BetaboySP

FCC wants the Peoples air waves Back!

2009-12-31T22:43:00.000-05:00

Well if you've been watching TV lately you must have seen the new NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) public service announcements declaring the FCC is going to take away your free TV.

The public should be up in arms. People have a choice to get free over the air TV and not pay the outrageous cable prices. Admittedly the programming on local stations could be better, but the fact is this is the only free TV for many low income people out there and that the FCC wants to take it away for broadband Internet access.

Why take it away? There is plenty of spectrum to go around. Why squash an already reeling industry into dust. The affiliate model moves ever closer to obsolescence. Let it live out its life with out killing it so prematurely.

How to Receive the Best HDTV signals Over the Air

2009-12-06T15:15:00.001-05:00

Since the conversion to digital broadcasting in June of 2009 people all over the country have been trying to figure out exactly how to get the best HDTV signal over the air to their TV.

Click below to read the article.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5721865_receive-hdtv-signals-over-air.html

Real and Virtual channels confuse boxes and People

2009-08-26T19:20:00.008-05:00

When you watch TV on your converter box or HDTV you always see the "virtual channel" number on the programming guide. What you don't see is the real channel number.

Confused yet?

Lets take NBC4, New York City as an example. In the analog days you would tune to channel 4 on your TV and there was NBC 4. In today's digital TV era NBC4 is really broadcasting on channel 28 from their digital transmitter. Inside your TV or converter box the signal is recognized as channel 28, but the program information tells your TV to show it as channel 4. Before stations built their new digital transmitters they either elected to stay with there old number or be assigned a new number by the FCC. They show their old analog number so viewers don't get confused.

Here is where the difference between the two numbers creates a problem. In some TV markets stations were given real channel numbers that were the same as an existing analog stations virtual number.

In the market I work in one station started on digital 53 and once the transition was complete they ended up on digital channel 22. The problem is that a competing station has channel 22 as their virtual channel.

During certain times of the year I can only get the virtual channel 22. When I type in 22.1 to check for a signal the box goes right to virtual 22.1. If I want to try and get the other channel I need to manually add 22.1 to the channel line up. On my converter box I now have two 22.1 channels. The virtual one and the real one. Once my reception comes back in the fall the real 22.1 will disappear and the virtual number (3) will appear.

Just after the transition many people lost channel 3 and got it back only after scanning their converter boxes with no antenna connected. This deleted all the channels and cleared up the converter boxes confusion once they rescanned with their antenna connected.

DTV Reception: Don't forget the bounce.

2009-06-20T19:43:00.007-05:00

The DTV transition is over. However hundreds if not thousands of people continue to have problems getting their favorite channel.

One thing you could try is the bounce shot. If you have rabbit ears and don't want to go up on your roof a smaller antenna outside near ground level pointed the exact opposite way of the transmitters might be an option.
The topography of this land pictured below was situated correctly for me to receive two of the four possible stations that I can receive with my roof top antenna. If you have a tall building next to you that may work as well. Putting the antenna low to the ground seemed to work for me.

This was done with no amplification and I was always able to receive the stations when they were analog with the roof top antenna. The antenna pictured ubove is UHF ONLY (channels 14-69) and if you are looking for VHF stations (channel 2-13) this "yaggi antenna" is not for you.

TBS Engineering Department's worst nightmare

2008-10-18T19:19:00.005-05:00

TBS announced at 8pm Saturday that they were experiencing "technical difficulties" bringing Game 6 of the Red Sox's vs Rays. I would bet such a big game they would have a back up uplink truck at least. It will be interesting to see what the problem is. Maybe they lost their bird?

I can only imagine the lost revenue TBS is experiencing, along with all the watering holes. . .no game. . . no reason to drink and spend money.

Above: TBS's crawl explaining their "technical difficulties"

8:28 they are back.

All they said was they were sorry for the problems in Atlanta.

WEEI 850am radio is reporting TBS Atlanta had "router failure". Anyone in TV knows the router is a major component of any TV station. It allows stations to route video and audio to any device that is needed. Without it some poor engineer was probably behind the racks pulling out cables and re-routing them. If they were lucky they had a patch panel.

Joe's website up in a flash

2008-10-15T21:47:00.002-05:00

Just 15 minutes after the debate and Joe the plummer.com is up and opertional. Who wouldn't like to own that web site!

www.joetheplummer.com

That was some quick editing and uploading!

Funny DTV Transition PSA

2008-10-11T21:47:00.004-05:00

This DTV conversion PSA from Fox is really quite comical. I wonder how true it really is! Will we be up to our eye balls in phone calls? Time will tell.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/36608/talkshow-with-spike-feresten-cable-psa#s-p1-st-i1http://kvvu.meredith.com/default.aspx

via Broll

Photog shot. . .Doing his job.

