL7a2l07IDheIumwCLcBGAs/s1600/statesman.com%2Blogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: "calibri"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">Publisher <b>Susie Biehle</b> and Editor <b>Debbie Hiott </b>both decided
it was to time to take their offers.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Biehle had only been at the newspaper since 2011, but highly respected Hiott
had worked her way up to top management after starting as an intern while still
taking classes at what was Southwest Texas State.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>That’s 28 years at the newspaper.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Losing top talent can be damaging to the news product.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Out the door with these managers go goodwill,
contacts, and possibly credibility.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“Cutting
people isn't always the best way to save costs,” said an anonymous GateHouse
employee posting on <a href="http://www.glassdoor.com/"><span style="color: #0563c1;">www.glassdoor.com</span></a>.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Another post was more ominous: “This company is bleeding
money. They cannot turn a profit. Stay away. Layoffs are always happening. I
repeat. Stay away!”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>People posting on
Facebook here in Austin predict more and more people will be taking the
buyouts, leaving lower paid and less experienced people behind.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">Will this help the local newspaper better?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Hiott made it better when she took over the newsroom.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Readers will judge, if they stick with their
subscriptions.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Change happens in TV news too.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It seems like every time I tune in KEYE TV
and KVUE I see a face I haven’t seen before.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Austin used to be a destination market.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Reporters would want to be a part of this city and stay.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>While some have left “the business” over the
year, many of them are still in town.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fOTWVT53a60/W4XE6ShoccI/AAAAAAAATAA/mI7rVB4MLHwevsu0Lpd2qHjp3hmVXnANwCLcBGAs/s1600/Kate%2BWeidaw.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1352" data-original-width="1300" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fOTWVT53a60/W4XE6ShoccI/AAAAAAAATAA/mI7rVB4MLHwevsu0Lpd2qHjp3hmVXnANwCLcBGAs/s320/Kate%2BWeidaw.JPG" width="307" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">One of them is<b> Kate Weidaw</b> whose last day at KXAN was
Friday, August 24, 2018.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>She had been doing
whatever was asked of here in the mornings on KXAN and KNVA.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Kate holds a PhD.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>She had been teaching part time at The
University of Texas, but they made her a full-time offer she couldn’t
refuse.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>So, she is staying here with her
family.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">I get it.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>After 16-plus
years at KXAN, I’m teaching at St. Edward’s University.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It was a good change.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I’m at the beginning of my ninth year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">It should be said that, for the most part, anchors at the TV
stations haven’t changed much.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fOTWVT53a60/W4XE6ShoccI/AAAAAAAATAA/mI7rVB4MLHwevsu0Lpd2qHjp3hmVXnANwCLcBGAs/s1600/Kate%2BWeidaw.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fOTWVT53a60/W4XE6ShoccI/AAAAAAAATAA/mI7rVB4MLHwevsu0Lpd2qHjp3hmVXnANwCLcBGAs/s1600/Kate%2BWeidaw.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNVSYD_6qgw/W4XExrRpWqI/AAAAAAAAS_8/HPnxFQY4oTEf4TskPbsC0AfKME4xzwznwCLcBGAs/s1600/Robert%2BHadlock2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GzmtdyqkD10/W4XHCYLOchI/AAAAAAAATAQ/PGNpPjKJVDE3urmloBL7a2l07IDheIumwCLcBGAs/s1600/statesman.com%2Blogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fOTWVT53a60/W4XE6ShoccI/AAAAAAAATAA/mI7rVB4MLHwevsu0Lpd2qHjp3hmVXnANwCLcBGAs/s1600/Kate%2BWeidaw.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a></div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNVSYD_6qgw/W4XExrRpWqI/AAAAAAAAS_8/HPnxFQY4oTEf4TskPbsC0AfKME4xzwznwCLcBGAs/s1600/Robert%2BHadlock2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="404" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNVSYD_6qgw/W4XExrRpWqI/AAAAAAAAS_8/HPnxFQY4oTEf4TskPbsC0AfKME4xzwznwCLcBGAs/s320/Robert%2BHadlock2.jpg" width="214" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Judy Maggio is still on the air at KLRU TV after having
worked at both KVUE and KEYE.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>KXAN’s Jim
Spencer probably holds the record for continuous weather broadcasting at one
station, KXAN.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Noteworthy is KXAN’s <b>Robert
Hadlock</b>.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He is celebrating 28 years at the
KXAN anchor desk this week.</span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNVSYD_6qgw/W4XExrRpWqI/AAAAAAAAS_8/HPnxFQY4oTEf4TskPbsC0AfKME4xzwznwCLcBGAs/s1600/Robert%2BHadlock2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">The stability on and off the air can be what contribute to
good ratings.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>That’s part of why KXAN continues
to hold the edge in the evenings.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Many
of the producers and behind the scenes managers have many years at the station
too.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNVSYD_6qgw/W4XExrRpWqI/AAAAAAAAS_8/HPnxFQY4oTEf4TskPbsC0AfKME4xzwznwCLcBGAs/s1600/Robert%2BHadlock2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">The post prior to this one on newsmcnabb was six years ago
this month.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I can’t say if I’m going to
resume posting to this blog on a regular basis, but because of the flux of the
past week or so I couldn’t help myself.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Yes, I still watch everyone in town, and I’ve been taking notes.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">Wage Peace,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">© Jim McNabb, August 28, 2018</span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-53368778101244812682012-08-06T13:04:00.003-05:002012-08-06T13:09:13.733-05:00I'm Not Kidding...<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xlPfjm7AGuQ/UCAHmJfthXI/AAAAAAAAA-g/vHj3WAkYOK0/s1600/NewsMcNabb%2BHead%2BShot.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xlPfjm7AGuQ/UCAHmJfthXI/AAAAAAAAA-g/vHj3WAkYOK0/s320/NewsMcNabb%2BHead%2BShot.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773623074254325106" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:180%;">The End</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">This is possibly the last newsmcnabb post. I’m hanging it up. I say “possibly the last post.” Something may be so juicy or troublesome that I could feel compelled to write, but I think four years of periodic posts is possibly enough.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">At the outset, I wanted the blog to be more than a recitation of comings and goings. That can be accomplished in much the same manner as “Transactions” in the sports pages of the Austin <i>American-Statesman</i>. Comings and goings seem to be more and more frequent nowadays for a variety of reasons.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">I wanted to go deeper, digging into all media in the market, and I think I did. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">This doesn’t mean that there is no longer anything to write about. Just look at the almost daily “corrections” on Page 2 of the American-Statesman. Some of them are glaring. The most common and possibly the most heinous are misidentifications. Misidentifications can sometimes result in lawsuits!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">I thought about writing something about the new owners of KEYE TV, and Sinclair’s history in politics. I decided to take a “wait and see” approach. If you are curious, just Google Sinclair Media.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">New owners and TV news consultants are also an interesting subject. Many think what worked in another television market will work in Austin. It probably won’t. Austin is not a “cookie-cutter” market. Yet, these managers who “ain’t from around here” will keep trying until the audience/the ratings prove it to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Consultants would be more useful in coaching new staff members some of whom seem to be working their first TV jobs. Somebody needs to tell them to stop yelling at the audience; just talk. Be conversational. Your voice in your live shot should match your delivery in the voice track. It would be mean and possibly hurtful to be specific, so I didn’t write about that.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">I could have written more about the online, hyper-local media such as CultureMapAustin, Austin Post, the Austinist, and several others. I’ve wondered if folks glean their news from these sites as much or more than so-called “main stream media.” <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Taking stock, my 272 posts over four years is probably plenty. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">When I started writing newsmcnabb, I felt like I was filling a void. There is still a void, but it is smaller. Gary Dinges of the Statesman, whom I’ve never met, is doing a good job of covering local broadcast media now. No, he’s not going to criticize his own newspaper, and he’s not going to take a point of view, but he is doing good reporting. It’s his full time job.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Writing newsmcnabb is not my full-time job. Right now, I’m more interested and even obsessed with the coming semester at St. Edward’s University. For the next nine months, my energy, creativity, and priority will be focused on preparing solid content for my students. It must be said, it is so very, very satisfying when those students succeed!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">So, “newsmcnabb” will remain in cyberspace for archival purposes for a while, but it’s time to turn the page. Turn the page without even so much as creasing the corner. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">One final and important thing: To those who followed or subscribed to my missives, thank you!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Wage peace.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">-30-<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">© Jim McNabb, 2012</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-12158533940881633842012-08-01T12:30:00.003-05:002012-08-01T13:45:58.612-05:00Really?<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljPnFzncp7c/UBloltdvU9I/AAAAAAAAA-M/GodahZADMNo/s1600/Paul%2BSadler.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljPnFzncp7c/UBloltdvU9I/AAAAAAAAA-M/GodahZADMNo/s320/Paul%2BSadler.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771759394520781778" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c4z_yer77XY/UBlolWzbnNI/AAAAAAAAA98/hQ8Y5KIs5ec/s1600/Ted%2BCruz2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c4z_yer77XY/UBlolWzbnNI/AAAAAAAAA98/hQ8Y5KIs5ec/s320/Ted%2BCruz2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771759388437748946" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left; "><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><b>Media: Texas is a One-Party State</b></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><o:p><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">An incredible feeling of freedom swept over me when I walked out of a newsroom for the last time. For the first time in decades, I could openly express a political preference and opinion. Journalists, bound by ethical standards, keep those views to themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The campaign manager for a mayoral candidate years ago was convinced that I hated her candidate when in fact, I voted for him. I could not let it show. Reporters must be objective. Reporters must stick to reporting facts. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">So, I’ve been disturbed by the reportage of the Ted Cruz/David Dewhurst runoff. I was shaken by this assertion by The Austin <i>American-Statesman’s </i>Ken Herman: “There’s no doubt we’re a one-party state.” Really? That news may come as a surprise to former lawmaker, Democrat Paul Sadler who will face Ted Cruz in November.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">True, no Democrat has won a statewide office since 1994, but does that mean that Texas is a one-party state? Does that mean that the Democratic Party in Texas should simply save its money, bolt the doors, and move to New England where the colors are shades of blue? Should journalists make these leaps of logic? <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">I don’t want to hammer Herman alone. After all, much of what he writes nowadays is opinion, and it’s great stuff. The problem is that the piece in today’s paper (August 1, 2012) wasn’t presented as a column. Herman is an excellent reporter, and the story appeared as analysis. Opinions, however, should be put in the context of a quotation from a source. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">I’m boiling over now after having stewed in this political pot for several weeks. During the Belo runoff debate between Cruz and Dewhurst seen in Austin on KVUE-TV (ABC), one of the moderators was trying to frame a question. He said something like this, “One of you <i>will be</i> the next Junior Senator from Texas, and …” I gasped. I might imagine that Paul Sadler might have thrown a shoe at his television if he was watching. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Did that TV talking head forget that we have an election the first Tuesday in November, and that election will decide who is the next junior US Senator from Texas?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Back to the Statesman stories concerning the runoff election. The front page story by Kate Alexander stuck to the facts, but mention of the Democratic Party opposition was one paragraph on the “jump page”. It acknowledged that Sadler “handily” won his contest. Then, she couldn’t resist throwing in the fact that “a Democrat last won a statewide seat in Texas in 1994. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Much has been made that Cruz, who has never held elective office, had extra time and, yes, money to tell his story and build a winning campaign because of delays due to redistricting. Between now and November, the electorate will get to know more about who he is what he says he would do if elected.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The same could be said of Paul Sadler’s candidacy and his solid record of accomplishment during his time in the Texas Legislature.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Voters will see a stark contrast in the candidates. Further, in November there will likely be a much greater turnout than there was for this ill-timed, mid-summer runoff election. Finally, there are blue bastions in urban areas of Texas—Dallas, Houston, and Austin. Voter turnout is the key for either candidate.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Maybe Ted Cruz will win in November, but that still will not mean that Texas is a one-party state, no matter what the media says.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">© Jim McNabb, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-87143365306590310352012-07-22T16:09:00.003-05:002012-07-22T16:13:50.635-05:00She's Be Missed ...<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mxyZ5uADExI/UAxsb8hD0VI/AAAAAAAAA9s/0azfB-xWr-A/s1600/Suzanne%2BBlack2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 222px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mxyZ5uADExI/UAxsb8hD0VI/AAAAAAAAA9s/0azfB-xWr-A/s320/Suzanne%2BBlack2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5768104450111820114" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; "><b><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:180%;">ND Suzanne Black Leaving KEYE TV</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">There is one constant in broadcast journalism. This constant remains in place during the decades of this relatively young profession. That one constant? Change. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">It was less than a month ago that I ran into a typically cheery KEYE-TV (CBS) News Director Suzanne Black while enjoying lunch with a former mutual colleague. We talked several minutes about the station’s success in the May “sweeps” and Sinclair Broadcasting, KEYE’s owners as of the first of this year. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Last week, Black announced she was leaving the station. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">“I am leaving KEYE. It's a decision I've been weighing for a while,” Black says. “As much as I love it here, it's time devote some attention to my boys. They're only young once and I want to enjoy it.” Black and her husband have two children.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Black says she’s leaving while she’s on top.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">“This has been a busy and successful year. We launched a new two-hour morning program, a 5pm newscast, and ended the May book with our 10 p.m. newscast moving into first place for the first time in KEYE history. It has been fun and very rewarding.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Black came to KEYE seven years ago as assistant news director. Only a year later, she was promoted to the top job in the newsroom when then news director Tim Gardner moved on. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">During her time at the station, KEYE had four management groups or owners: CBS, Cerberus Capital Management which eventually signed a local service agreement with the Nexstar Broadcasting Group. September 11, 2011, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced a deal to buy KEYE and its sister Cerberus stations. The station also converted to HDTV during her watch.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">As one would expect, each change in ownership and management would result in uncertainty, but Black clung to her journalist values with a commitment to put a quality product on the air every day, changes notwithstanding. She was rewarded with loyalty by many producers, photographers, reporters, and anchors.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">“I will miss the people of KEYE tremendously. They are hard-working, loving, passionate people,” Black says. Her last day in the station is this Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Sinclair posted Black’s job within days if not hours after her announcement.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">© Jim McNabb, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-59198406848951139642012-07-17T23:58:00.001-05:002012-07-18T00:02:50.972-05:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mXhiRC3yjLE/UAZDVs7s_nI/AAAAAAAAA9Y/RJTMdLVUkwE/s1600/KXAN%2BChad%2BCross.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 153px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mXhiRC3yjLE/UAZDVs7s_nI/AAAAAAAAA9Y/RJTMdLVUkwE/s200/KXAN%2BChad%2BCross.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5766370413012385394" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; "><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><b>Cross—KXAN TV’s New News Director</b></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><o:p><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">A new news director is headed to KXAN TV (NBC) from an award-winning station in Wichita, Kansas, and he has ties to Austin.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">He replaces Michael Fabac who was quickly dismissed in late May during sweeps.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Chad Cross, a University of Texas Broadcast Journalism graduate, is said to be the new leader for Austin’s #2 station. Before going to Kansas, Cross was a producer at KEYE-TV (CBS) here in Austin. He was also a reporter/anchor in Topeka, Kansas.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Chad Cross is used to being #1. Reports say that his station, KWCH TV (CBS) has led the ratings in the Wichita market since 1985!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Cross, KWCH TV’s news director, has been with the station for some ten years. In that time he worked as a producer, reporter, anchor, reporter, and assignment editor. So, it appears that he worked his way up through the ranks. Neither Cross nor KXAN management have responded to inquiries so far. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">One thing is certain: As news director he will be younger than many if not most of the people he will manage including his anchors, mid-managers, and reporters. Veteran Jim Swift may be close to twice as old as his new boss!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Apparently, Cross was one of two finalists for the plumb KXAN job. Cross rose above the competition. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">“On a 4th grade field trip, Chad Cross toured a television station and watched what happens behind the scenes to produce a live newscast,” according to the KWCH web site. “In awe of it all, he decided on his career that day.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">“It was the ‘magic of TV’ that inspired me then. Now, it’s about the responsibility we have as journalists to ask questions, hold the powerful accountable and use our medium to make a difference in the community,” he said. “It’s also about our service to viewers, relaying vital information for their safety, especially when there’s severe weather in Kansas.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Those same priorities apply to the Austin market. Wichita is the 68<sup>th</sup> market. Austin is 44<sup>th</sup> on the Nielsen list.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">KXAN also produces news for the Austin CW station, and Cross is familiar with that arrangement. Sunflower Broadcasting, Inc. owns KWCH and KSCW. So, his department also produces the 9 p.m. news for the local Fox affiliate. Also, in 2011, Cross launched three new newscasts, including one in Spanish for KDCU, a Univision affiliate. The station also has a 24-hour weather channel, four websites and three apps. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Cross was a part of coverage including major events like the tornado that destroyed the town of Greensburg, the capture of Wichita’s “BTK” serial killer, and the Jayhawks’ 2008 national championship. Under his leadership KWCH won national and regional Edward R. Murrow awards, 2011 Kansas Assoc. of Broadcasters' "Station of the Year" and a 2012 Emmy nomination for news excellence.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Cross oversaw all editorial decisions, according to the station’s web site. “I’m fortunate to lead a newsroom that prides itself on thoughtful, ethical decisions about our coverage. Every day we strive for compelling storytelling that focuses on who is directly affected,” he explained.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Cross hales from northern Colorado. He describes himself as a “farm boy.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">© Jim McNabb, 2012</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-55249654830128080442012-07-09T12:05:00.002-05:002012-07-09T12:08:06.407-05:00Will America Be The Death of English?<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GzedqbhREkM/T_sPyxnzgjI/AAAAAAAAA9I/UbxMhy1s0ss/s1600/RANT.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 141px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GzedqbhREkM/T_sPyxnzgjI/AAAAAAAAA9I/UbxMhy1s0ss/s200/RANT.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5763217513138848306" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><b>Heard, Read, Gagged</b></span><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><o:p><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">“Strictly Speaking/Will America be the Death of English” is a former #1 best seller by former NBC correspondent Edwin Newman. What we do to the language now is as abominable as it was in 1974 when Newman finished his book.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">What follows was written, seen, or said in local and national media within the past few weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The name of the place in England where they play tennis is Wimbledon, not WimbleTon. How many times have you heard the “T”? It is close kin to the mispronunciation of that cathedral in London called Westminster, not Westminister. Sigh.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Brian Williams last month said the retired shuttle “suffered wing damage.” No. Things do not suffer. People suffer. The living suffer. Things are damaged, yes. If you must, things can incur or sustain damage, but they don’t suffer.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Appearing on MSNBC, former GOP chief Michael Steele uttered the phrase, “centered around.” No. It is impossible for something to be centered around. It can be centered on, however. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">A local Austin new reporter got a statement from a source. He read it saying, “Quote: Blah, blah, blah …” Any broadcast journalism course will tell you to lose the word “Quote”. After all, the statement is on the screen in quotation marks.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">A City of Austin staffer appearing before the City Council stated that something was further away. No. It is farther away, meaning distance. Further has a different definition. Weathercasters say this one wrong often also. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">In an NBC Nightly News story on education the reporter said the phrase, “whether or not.” What’s wrong with that, you say? It is redundant. Just say “whether”. For example, I don’t know whether it will rain.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">NBC’s medical expert Dr. Nancy Snyderman in a June 11<sup>th</sup> report confused “fewer” with “less”. Many do. Even the New York Times slipped up and ran an explanation: “The basic rule for precise use of ‘less’ and ‘fewer’ is simple (though we slip often). Use ‘fewer’ with countable, individual things, and ‘less’ with uncountable amounts, volumes, etc. So: ‘I should drink less coffee,’ but ‘I should eat fewer doughnuts.’” (NYT, Philip B. Corbett, March 1, 2011)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">“Amount” and “number” are similar. A local Austin reporter got them confused recently. “Use the word amount with quantities that cannot be counted and number with quantities that could be counted one-by-one.” (EnglishPlus.com)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><o:p><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">A friend and former newspaper copy editor wonders why people put an apostrophe after the plural of things like CDs, DVDs, or RVs. People wrongly make it look like a possessive by writing “CD’s”, etc. Lose the apostrophe. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Shouldn’t a crime reporter know the difference between a robbery and a burglary? They are not interchangeable. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">On MSNBC’s web site, someone wrote that a victim was “electrocuted and died.” Hmmm. Electrocuted indicates death, otherwise they would have been simply shocked. It’s just like saying someone drowned and died. They drowned. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Finally, style books recommend writing news in the active voice rather than passive. For example, copy should say, “Many witnesses saw the accident,” rather than “The accident was seen by many witnesses.” Dadgummit! Write in the active voice.