2008-07-20T11:12:00.004-05:00

Wow a news photographer was shot in Indianapolis covering a house fire. What the heck is this world coming to. I mean I admit I would probably make a photog shoot from the street if my house was on fire, but this is crazy.

http://www.wishtv.com/global/story.asp?s=8696327

Windows needs to restart . . . ON AIR. . .in 3,2,1

2008-06-24T19:00:00.002-05:00

Via Lost Remote

I wonder if this really happened or was an edit. Either way it's funny.

Hill Valley Up in Smoke : UPDATE

2008-06-07T22:00:00.004-05:00

One website claims Universal Studios confirmed that the actual clock tower from Back to the Future was "slightly" damaged by the June 1st fire. The clock tower had been removed from the court house at the time of the fire.

Clock Tower

Recent Flickr photo's confirm the Court House was SAVED. Initial reports indicated the Back to the Future set (ie the Court House)was lost. When I think of BTTF the main focal point for me is that court house. The Courthouse Square which includes the block around it was distroyed.

Court House

Hill Valley Up In Smoke

2008-06-02T19:03:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it's gone. The Back to the Future Trilogy's main set a.k.a Court House Square which was still at Universal Studios, burned to the ground.

Lots of history, over 50 years of movies had been filmed there. Most notibly "To Kill a Mockingbird". All that history is now gone.

In early 2000 one "BTTF" fan who lived around california went on a fantasic trip to find each location where parts of the trilogy had been filmed. He talked about being lucky enough to see Court House Square and documented his adventures. It's really a fun website for the Back to the Future fan.

Darn it, you'd think Doc Brown would have seen this coming and swooped in to divert disaster.

Hot Pocket

2008-05-10T06:39:00.005-05:00

A few times a year as a news photog I would end up with a half dead 9 volt battery from the wireless microphone. In a pinch, on a story what are you gonna do with it? Well besides putting it in the run bag or throwing it in the live truck behind the racks, or chucking it, I would just put it in my pocket. This was a fine place for it until half an hour later. I would remember it was there. Usually the battery would short out on my keys and start to overheat. In most cases it would get so hot it would try to take my leg off.

I relized this morning just how powerful the heat from a battery could be......

Courtesy: http://www.vnews.com/

Small world

2008-05-09T21:01:00.003-05:00

Two shops I worked at on B-roll.net just one line away. . .who'd a thought!

Digital Converter Boxes. . . What to buy??

2008-04-24T21:18:00.005-05:00

Well, I am waiting in anticipation for my converter box coupon so I can go out there and pick one up. I've been doing some looking around to see exactly what I want to buy.

I made a few neat discoveries that havechanged my idea of what feature I must have.

I found out that my cable provider is offering their HD channels free in standard cable and they are being sent to my TV by 256 QAM also known as Clear QAM. So my converter must have a QAM tuner so I can see our TV station(s) HD station feeds.

Second I found out that not all of these boxes have NTSC (analog) tuners or analog pass thru. Since many cable companies will continue to pass their signal in analog why would I want two boxes on my table. An NTSC tuner is a must.

I also found out not all converter boxes are covered by the coupons.

I looked at a lot of web sites and looked at a lot of the features. One box stood out.

Avion's ATB-7707

This box covers all of the features I want and has more extra features then most out there. The only problem. . . this is a new product and I can't find it for sale yet. Lets hope my coupon doesn't run out before it comes to a store near me.

Avion boxes web site !
Get your Coupon!
Look at other boxes!

KUSA goes VJ

2008-03-25T21:15:00.004-05:00

KUSA a television station in Denver is going VJ or Video Journalist. . . . No Photogs.

Reporters act as Reporter/Photographer/Editor. aka One Man(person) Band.

It also usually means larger Sony and Panasonic broadcast quality cameras are replaced by small handy cams. Tripods become optional if not exstinct at some OMB shops.

Photogs at B-roll.net aren't too happy!

Television Station burns down!

2008-01-20T16:42:00.000-05:00

According to the Grand Junction Sentinel KREX TV caught fire some time before 9 a.m.

http://www.gjsentinel.com/

Dateline, NBC: from the inside

2008-01-14T21:54:00.000-05:00

John Hockenberry has a very long, but very interesting essay published in Technology Review. Hockenberry was an investigative reporter for Dateline in the mid 90's.

http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/19845/?a=f

Via http://www.lostremote.com

My day

2008-01-04T19:19:00.000-05:00

Each week we snowmobile up the mountain and hike to do maintenance. Here is a picture of the south peak of Mt. Ascutney in Vermont. VPT antenna, tower and our side mount HDTV antenna.