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Further, lose the past perfect and present perfect tenses. The Associated Press wrote July 3, 2012, “Andy Griffith, whose homespun mix of humor and wisdom made ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ an enduring TV favorite, has died.” So, an Austin anchor read, “… Andy Griffith has died.” No. Write and say something like, “Tonight reports out of North Carolina say Andy Griffith is dead. Or it could be, “Beloved actor Andy Griffith died today. All producers and copy editors should pause and think before using the past or present perfect tense of a verb.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">It all actually starts on a personal level. You ask someone, “How are you doing?” “Good,” They answer. Hmmm. You know they are a good person, but how are they doing? The answer should be, “I’m well.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">We’re talking mainly about usage here. Grammar? Well, that is another post for another time.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Picky? Perhaps. But, there are there are, oh, so many, many more. Maybe we can clean up this mess one sentence at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">© Jim McNabb, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-6359410315367658672012-06-12T13:15:00.002-05:002012-06-12T13:19:10.269-05:00Kate and KUT-FM<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OBszQfBuVr4/T9eH6XlxWlI/AAAAAAAAA80/tvsfwGgkj3w/s1600/KUT%2Blogo.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OBszQfBuVr4/T9eH6XlxWlI/AAAAAAAAA80/tvsfwGgkj3w/s320/KUT%2Blogo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5753216485823699538" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vetralKoRLk/T9eH6ANUFxI/AAAAAAAAA8k/Rz4V8nkULDo/s1600/Kate%2BWeidaw.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 308px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vetralKoRLk/T9eH6ANUFxI/AAAAAAAAA8k/Rz4V8nkULDo/s320/Kate%2BWeidaw.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5753216479547102994" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span ><span ><b>Two Quick Tidbits …</b></span><span style="font-weight: bold; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span ><span ><b><br /></b></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Two quick newsworthy items:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Austin’s public radio station KUT-FM (NPR) raked in another news award today, June 12, 2012. This time is the national Edward R. Murrow award for continuing coverage of the 2011 drought. This is a big deal! Listen to the winning entry here: <a href="http://vimeo.com/36567853">http://vimeo.com/36567853</a>. Kudos to KUT-FM again!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Secondly, but not unexpectedly, KXAN-TV (NBC) morning reporter Kate Weidaw, PhD resigned to follow her new dream, teaching full time. She earned her doctorate this spring. (See <a href="http://newsmcnab.blogspot.com/">http://newsmcnab.blogspot.com</a> and scroll down three stories.). <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Dr. Weidaw gave notice Monday, June 11, 2012 saying, “I accepted a job at the University of Georgia in Athens to be an assistant professor in their Telecommunications Department. I'll leave KXAN at the end of July beginning of August.” So, she will see the station through the July sweeps month.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Weidaw had been teaching broadcast journalism at St. Edward’s University in Austin.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >This is a big deal too!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Congratulations to Kate and KUT-FM.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span ><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >© Jim McNabb, 2012</span><span style="font-size: 100%; "><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span ><br /></span></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-13473636923503909932012-05-31T12:30:00.003-05:002012-05-31T12:37:16.799-05:00Gotta Blame Somebody ...<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvzovAqL5pE/T8erKFD_qXI/AAAAAAAAA8U/1OiMfKqYznk/s1600/John%2BBradley.jpg" style="font-weight: normal; "><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 168px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvzovAqL5pE/T8erKFD_qXI/AAAAAAAAA8U/1OiMfKqYznk/s320/John%2BBradley.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5748751639007701362" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left; "><b><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span ><span >That Darned Media!</span><span ><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Blame it on the media. When in doubt, blame it on the media. When there is a political campaign crisis, of course, blame it on the media.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >If one is a conservative, then it is the fault of the “liberal” media. Conversely, if one is a liberal, blame the “conservative” media. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Instead of blaming it on the media, defeated incumbent Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley took the extraordinary step of barring the media from his election-watch headquarters. He had no comment to the media after his 55-45% defeat by County Attorney Jana Duty. Duty was available to the media all day and all night the day of the primary.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Bradley may be blaming his defeat on the media. There is no way of knowing because he has no comment. “No Comment” is never every acceptable in any circumstance. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >The handling of the Michael Morton case was always being thrown in Bradley’s face by his opponent Duty, and by extension, the media. Of course Duty’s ads <i>in the media </i>accenting Morton’s innocence in his wife’s murder due to DNA were also in the media. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >That darned media!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >And Bradley took media heat in 2010 for when Governor Rick Perry appointed him to head up the Texas Forensic Science Commission. The commission was asked to review evidence that led to the conviction and execution of a Corsicana man in the arson killing of his family. Some have said the conviction was based on “flawed science.” <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >State Senator Rodney Ellis was critical of Bradley’s response: <i>"It is disconcerting to hear that the Chairman of the Forensic Science Commission would characterize legislators' concern over the use of flawed science to convict Texans as a 'circus sideshow.'” </i>(TexasTribune.com, September 12, 2010)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >That darned media! How dare they report emails such as this.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >To be fair, County Attorney Duty’s ongoing problems with the Williamson County Commissioners Court also received media attention as did her reprimand by the State Bar of Texas. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >That darned media!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Duty isn’t done yet. She still must defeat Democratic Party challenger Ken Crain in the November election. Crain, a Georgetown attorney, was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Little has been heard Mr. Crain so far.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >But DA Bradley must want to control the media by not communicating through the media to his constituents. He’ll still be DA for six more months. The news media, after all, are the eyes and ears of the public. Election night, reporters were kept at the curb and left at the curb waiting.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Attacking, avoiding or blaming the media is a common political ploy. Check out former Speaker of the House and presidential candidate Newt Gingrich during the debates in early 2012. Find highlights on You Tube.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >This past week, it was Donald Trump’s turn to take on the media again. His recurrent topic: The so-called “birther” movement. On the eve of his Vegas fundraiser with apparent Presidential nominee Mitt Romney, Trump again questioned the authenticity of President Obama’s Hawaii certificate of live birth.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >"A lot of people do not think it was an authentic certificate," Trump told CNN of Obama's birth certificate. When CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer told Trump he was "beginning to sound a little ridiculous," Trump responded, "I think you sound ridiculous." (The dailycaller.com, May 29, 2012)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >That darned media!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >“It’s something that bothers Obama very much,” Trump said. “I tell you, it’s not an issue that he likes talking about, so what he does is uses reverse psychology on people like you so that you report, ‘Oh gee, he’s thrilled with it.’ He does not like that issue because it’s hitting close to home, you know it and he knows it.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >“You won’t report it, Wolf, but many people do not think it was authentic,” Trump said. “His mother was not in the hospital. There are many other things that came out and, frankly, if you would report it accurately, I think you’d probably get better ratings than you’re getting, which are pretty small.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >The odd thing about it all is that Donald Trump was using the very medium he insults. And, Trump of course ignores newspaper announcements of the president’s birth repeated often in other media, as well as Mr. Trump’s own investigation which produced no reportable results.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Working in news, one must have thick skin, never taking things personally. Wolf Blitzer’s skin is bound to be quite thick. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >And regarding Mr. Trump, he certainly doesn’t avoid that darned media. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >© Jim</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; "> McNabb, 2012</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span >Photo Credit: </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 11px; text-align: right; "><b>Erich Schlegel for The Texas Tribune</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 11px; text-align: right; "><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-59568172849403832632012-05-25T17:45:00.002-05:002012-05-25T17:47:39.440-05:00A Screed ...<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dGaLwhLINVo/T8AL-WGSkDI/AAAAAAAAA7k/OLk5l4AekAg/s1600/Kathy%2BBates.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 178px; height: 99px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dGaLwhLINVo/T8AL-WGSkDI/AAAAAAAAA7k/OLk5l4AekAg/s320/Kathy%2BBates.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5746606290236510258" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span ><span ><b>I Want My “Harry’s Law”</b></span><span style="font-weight: bold; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span ><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Sunday night, May 27<sup>th</sup> at 7 p.m. will be final episode of NBC’s “Harry's Law.” <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span > “Harry’s Law” starring Kathy Bates was/is a well-conceived, well-written, well-acted, and well-produced show. It was/is stunning that the plots uncannily seemed/seem to coincide with a current news story. To me, it is a crime that it’s going away.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >I understand ratings and consultants. I understand demographics and target audiences. I worked in the broadcast industry for 40+ years. . I teach at a local university requiring critical thinking of its students. So, I get it.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >I decided to give NBC some feedback, not that they care. I had to fill in multiple blanks creating for them my “profile” in order to get to NBC’s comments page. So, at a glance they can know that I apparently fit their unwanted demographic. I'm too old.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Admittedly, I mentioned an episode of “Harry's Law” to one of my classes during the spring semester, and no one had seen it. They are the NBC target demographic, apparently, and I am not. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >I watch little drama and no comedy with the exception of an occasional “Saturday Night Live.” I watch news and sports most of the time, but “Harry's Law” sucked me over the past two years in because of its consistent quality.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >I'm just bummed because brainy “Harry's Law” quite likely will be replaced by some insipid, vacuous, reality show or something parsimonious, saving the network money while searching for the "right" demographic.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >NBC and the other networks should remember that perhaps I am actually the <i>right</i> demographic. Think about the aging "Baby Boomers". We are retiring in front of our televisions daily. We have money, and we'll spend it. So, perhaps the networks should do a better job of selling ads to targeted advertisers who want to reach people like me. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Sometimes, there is a ground-swell in support of TV shows. I don't know if the ground is swelling in support of “Harry's Law”, but I'd like to start it. Instead of eschewing quality and going for the short-term gain, NBC should let a show grow its audience, and the advertisers will come.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >© Jim McNabb, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-11229663615840822872012-05-24T17:18:00.004-05:002012-05-29T15:44:50.945-05:00Something for Everyone and Something New<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a1UQU-eXIpk/T8U1G4kZmjI/AAAAAAAAA8E/a2AY8Gc-wRk/s1600/Four%2BNetwork%2BStations.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a1UQU-eXIpk/T8U1G4kZmjI/AAAAAAAAA8E/a2AY8Gc-wRk/s320/Four%2BNetwork%2BStations.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5748058891788851762" /></a><br /><span ><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left; "></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span >MAY TV SWEEPS RESULTS –Updated*<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left;"><b><span ><span >Something for Everyone and Something New<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >KEYE TV (CBS) came close in February. In the May TV sweeps, the 10 p.m. news went to the top. KEYE is the new #1, followed by KVUE TV (ABC), and KXAN TV coming in third. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >It appears that KEYE benefitted from CBS prime time programming, providing a strong lead-in audience. That’s not always the case. A television station’s worse enemy is always the remote, but appears that all three stations pretty much kept their viewers and there wasn’t much station-switching.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >KEYE climbing to the top at 10 p.m. may be the biggest news, the biggest change in the ratings.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >“I am very proud of our staff, who works so hard. We've put together a great team and Austin viewers have noticed,” said Suzanne Black, KEYE news director.<br /><br />“Having the most-watched 10 pm news is Austin is a big responsibility, and we take our jobs seriously,” Black continued. “The goal at KEYE TV News is to bring Central Texas viewers the best news possible, every day, even outside the key ratings periods. If you have not watched our news lately, you are missing some great coverage.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Black attributes some of their audience growth to a new effort on the part of KEYE news. “The dedication to our Waste Watch Investigations has made an impact. Since we started Waste Watch in April we have seen a tremendous response from viewers, both to our investigations and with tips on our hotline,” Black said.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >KXAN again dominated the ratings at 5 and 6 p.m. followed by KVUE. KEYE has been running a game show at 5 p.m., but that’s about to change. More on that later.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >“KXAN News is extremely excited with having the two highest rated newscasts in the market,” said <st1:personname st="on">Eric Lassberg</st1:personname>, KXAN president and general manager. “We are encouraged that our viewers are responding positively from our in-depth and investigative efforts with Chris Willis as our lead investigator.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >KXAN says that its 5 O’clock newscast has seen a 55% increase in growth when measured year to year. Part of that growth might be attributable to preceding programming as mentioned above.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >“Jeopardy” at 4 and 4:30 p.m. on KXAN has killed the competition for years, providing a nice lead-in for the station’s 5 O’clock news. NBC’s “Nightly News with Brian Williams” continued to build on that lead, handing off to the local news at 6 p.m. The audience kept on building with a slight drop-off at six, but not enough to drop KXAN down to #2. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >KVUE was #2 at 6 p.m., and KEYE was #3.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >KVUE rocks during the mid-day hours with big numbers for “The View” at 10 a.m. followed by KVUE Midday at 11 a.m. There is direct competition between KTBC TV (FOX) and KXAN at noon. KXAN won handily.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >“KVUE Daybreak” battled it out with Fox 7 for the biggest chunks of the morning audience. Fox 7 won at 4:30 and 5 a.m. Then KVUE took #1 at 6 a.m. Fox 7 was #2. KXAN’S “News Today” was third. “KTBC was the only station to show growth year-to-year,” according Fox. This was the last rating period for KVUE’s Melissa Gale, and after 14 years, she’s going out a winner in a key time period.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Fox7 News “Good Day Austin” was also #1 in the 9-10 a.m. time slot, beating out “Live with Kelly” on KVUE and the “Today” show on NBC. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >So, there is a little something for each newsroom to smile about for a little while, but the biggest smiles may be at KEYE.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Speaking of KEYE, Facebook posts recently left a clear impression that the station’s “We Are Austin Live” at 4 p.m. was reaching the end of the line. “We did some great stuff...with our hands tied behind our backs many times...and we are the better for it,” said co-host Jason Wheeler in a May 18<sup>th</sup> post. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span ><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;color:#333333;background:white"> “We Are Austin Live” failed to gain traction since its debut in September, 2009.</span><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> It was all up-hill against “Jeopardy” and “Ellen” in that time slot, and the ratings were dismal. It’s going away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span >What’s next for KEYE? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style="line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span >KEYE announced this afternoon it will re-launch a 5 p.m. newscast anchored by Judy Maggio and Ron Oliveira and Wheeler beginning June 18, 2012. KEYE says Wheeler’s role as senior reporter will be to staff the Breaking News Desk and field-anchor stories and special reports, bringing viewers more in-depth coverage. News Director Suzanne Black said, “The new 5pm newscast will be a hard news product, bringing Central Texas viewers what they have asked for.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style="line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span >Let the head-to-head games begin again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style="line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span >*My apologies to Fox 7. I overlooked their powerhouse morning ratings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; "><span style="line-height: 150%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: white; "><span >© Jim McNabb, 2012</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-6715430915350453142012-05-22T13:10:00.003-05:002012-05-22T13:13:57.856-05:00Michael Fabac On the Beach<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBkM2KIkeEk/T7vXTTEewXI/AAAAAAAAA6k/E735gwnn-9A/s1600/MichaelFabac.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 153px; height: 196px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBkM2KIkeEk/T7vXTTEewXI/AAAAAAAAA6k/E735gwnn-9A/s320/MichaelFabac.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5745422476177752434" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span ><span >KXAN’s News Director Fired</span><span ><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >With several days left in the May Sweeps, KXAN TV (NBC) news director Michael Fabac is gone. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Word is that he was shown the door Friday, May 18<sup>th</sup>, but the staff was not informed until Monday, May 21<sup>st</sup>. The staff email announcement was typical:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >“Michael Fabac is no longer with KXAN, deciding to pursue other opportunities. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.<br /><br />“My door is open if anyone has any questions.<br /><br />“Best,<br /><br />“ERIC LASSBERG | PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER |<br />KXAN.KNVA.KBVO<br />LIN Media”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >No further comment has been available from either Lassberg or LIN Media in Providence, Rhode Island. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Experience says that no personnel decisions are made without the nod of corporate officials in Providence. Certainly, approval of the firing of a news director would have come from LIN Media.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Yet, the time of Fabac’s departure is a head-scratcher. The important May Neilson Sweeps still have a day or so to go. No, KXAN reportedly isn’t doing as well as it has recently, but the station isn’t faltering badly either. As recently as February, KXAN News was a solid #2 overall and #1 in key time slots like 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. So, it wouldn’t seem that poor ratings resulted in a change. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >This writer pointed out a month ago that KXAN has been slow to fill several staff positions. They still need a third weekend morning anchor, a meteorologist, and a sportscaster. Reporter positions may also remain vacant, although the station has made three recent hires.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Reporters equal content. Content is king. Without content, an audience has little reason for watching.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >One online report indicated that newsroom staffers were rejoicing with the departure. That MediaBistro report is not accurate. Many staffers expressed great respect and now sympathy for Fabac. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >“I am so sad to see you go. Know that I appreciated you at KXAN and hope wherever opportunities take you that you know you are a good person!<br /><br />“Looking forward to working with you again someday friend,” said one true friend on Facebook.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >“I have a lot of respect for him,” said another. “I’ve never seen him yell in the newsroom. I think he was a great manager, one of the more rational decision-makers around.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Still the question of the time of his departure remains. The only answer from staffers contacted was that the corporate office might have been concerned about the flurry of fairly recent resignations. “They were leaving for other opportunities for their own reasons,” said one worker in a position to know their motives. Even so, why take action against Fabac so suddenly?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Fabac came to KXAN in January, 2007 having previously been a news director in Detroit and Little Rock. In Detroit he was named in a lawsuit filed by a fired employee. In Little Rock he was sometimes unpredictable. However, his track record in all markets was one of relative success. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Sources say for the time being, assistant news director Alicia Dean will handle day-to-day editorial decisions while general manager Eric Lassberg will deal with policy matters.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >© Jim McNabb, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></p><p></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-22843156646152945282012-05-16T17:19:00.002-05:002012-05-16T17:23:53.504-05:00Going ... Going ...<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nUlxsT9cId4/T7Qo6jO25VI/AAAAAAAAA6I/Wj0yHswsqU8/s1600/Melissa%2BGale2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 301px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nUlxsT9cId4/T7Qo6jO25VI/AAAAAAAAA6I/Wj0yHswsqU8/s320/Melissa%2BGale2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5743260411159307602" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span ><b>Gale Soon to be Gone</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >The “face” of KVUE-TV’s (ABC) “Daybreak” and midday news for some 14-years is about to change. Anchor Melissa Gale today emailed the morning crew that she is leaving. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Details posted on Culture Map Austin: <a href="http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/05-16-12-17-12-melissa-gale-kvue-long-time-morning-anchor-resigns/">http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/05-16-12-17-12-melissa-gale-kvue-long-time-morning-anchor-resigns/</a> </span></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-45617410244828581842012-05-11T11:03:00.003-05:002012-05-11T11:58:10.723-05:00Austin Broadcast Journalism Has a Doctor<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UYtn4FSO334/T605S2Ca4MI/AAAAAAAAA5U/55tqpKE8NYE/s1600/Kate%2BWeidaw.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 308px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UYtn4FSO334/T605S2Ca4MI/AAAAAAAAA5U/55tqpKE8NYE/s320/Kate%2BWeidaw.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5741308095873343682" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span><span>Dr. Kate</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span><span><br /></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Kate Weidaw, KXAN TV (NBC) morning reporter can claim something separating herself from all other working broadcast journalists in the Austin market. As of May 19<sup>th</sup> she will hold the official title of Dr. Kate Weidaw, having completed and defended her dissertation leading to a Doctorate of Philosophy in Broadcast Journalism. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Having not examined the resumes of all reporters and anchors in town, there may be somebody else with that advance degree, but I don’t think so. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>When Dr. Weidaw and her husband Nathan West, came to Austin to interview for the morning job in April, 2004, she had higher education on her mind.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>“My plan when I came to Austin was to pursue a master’s,” Weidaw says. Prior to moving here, I was in Harrisburg, PA and was accepted into Shippensburg University. However, I never planned to get a Ph.D. It’s thanks to my advisor Dr. Don Heider who suggested I continue on with my studies if I ever wanted to pursue a tenured track position at a university.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>It was Weidaw’s mother who promoted a future in education, Weidaw says. “Call it more of a backup plan. Since I was a kid, all I wanted to do was become a TV reporter. But because it is such a competitive field my mom told me to make sure I had a backup plan in life. Since I taught swimming lessons and liked teaching I decided to pick up a second bachelor’s degree at UMass in elementary education. But as soon as I started doing my student teaching I knew it was not for me.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Teaching is for Weidaw now. In addition to a full-time job at KXAN, finishing her PhD, and being a mother, Weidaw has been teaching a Broadcast Journalism course at St. Edward’s University this year.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>“St. Edward’s is an amazing school with bright, energetic students. I am beyond thankful for Dr. Marilyn Schultz,” Weidaw says. A few months before she passed away she asked me if I would like to teach the class, a class she started at the university. It has been an amazing experience.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>What’s amazing, perhaps, is how did she did it all—Teach, work full-time at KXAN, work on her doctorate, and be a mom and wife.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>“Being in news you become good at time management, so this was carried over to working full time and going to school part time. Prior to having my son two years ago I took classes in the afternoon and studied after getting off work. However, once my little boy came along quiet afternoon hours to study at home were out, so I started using the overnight hours on the weekend to get my work done. Since I get up at 2 a.m. Monday thru Friday for the morning show on KXAN, I decided to do that on both Saturday and Sunday, that way I didn’t miss spending time with my family.” <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>“I also have to give a TON of credit to my husband,” Weidaw continues. “He has been my biggest supporter and has been the one at home taking care of everything while I work overnight, come home quickly after work, and then head off to St. Edward’s to teach some afternoons or head off to class at UT. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>“It’s been a long seven years between my Masters and Ph.D. but well worth every minute.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>So, you may wonder, what were the focuses of her master’s and PhD? They are scary subjects in tender territory. The master’s thesis might make some tremble.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>“I looked at the use of consultants in the newsroom. This paper is now published in the Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media. (<a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08838151.2011.546249">http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08838151.2011.546249</a>) I’ve been fascinated by the uses of consultants in conjunction with news decisions,” she says. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Almost all Austin TV stations do audience research on their strengths and weaknesses, including the anchors on the air. Sometimes the findings are useful. Sometimes is a waste, in this writer’s experience.<br /><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>For her PhD, she tackled a controversial practice that has cropped up in local markets within the past few years where stations are looking for ways to do more with less. “My dissertation concerns the local news pool. That’s where television stations within a single market like <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Austin</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Texas</st1:state></st1:place>, form a cooperative agreement with the competition to share content such as video and interviews. I analyzed not only Austin but also the Tampa, Florida, and Denver, Colorado, markets.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>In this writer’s opinion this sort of homogeneity is seen as lazy at best and dangerous at worst to journalism purists. Most of the stories covered with a pool camera are fluff or news conferences where every medium might get the same material anyway. Arguably, however, a good reporter, not working as part of the pool, can make much more of these stories than just filler. I have not seen Weidaw’s findings, but I would like to read it.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>So, what does the future hold for Dr. Kate Weidaw?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>“I am now looking forward to sleeping-in on my weekends, spending more time with my family, and having a few date nights with my husband Nathan. I have given up any type of social life for the past two years,” she says.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>What about her professional future? Does it include getting up at 2 a.m.?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>“As far as the future is concerned I really admire and look up to Dr. Melissa Harris-Perry. She is not only a professor at <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Tulane</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> but also does a show on MSNBC. I think it would be very rewarding to not only teach at a prestigious university but also continue working in the profession that I love.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>© Jim McNabb, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-36896372525660740412012-05-02T13:42:00.001-05:002012-05-02T13:42:35.611-05:00<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wSRkAaIihcU/T6F_xYqRGsI/AAAAAAAAA4k/7zSuC_V4nrc/s1600/KUT+Bldg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wSRkAaIihcU/T6F_xYqRGsI/AAAAAAAAA4k/7zSuC_V4nrc/s320/KUT+Bldg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">KUT FM 90.5 Campaign</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Award-winning public radio station KUT-FM already sounds
like Austin, more than any of the other mostly homogeneous stations on the
air. KUT is about to embark on a project
creating a radio station/venue that will be the envy of all of those commercial
also-on-the-air choices. Read the details on Austin Culture Map.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Culture Map Austin published this post while I was out of town , and I had forgotten that I need to post a notice to those who may not see it on their site: <a href="http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/04-26-12-12-59-coming-kut-campaign/">http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/04-26-12-12-59-coming-kut-campaign/</a></span>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-45161626418502268582012-04-14T11:36:00.007-05:002012-04-15T09:49:29.778-05:00New Faces<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oNBOPmMVjZ0/T4moD2mVhcI/AAAAAAAAA24/zEVWWaKHSec/s1600/KXAN%2BJOBS.jpg" style="line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oNBOPmMVjZ0/T4moD2mVhcI/AAAAAAAAA24/zEVWWaKHSec/s320/KXAN%2BJOBS.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731296784955049410" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; " ><b>Austin TV Turnover </b></span><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><span ><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span ><span><b>[For a while this post was deleted from Austin Culture Map, apparently because I made a correction (I referred to Leslie Rhode as Leslie Cook, her name when we worked together years ago.) It is back on Culture Map: </b></span><a href="http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/04-08-12-22-44-tv-turnover/">http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/04-08-12-22-44-tv-turnover/</a><b>]</b></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span ><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span><span > </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >While KXAN TV (NBC) is winning in the ratings, the newsroom staff is getting smaller and smaller. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >It’s beginning to show on the air.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Friday, evening (April 6, 2012) Sports anchor Brian Sanders co-anchored the news with Leslie Rhode and returned to handle the sports. Saturday, (April 7, 2012) found “hard news” reporter Chris Sadeghi anchoring sports. Why? Sanders was anchoring the weekend morning news. Associated Press Broadcaster’s “Best Reporter” award Josh Hinkle anchored Sunday (April 8, 2012) instead of David Scott. Sadeghi came in as a reporter. He usually works weekdays.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >It may have been a holiday schedule, but staffing options are fewer and fewer.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >For months, weekend meteorologist Natalie Stoll has been working the morning broadcast after the station let go 16-year KXAN morning fixture Shawn Rutherford. I’m told that she’s dying to return to her previous shift. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Further, where are the reporters, the heart of the newsroom, providing the day-to-day content? Go on the staff page of <a href="http://www.kxan.com/">www.kxan.com</a> and see that there are several faces missing.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Newsroom morale began to slip with the sudden disappearance of weekend morning anchor and gifted reporter Catenya McHenry. True, McHenry was making personal plans, but she wasn’t planning to leave so soon. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Then, Rutherford was shown the door. The mood of the room dipped again.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Reagan Hacklemann and Dustin Blanchard are no longer on the personnel page. Recently, high-profile reporter Doug Shupe went on vacation and never came back after accepting reportedly accepting a public relations position. A little over a week ago, Jarrod Wise submitted his resignation. He’s still on the site, but will be leaving “the business,” sources say. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="text-align: center; "><span >Reporter Jacqueline Ingles is the latest pending departure. She handed in her resignation Friday, April 13.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >The sports department is down one since Leila Rahimi landed a new job with Fox Sports in San Diego. Word is that Brian Sanders wants to move from sports to news. He’s made a bid to be the weekend morning show, and it was Sanders reporting from the recent rash of tornados in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Others on and off-the-air are said to be looking.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >True, the station still has some strong staff members, including political reporter Hinkle. Sadeghi is solid as are anchors Shannon Wolfson and David Scott. Erin Cargile continues growing having started as the Hill Country reporter, an apparent opening now as Jacqueline Ingles is needed in town. Of course, veteran Jim Swift can cover any story if needed; he’s not just for features.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >The KXAN web site lists only two newsroom positions, but depending on how and whether management chooses to fill the holes, there may be as many as eight. Also, there may have been some hires, but the station seldom comments on personnel matters.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Until now, the personnel shortage has been covered up well by resourceful producers and photographers behind the scenes, but when shifts are covered by staff not normally seen, it becomes obvious that something is going on in the newsroom.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >In all fairness there are many new people reporting at all of the Austin stations. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >KVUE TV (ABC ) lists three news openings on its site with five or six rather recent new reporters on the air. KEYE TV (CBS) just hired staff for its new morning show, and they’re looking for a couple more, plus a weekend meteorologist. Fred Cantu is now listed as a reporter. He and Lisa Leigh Kelly are the most recognizable names on the staff. KTBC TV (Fox) is looking for three or four news staffers too. Noelle Newton made a move KTBC from KVUE earlier this year. Except for a few anchors, there seems to be constant turnover at YNN (formerly News 8). <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >It wasn’t very long ago that Austin, the 47<sup>th</sup> ranked market was what I called a “destination market”, a place where broadcast journalists came and stayed for years. Austin, you know, is a magnet. Now, it seems the stations are just stepping stones. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >© Jim McNabb, 2012</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></p></span></div>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-52117947601442760882012-04-05T18:30:00.002-05:002012-04-05T18:36:14.110-05:00LA LA Land<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2bGAvMSjO_0/T34sMpwmhhI/AAAAAAAAA2M/c2kyV2Vst2s/s1600/Michell%2BValles%2Bto%2BLA.jpg" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2bGAvMSjO_0/T34sMpwmhhI/AAAAAAAAA2M/c2kyV2Vst2s/s320/Michell%2BValles%2Bto%2BLA.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728064371941606930" /></a><br /><b><span >Michelle Valles hits the "Big Time"</span></b><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">Find my story posted to Austin Culture Map: <a href="http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/04-04-12-17-28-michelle-valles-in-la-tv/" style="font-size: 100%; ">http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/04-04-12-17-28-michelle-valles-in-la-tv/</a></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-83586969405929875632012-04-03T16:03:00.003-05:002012-04-03T16:07:44.083-05:00KEYE Comes to Play<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ceWcKbxhl20/T3tmgxOGB0I/AAAAAAAAA1w/EKS7VolU-9E/s1600/KEYE%2BNew%2BMorning%2BTeam.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 134px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ceWcKbxhl20/T3tmgxOGB0I/AAAAAAAAA1w/EKS7VolU-9E/s320/KEYE%2BNew%2BMorning%2BTeam.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727284064286017346" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><u><br /></u></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><b><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span ><span >Morning Show Wars</span><span ><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >The battle for Austin eye balls in the AM is getting hotter as KEYE-TV (CBS) rolls out much more than a token morning show with a full staff.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >New owner Sinclair Broadcasting Group seems serious in this attempt to compete in the morning time slot. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span ><i>KEYE TV Morning News </i>expanded to six on air staff: Anchors Hunter Ellis and Mileka Lincoln, Meteorologist Allison Miller, Traffic Reporter Erica Harpold, and Field Reporter Adam Bennett. Former Morning anchor Fred Cantu will appear as a feature reporter. Allison Miller had been the weekend meteorologist. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >KEYE had been getting by with solo anchor Fred Cantu for several months. Cantu had been cut during an odd and short-lived attempt to attract an audience by ditching morning news and mounting cameras around the “JB and Sandy Show on Mix 94.7” in late 2009 and 2010. Meteorologist Kelly Sifka handled weather cut-ins. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Sifka remained when the station pulled the plug on radio-on-TV, and Cantu returned, working part time at KEYE in the mornings and at Home Depot the rest of the day. Finally, the station put Cantu back on the payroll full time. Cantu has a loyal and loving audience, but he never attracted the numbers that would make him a player against powerhouses KXAN TV (NBC) and KVUE TV (ABC).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >The February ratings had KVUE winning at 4:30 and 5 a.m. KXAN won at 6 a.m.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Now, Cantu is out of the anchor chair, and reportedly Sifka has left the station. No, Cantu is not going back to Home Depot. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >“Fred will have more time now to do what he does best, telling Austin’s stories,” says Suzanne Black, KEYE TV News Director. The station is adding a new segment “Friday’s With Uncle Fred,” in addition to reinstating his weekly “Gadget Guy” reports. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >“Viewers always ask us, ‘What’s going to happen to Fred?’ We are so glad we have him as a part of our team,” commented Amy Villarreal, Vice-President and General Manager of KEYE TV.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >So, where did this new KEYE new morning crew come from? <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="Default" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Hunter Ellis, a former fighter pilot and a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy, was most recently the roving reporter for KEYE TV’s 4p.m. show <i>We Are Austin Live</i>. His broadcast experience includes the History Channel, KCBS and KCAL TV in Los Angeles. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="Default" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >A native of Hawaii, Mileka Lincoln comes from KEYE’s sister station, KABB in San Antonio where she was the weekend anchor. Prior to that, she was a morning anchor in Laredo. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="Default" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Erica Harpold is a long-time Austinite, having graduated from Austin High School and Texas State University. Erica was an anchor and reporter for KCEN in Waco and KAUZ in Wichita Falls. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="Default" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Adam Bennett was weekend anchor in Amarillo at KAMR/KCIT before coming to KEYE last month. Adam is a native Texan and a proud graduate of The University of Texas.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="Default" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Some KEYE views objected to the changes on Cantu’s Facebook page saying, “I am sad about the morning news change. I really enjoyed waking up and watching/listening to you and Kelly each day. I went to a different station the last time they took you off and I will be doing the same thing this time. You will be missed.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="Default" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >“Give it a chance. I'm grateful to still be a part,” Cantu countered with class.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >All of this is happening in a cauldron of change in the morning shows. First, former KVUE sports anchor/reporter Brian Mays moved to the news department to co-anchor KVUE News Daybreak and Midday with Melissa Gale. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Next, while sharing the morning ratings with KVUE, KXAN let go 16-year veteran weatherman Shawn Rutherford and eventually replaced anchor Chris Willis with Robert Maxwell to co-anchor with Sally Hernandez. Willis is now heading the station’s investigative team.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Even with all of those changes, KXAN eked out a win at 6 a.m. Now, KEYE is poised to make a serious run for the ratings. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >KEYE came close to claiming #1 at 10 p.m. from KVUE in February. Many believe that the station that wins at 10 p.m. has a leg-up on the competition for morning ratings, because viewers may not change the channel. They simply turn the TV off.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Although stations are rated daily, the next Neilson “sweep” month runs from April 26 to May 23, 2012. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >© Jim McNabb, 2012</span><span style="font-size: 100%; "><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span ><br /></span></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-70015572334225596532012-04-03T11:18:00.002-05:002012-04-03T11:30:03.319-05:00The Home Team<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BdH8rsQ9b4o/T3slaPsq14I/AAAAAAAAA1Y/rdPnZgQ2-Ng/s1600/Rangers%2Band%2BAstros.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BdH8rsQ9b4o/T3slaPsq14I/AAAAAAAAA1Y/rdPnZgQ2-Ng/s320/Rangers%2Band%2BAstros.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727212483952433026" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; "><b><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span ><span >Rangers or Astros on TV, But Where?</span><span ><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Are you at home with the Texas Rangers, or are you at home with the Houston Astros. According to Fox Sports or Major League Baseball, in Austin and Central Texas we are at home with the Astros.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >But, you say, the Round Rock Express is the AAA club for last year’s American League champions, the Texas Rangers. Doesn’t that make a difference?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Further, we know the Texas Rangers stars—Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz, and Michael Young to name three. Can you name three Astros “stars”? Who knows? By the time they play 162 games these Astros may indeed be legitimate stars. Stranger things have happened in baseball. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >We also know names of several of the Round Rock Express. Some of them have been up to the “show” with the big club, particularly at the end of the season. I particularly like yeoman player Matt Kata; he’s capable of being spectacular. Also, center fielder Julio Borbon started last year in the Major League.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >These are familiar names, but they aren’t part of the “home market” team. The home market team for Austin and Central Texas is the Houston Astros.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Therefore, when you tune in Fox Southwest during baseball season within the next few days, more than likely you’ll see the Houston Astros, even though we know only a few of their names (Carlos Lee, Wandy Rodriguez, and Chris Johnson). You’ll have to look elsewhere for the Rangers.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >“The Austin area is considered a home market for the Astros but when those games are on Fox SW and the Rangers are playing at the same time, then the Rangers game will be on Channel 77 there in Austin,” says Melissa Sorola, regional communications director for Time Warner Cable. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >One notable problem is that Channel 77 is digital, meaning a viewer must have a cable box to view it. Secondly, it is not a High Definition (HD) telecast. It is available, however.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >Now, there is a third option for 25 of the Ranger’s regular season games. KBVO, another digital channel, will broadcast 25 Texas Rangers baseball games live in HD beginning Friday night, April 13th through September 28th. “Every Friday night KBVO will bring the excitement and tradition of the reigning American League Champs into the homes of Central Texas,” their news release says.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >LIN Media is trying to position KBVO as a regional sports channel. “KBVO brings Austin viewers local and regional sports such as San Antonio Spurs, Houston Texans pre-season football, Big 12 college basketball including the University of Texas Longhorns and live broadcasts of local high school football and basketball,” according to the news release. Other than these Friday night Rangers games, the sports programming on KBVO is rather sporadic however.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >A complete listing of all Texas Rangers games airing on KBVO is available at <a href="file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Jim%20McNabb/My%20Documents/Blogs/www.kbvotv.com">www.kbvotv.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >[To clear up possible confusion: KBVO used to be the call letters for what is now KEYE TV when it was an independent, non-network station. When the station became a CBS affiliate, the call letters were changed to KEYE, and KBVO was dropped, making them available to some other station. The current KBVO used to be full-power hill country station broadcasting from a tower in Llano called KXAM TV, it repeated the programming of KXAN TV to a wider audience in the Hill Country, referred to in the Neilson Ratings as KXAN +. When LIN management decided to reprogram the station, the changed the call letters to KBVO. Clear?]<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span >© Jim McNabb, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-36049071824555385762012-03-31T12:28:00.001-05:002012-03-31T12:31:01.113-05:00New Magazine<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Sb-O5XHlc0/T3c_MObyDkI/AAAAAAAAA1I/F80avW4pfXY/s1600/REAL%2BMagazine.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 244px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Sb-O5XHlc0/T3c_MObyDkI/AAAAAAAAA1I/F80avW4pfXY/s320/REAL%2BMagazine.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726114930490478146" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; "><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span ><span ><b>American-Statesman Gets REAL</b></span><span style="font-weight: bold; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><o:p><span > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Hidden between the folds of the Austin <i>American-Statesman</i> Friday, March 30, 2012 you may have noticed something new, not seen before. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >“REAL” is the newspaper’s newest magazine, subtitled “Authentic Austin Living”. “Each issue will bring readers the city’s spin on fashion, home design, health, neighborhoods, family, pets, events and more. This month’s issue will focus on Austin’s culinary scene. Next month’s issue will concentrate on Austin neighborhoods,” according to the news release announcing its publication.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >“REAL magazine is a natural extension of what the Austin American-Statesman staff does every day in our features pages,” said Kathy Blackwell, Statesman Senior Editor for Features and REAL magazine. “It’s a new outlet for the staff’s creativity, passion and commitment to covering the city and the amazing people who make it what it is.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Blackwell put the magazine more into perspective in her first column. “To me, what it means to be ‘Real Austin’ has changed in the more than 12 years I’ve lived here,” Blackwell writes. “To put it another way, as my life has changed, the city has changed with it. When I moved here as a single woman, I relished in the late nights of live music… I still love all of that, but as a mother, wife, and professional, I’m more appreciative of the outdoor spaces, the amazing restaurants and the sense of community I encounter daily.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >REAL replaces “Glossy”. Remember Glossy? Did you read it? I remember having lunch with a close friend whose background is in print media. “What’s up with this ‘Glossy’ thing?” I asked shortly after it debuted. The title itself said that it wasn’t for me. “REAL” has more reach. “We didn’t research a target audience per se. The goal in launching REAL was to be able to offer broader content and reach a larger portion of the Austin American-Statesman audience. REAL: Authentic Austin Living allows us to accomplish this,” says Shannon Cockrell, Sr. Segment Marketing Manager/Audience.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >But let’s get real: REAL is an advertising vehicle. Thumbing through the pages, you’ll see that there are an almost mind-numbing number of ads. I didn’t even try to count them. The announcement release says the magazine will reach more than 74,000 residents. (The magazine says 76,000 households.)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >While the most noticeable content may be ads, REAL is reader-friendly. “A format like this gives our talented reporters and photographers a chance to explore Austin in different ways…” I always say “Content is king.” If you don’t have strong content, nobody is going to care. Nobody is going to read it.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >Sifting through the advertisements and the “stories” with a commercial tilt, there is content starting on about the 41<sup>st</sup> page focusing on food and the people who prepare it. It’s the featured story of the first issue with the headline on the cover, “How we rose to the top of the food chain/behind Austin’s emergency as the hottest culinary city.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >The photos are superb. My favorite is a stop-action, mid-air shot of a lady flying from a mechanical bull. Did you know that bull riding is good for the abs? There are bull riding classes. It appears that every Statesman photographer contributed to the issue.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >REAL also has an online component. “Complementing the print product is the REAL website at statesman.com/real. It features an expanded product guide, the Keeping it Real blog, neighborhood photo galleries and interactives,” the release says.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span >© Jim McNabb, 2012</span><span style="font-size: 100%; "><o:p></o:p></span></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-81619349438930170872012-03-26T13:27:00.006-05:002012-03-26T13:40:06.759-05:00Two Suggestions<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pWxBZPtZDos/T3C3sKO1rvI/AAAAAAAAA0w/jKHFrlM7J1w/s1600/journalism-logo.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 75px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pWxBZPtZDos/T3C3sKO1rvI/AAAAAAAAA0w/jKHFrlM7J1w/s320/journalism-logo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724277095676620530" /></a><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left; "><span style="line-height: 115%; "><b><span>UT Journalism Embraces Change</span></b><b style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; "><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span>You must love words. You must love words and the power of well-chosen and carefully-crafted words, if you aspire to be a professional journalist. So, it was pleasing to see a heavy emphasis on story-telling and words in the new University of Texas Journalism curriculum to be launched this fall. (<a href="http://journalism.utexas.edu/undergraduate">http://journalism.utexas.edu/undergraduate</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span>It will be “<span style="color:#333333;background:white">a new digital-based, state-of-the-art curriculum for undergraduates,” but it doesn’t seem to neglect the basics. The curriculum assumes, I suppose, that students will have mastered grammar and usage before moving into major subjects. I’m sad to say that when I taught a beginning journalism course, I actually taught English for the first six weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>“We’re eliminating the old walls between print, magazine, photojournalism, multimedia and broadcast, and we’ll be emphasizing good writing and critical thinking from Day One,” the introductory paragraphs say. I say, it’s about time! One wall is still standing apparently.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">I see no collaboration or coordination between Journalism and Radio-Television-Film, even though RTF majors and broadcast journalism majors are using many of the same tools.</span><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> </span><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">The “Guiding Principles” say, “We want to break down the barriers between disciplines and institutions and create partnerships of learning and knowledge.” </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> </span>Therefore, there may be hope. </span><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">It is still true that RTF majors can take some Journalism courses, but there is no mutual respect for the disciplines. The chasm remains.</span><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>I think some sort of relationship between the majors would result in a richer experience for some students. After all, they are both under the umbrella of the College of Communications, and some of the sharpest facets of the cutting edges of communications are coming from innovative RTF studies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">That said, it is good that UT Journalism is adhering to basics in the industry’ whirlwind of change. “The primary mission of the School of Journalism remains the same: to educate students to think critically and skeptically; gather a wide range of information accurately, honestly and fairly; hold institutions, individuals and themselves accountable for their promises and their deeds; and produce stories in various media platforms that communicate clearly, concisely and powerfully to the general public. The goal of our new curriculum is to further this mission.</span>”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>So, this fall students will take a course entitled, “Reporting: Words.” I love it. They will also take a course entitled, “Reporting: Images.” I do hope that there is relationship between these courses. In TV news, one writes to the video or images that tell the story. In fact, a well-produced story may well have very few words leaving it to the pictures to tell the story. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>One final and important fault found in the new curriculum is this: A student must be at the Fourth level out of Five before taking “Ethics in Journalism” and “Media Law”. Media Law might wait, but Ethics should come early on. This is important—very important in this digital world. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>There is a “rising tide of student plagiarism” attributed to blurred lines of the digital world. <i>Denver Post</i> writer Kevin Simpson told the story of a Colorado State University professor in a February 7, 2012 story. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>“She saw it all: blatant cut-and-paste copying from the Internet; only a word changed here and there” in spite of the fact the CSU’s web site cautions against plagiarism at least five times.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>The story cited a recent study by the Pew Research Center: 55 percent of university presidents surveyed thought that plagiarism has increased over the past ten years, almost all (86%) blamed it on technology. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>I also teach at the university level, and I’ve seen it too, but this kind of thievery of intellectual property isn’t confined to college.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>All of the time we read of prize-winning journalist working in the real world—<i>The Washington Post and the New York Times—</i>being caught red-handed having stolen someone else’s intellectual property.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>Small wonder that the Pew Center and the Gallup Poll continues to give journalists poor marks for ethics. Gallup reported March 25<sup>th</sup> that Journalists continue to rank near the bottom of the public opinion poll. Nurses got the highest rating. Journalist did manage to beat out bankers, lobbyists, members of Congress and car salesman. If you need a lot of love in your life, don’t be a journalist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>The University of Texas should seriously consider moving its Ethics course to a basic tier. At the very least, it should be addressed early on in some syllabus. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>On the whole, the new UT Journalism curriculum looks promising and challenging with a required “capstone” course and paper during the senior year. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>© Jim McNabb, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;color:#333333;background:white"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; "><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p><p></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-80135565938124482722012-01-06T23:36:00.004-06:002012-01-06T23:42:13.684-06:00What Are They Thinking?<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ltm83kGivbI/TwfaZ645ibI/AAAAAAAAAxM/Zy7Q7dBP4TU/s1600/Shawn%2BRutherford.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ltm83kGivbI/TwfaZ645ibI/AAAAAAAAAxM/Zy7Q7dBP4TU/s320/Shawn%2BRutherford.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694760392672774578" /></a><span ><br /></span><p align="center" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center; mso-line-height-alt:12.75pt"><span ><b>Shawn Rutherford Gone From KXAN TV</b><span ><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center; mso-line-height-alt:12.75pt"><strong><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); " ><br /></span></strong></p> <p align="center" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center; line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-weight: normal; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-weight: normal; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " >“Shawn Rutherford is a team member of the 2010 Winner for Best Morning Newscast as voted by the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters”—The headline on his KXAN-TV page. <o:p></o:p></span></strong></p><p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><br /></span></strong></p><p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><br /></span></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " >Further, Shawn Rutherford’s team tied for #1 for the 6 a.m. hour during the important November Nielsen sweeps. <o:p></o:p></span></strong></p><p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><br /></span></strong></p><p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><br /></span></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " >Now, Shawn Rutherford is gone from KXAN-TV.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p><p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><br /></span></strong></p><p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><br /></span></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " >In a newsroom meeting Friday (January 6, 2012), management informed the staff that Rutherford was no longer with the TV station because of “business reasons.” <o:p></o:p></span></strong></p><p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><br /></span></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " >Business reasons: That could mean a lot of things. Rutherford’s contract was up for renewal at the station in a couple of months. So, “business reasons” could mean that Rutherford and the station could not agree on a new contract, if one was offered. <o:p></o:p></span></strong></p><p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><br /></span></strong></p><p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><br /></span></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " >Business reasons could also be derived from research. KXAN retains Magid Consultants. If Rutherford didn’t score high enough in their research perhaps that is the reason he is gone. In years past Magid research was considered, but since “they ain’t from around here,” decision were not always made on what they said. After all, Rutherford had been on the air in Austin for close to 15 years. Austin is not a cookie-cutter market conforming to research norms.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p><p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><br /></span></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><span ><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; ">Business reasons could mean that Rutherford, knowing his contract was ending, was ready to leave.</span></strong><b><span><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.75pt"><span ><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></strong></span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span >Shawn joined the KXAN News First Warning Weather Team in November, 1998 as weekend weather, but soon moved up to the morning broadcast. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span ><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span >Rutherford is also an innovator. He created for KXAN the one-of-a-kind, real-time lightning visual called “Live Strike”. Live Strike went away a few years ago because of conflicts with completion technology. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span ><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span >Even so, Rutherford is gone for business reasons. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span ><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span >His departure is the fourth prominent departure from KXAN News/Weather in recent months. Expert investigative reporter Nancy Wilson left of her own volition. Weekend morning anchor Catenya McHenry’s departure was sudden. Management offered to explain why to inquiring staff members one-on-one today. City reporter Reagan Hackleman recently decided to depart after taking time to breathe on vacation. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span ><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span >Now, Rutherford is gone. The morning show is in disarray. Traffic reporter, Debra Wynn, the wife of news director Michael Fabac, is off the air. Co-anchor Chris Willis is now their chief investigative reporter. Willis is an excellent investigative reporter, but is this his choosing? Co-anchor Sally Hernandez is back from maternity leave. She’s the stabilizer for now. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span ><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span >So, the station is down a permanent weekend anchor, weekend meteorologist, city hall reporter, and weekday morning reporter.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span ><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span >Other changes may be in the works. Why? Search me.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span ><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span >The station took back a piece of #1 in the mornings. They are #1 at 5 and 6 p.m. going into the February sweeps. The old saw, “If it ain’t broke, why fix it” comes to mind. Then, I’m reminded that KXAN-TV News has a long tradition of shooting itself in the foot. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span ><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span >I have to wonder if either the bean-counters or the consultants are in control. Whatever is the case, it is a worst-case scenario for KXAN. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span ><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span >Of course, all of these are “personnel matters”, and there could be no comment, but one has to wonder: What are they thinking?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span ><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span><span >© Jim McNabb, 2012</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left: 0in;line-height:12.75pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;color:#454545"><br /></span></p>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-36720804762029811452011-12-14T00:01:00.002-06:002011-12-14T00:04:36.236-06:00Catenya McHenry Gone<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JIJGc1hV7PQ/Tug8OinMJfI/AAAAAAAAAw8/KuouAyubQFc/s1600/Catenya%2BMcHenry6.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JIJGc1hV7PQ/Tug8OinMJfI/AAAAAAAAAw8/KuouAyubQFc/s320/Catenya%2BMcHenry6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685860750062265842" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>What are They Thinking?</b></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >According to Catenya McHenry’s Facebook page, she’s gone as the weekend morning anchor and everything else at KXAN TV (NBC). <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >“Well, everyone, I'm no longer at KXAN. My contract was terminated last week. It's so unfortunate, especially at this time of year, but I thank you all my friends and fans for making our show #1 this year. It's been amazing telling your stories and being a part of your lives. Thank you for what you've given me. Pray my family will be blessed in the future. Merry Christmas!!”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Frankly, I’m astounded. Ms. McHenry is a pro. She is smooth and concise in a live shot. She had a fun morning program. I don’t know who will be on the air in her place.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >As a 40-plus year veteran of Austin broadcast news, I find it a sad, sad solution for these stations. No, I don’t know what precipitated the decision-making, and it’s impossible to find out at midnight. I do know that I recommended Ms. McHenry for hire.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Yes, I did post, “Damn TV news” in response to her post. TV news is like a predator that chews off its arm when caught in a trap.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >After getting good, if not great, weekday ratings, the “suits” do something like this. In my opinion it was capricious and ill conceived. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >It smacks of the same mentality KXAN had some years ago when they ran off or laid-off veteran staff members, people who know where to find stories and knew how to report them. It looks like the same kind of mentality found at today’s Austin American-Statesman. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Of course, these actions don’t just take place here in Austin/Central Texas. They are industry-wide. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >The viewing, reading, consuming public is not well served by them.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >How do I really feel? <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >© Jim McNabb, December 13, 2011.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></div>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-86960630867554077772011-11-30T08:26:00.002-06:002011-11-30T08:31:15.965-06:00Longhorns Online`<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZX_FV2jWbYY/TtY-KlHzxcI/AAAAAAAAAww/-95oEi6C_YQ/s1600/Longhorn%2BNetwork%2BLogo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZX_FV2jWbYY/TtY-KlHzxcI/AAAAAAAAAww/-95oEi6C_YQ/s320/Longhorn%2BNetwork%2BLogo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680796331458938306" /></a><br />Inferred in my last Longhorn Network Post (LHN) was the possibility that the programming would soon be available on the Internet. In a Wednesday, November 30, 2011 news release, that inference is now reality. I don't have time to edit and research it right now. So, here's the release:<div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoPlainText">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">November 30, 2011<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">Verizon FiOS and Longhorn Network Launch New Online Service Broadband Service Offers Live Streaming of University of Texas Sports Programming to FiOS TV Customers Nationwide</p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">AUSTIN, Texas and NEW YORK – Verizon has launched a live online simulcast of the Longhorn Network – the 24/7 channel devoted to athletic programming and related activities at the University of Texas – and is making it available to Verizon FiOS TV customers across the country. Verizon FiOS is the first provider to launch the online broadband companion of the Longhorn Network.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">FiOS TV customers who receive Longhorn Network as part of their video subscription service will be able to enjoy the network’s exclusive live events and content on their laptops or personal computers – at home or away – using any broadband connection. Using their Verizon Online user names and passwords, FiOS customers can access a live stream of the network online at either <a href="http://www.verizon.com/fiostvonline">www.verizon.com/fiostvonline</a> or LonghornNetwork.com.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">“No question, Texas Longhorn fans are some of the most enthusiastic in college sports, and we’re providing another option to catch the latest developments on the field – anywhere, anytime,’’ said Terry Denson, vice president, global strategy for Verizon. “This enhancement builds on Verizon’s commitment to bring the best in sports and entertainment and overall video content to our customers.”<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">David Preschlack, executive vice president, Disney and ESPN Media Networks added, “With this launch, Verizon FiOS customers will be able to watch UT content from the convenience of their PC. It’s a great new way for students, alumni and UT fans everywhere to access Longhorn Network around-the-clock.”<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">Upcoming programming highlights include a robust slate of men’s and women’s basketball games, the nationally ranked women’s volleyball program, and content-rich studio and original programming such as “Longhorn Extra,” “Game Plan with Mack Brown,” “Texas All-Access,” as well as “Texas GameDay” and “Texas GameDay Final.” Verizon FiOS and Longhorn Network expect to extend online streaming to tablets and smartphones sometime next year.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">This new content joins Verizon’s high-quality, online video entertainment, which the company has been delivering since 2005. FiOS also offers a broad collection of programming on TV, with more than 540 all-digital channels including more than 130 HD channels, and 30,000 monthly video-on-demand titles. FiOS also provides next-generation interactive services based on a long series of innovations, including Flex View and FiOS TV Online, which extend FiOS TV beyond the home to the Internet and a range of mobile devices; an advanced interactive media guide; free interactive applications like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others; Media Manager, which allows customers to access on their TVs personal photos, music and videos from their computers; and more.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">For the latest news, updates and information about FiOS TV, visit <a href="http://www.verizon.com/newscenter">www.verizon.com/newscenter</a> and <a href="http://www.verizon.com/athomeblog">http://www.verizon.com/athomeblog</a>.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">Consumers can obtain more information on the FiOS TV plans available in their area by visiting <a href="http://www.verizon.com/fiostv">www.verizon.com/fiostv</a> or calling 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966).<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">About Longhorn Network<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">ESPN has a 20-year agreement to own and operate a year-round, 24-hour network dedicated to the University of Texas in partnership with UT and IMG College. Longhorn Network will offer a variety of content, highlighted by more than 200 exclusive events annually from 20 sports, original series and studio shows, historical programming and academic and cultural happenings. Additionally, the LonghornNetwork.com broadband companion to the TV network will offer extensive content, particularly live games not carried on the linear TV network due to scheduling conflicts.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">About Verizon<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with more than 107 million total connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500. A Dow 30 company with $106.6 billion in 2010 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 195,000. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.verizon.com/">www.verizon.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText">(c) Jim McNabb, 2011</p></div>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143088625756367367.post-64850072283668528322011-11-22T13:26:00.002-06:002011-11-22T13:29:25.742-06:00NewsMcNabb Investigates<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KdiaWNJLrso/Tsv3yLW8sJI/AAAAAAAAAwk/taXv-FTrUvw/s1600/Keli-Rabon-Twitter.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 250px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KdiaWNJLrso/Tsv3yLW8sJI/AAAAAAAAAwk/taXv-FTrUvw/s320/Keli-Rabon-Twitter.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677904196645204114" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JmBsYiSBQEE/Tsv3xxuLhJI/AAAAAAAAAwY/yPwYxo6cAvc/s1600/Chris%2BWillis%252C%2BKXAN%2BTV.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JmBsYiSBQEE/Tsv3xxuLhJI/AAAAAAAAAwY/yPwYxo6cAvc/s320/Chris%2BWillis%252C%2BKXAN%2BTV.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677904189763323026" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>Which News Medium Really Does Investigative Journalism?</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >KXAN TV (NBC) proclaims in its promotional spots that it has the only investigative team in town. Anchor/reporter Chris Willis Monday (November 21, 2001), became the new leader of the news department investigative efforts.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >That distinction did belong to Nanci Wilson, an award-winning investigative reporter who, along with Keith Elkins, formed the core of the investigative team at KEYE TV (CBS) years ago. Elkins now heads a lobby group advocating open government. Wilson came to KXAN in 2009, but left a few months ago after winning two Lone Star Chapter Emmy Awards for her investigative work. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Willis, who has been with KXAN since 1999, has strong investigative credentials. The station is making good use of his talents by taking him out from behind the morning and noon anchor desk. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >“His experiences in the field and from behind the anchor desk have allowed Chris the opportunity to develop unmatched relationships with our audience and the newsmakers of Austin,” KXAN news director Michael Fabac said in a statement.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Is KXAN the only “investigative” news medium in the Austin market? Hmmmm.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Have you seen the teamwork of KVUE TV (ABC) and the Austin American-Statesman on a series of recent stories? Under the title, “Statesman Investigates”, Statesman reporter Tony Plohetski worked with KVUE on a series of stories appearing both on the air and in the paper about the City of Austin’s costly use of outside attorneys. Keli Rabon is now KVUE’s Chief Investigative Reporter.*</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Rabon, who grew up in Schulenburg and attended Texas Lutheran University, lists multiple investigative awards in her relatively short career including a Murrow Award. She returns to Central Texas after two years in Mississippi and three years in Memphis, Tennessee. “The Defenders” is the moniker for KVUE’s investigative efforts.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Teaming with Plohetski at the newspaper is really a plus. It is sort of a shame taking Plohetski off of the streets for intensive investigative work when it seemed that every daily story he did was investigative.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Some news managers believe that every reporter on the staff is an investigative reporter. It’s redundant to say otherwise. If any reporter came to me with a cool idea, I would give that reporter the extra time and resources to develop it. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >So, KXAN’s slogan is “In-Depth. Investigative”. KVUE calls its time the “Defenders”. KEYE’s Chris Coffey was the investigative reporter for KTBC-TV (Fox), but he does more general assignments reporting now. The Austin American-Statesman prints the slug “Statesman Investigates”. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >So, does KXAN really have “Austin’s only dedicated investigative team.” You decide.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >(*For the most part I’ve stopped trying to keep up with all the comings and goings of reporters in Austin news media. While the anchors at all the stations have been stable for years, it’s another story with the reporting staffs. Yes, over the years many reporters decided that Austin was their destination. Now, however, it seems like I see a new face every day, and Austin is a weigh station. Perhaps that’s a future post.)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >© Jim McNabb, November, 2011</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div>NewsMcNabbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08040170736717649659noreply@blogger.com1