The north peak towers, our analog antenna and transmitter building.

The long silence

2007-11-20T22:19:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in over a month. It's been too long.

I have a new job.

I put down the camera.

I acquired a soldiering iron, a snowmobile, a hat, some gloves, a pair of hiking boots, a voltage meter, a laptop, an ASI stream analyser, a bunch of broken DVC PRO gear and a mug with my new TV station log on it.

I am now an engineering technician.

When the transmitter takes a hit there I am with my boss up the mountain on a snowmobile. . . then if its our analog transmitter, we're hiking to north peak.

It's been a month. I like it. Wires and switches and air compressors, just up my alley. Positive schedule changes. Holidays off. . . .

. . . . Ask me in February in -10 degree weather while babysitting an unhappy generator. Right now, Today, it rocks.

ABC NEWS : One Man Band

2007-10-04T08:13:00.000-05:00

TV Week is reporting that ABC News is opening seven new news bureau's around the world. The catch is that they will be all staffed with one man bands. One person interviewing, shooting, writing and editing the story.

This is a huge deal considering this is at the network level.

via : Lost Remote

Not So Normal UPDATE

2007-09-27T20:24:00.000-05:00

My mother has a good sense of humor.

She got me a moose coaster for my birthday. First to get my beers off the table and second to poke fun.

TV News Union Protest

2007-09-24T11:33:00.000-05:00

Union members protest an "unfair" contract during their own liveshot.

More information HERE Interesting.

Not so normal

2007-09-18T08:23:00.000-05:00

My night shift was done. I was commuting back to my current "living arrangement", 80 miles from work.

It seemed like a routine night. No rain. No fog. Little traffic.

Most nights I listen to a few different radio stations and drink some caffinated soda or finish off my bag lunch.

There's a spot on interstate 89 (Georges Mills) where I always slow down. One night I met Bambie in the passing lane staring back at me. I was in the travel lane (2 lane hwy) that night. Bambie left me alone.

That night I slowed down as usual, but kept going.

About a mile past I noticed a road reflector blink back at me twice. Road reflectors don't just change brightness unless something is in front of them. In the split second I realize this is not a good situation I start to brake.

Driving 100's of miles in a news car I am not too startled I use my brakes forcefully, but not enough to skid.

As I get up to the spot something comes into view FAST. Still doing 35-40 I brace myself.

There on the passing lane of the interstate is a huge MOOSE. He is walking away, to the guard rail on the passing lane. I'm in the travel lane. He looks so big to me. My tiny Hyundai sedan would be no match.

In the few seconds all of this happened all I could think of was "Don't back up into me" and "what if he runs into my hood"

I pass him in what felt like an eternity, but in reality was a few seconds.

To think, I was going to get the New Hampshire moose plate. I'm rethinking that now.
About Moose

Live Shot

2007-09-16T19:41:00.000-05:00

My business face. Waiting to go live in Plainfield, NH.

Crazy story.

2007-09-13T22:29:00.000-05:00

I didn't shoot this story. First the tree bandit in a New Hampshire bank now the diaper sicko.

Click Here Ick Ick Ick!

Crickets

2007-08-21T20:50:00.000-05:00

Not much to say. Not much to post. For now.

News Chopper Crash

2007-07-28T08:14:00.001-05:00

While covering a car chase two news helicopters collided and crashed in Arizona.

We were editing for our 5pm show when we heard it on MSNBC. How sad for the colleagues and families and especially their kids.

While I feel pain in the loss of these broadcasters, I also feel anger. These fathers, brothers, co-workers died covering a CAR CHASE. Their lives cut short so that people at home can see another person try and run from the law.

YES, it is part of the job.

YES, it does attract viewers and ratings.

BUT, at what cost? Friday, four lives.

My sympathy goes out to the families and co-workers.

I know TV stations will continue to fly and every once in a while this will happen. So Sad.

TV News Photographer gets arrested

2007-07-13T19:32:00.000-05:00

WOW! I am speechless looking at this photo.

Photo Courtesy San Francisco Chronicle/Kim Komenich
Via : Lenslinger
and San Francisco Chronicle

Lightning

2007-07-11T22:20:00.000-05:00

Tuesday night we got a huge lightning storm. SO I hooked up my camera and videotaped it. (Under our porch roof!)

Bank Branch Robber

2007-07-09T09:40:00.000-05:00

Foolishness! A guy decides to rob a Manchester, NH bank with tree limbs taped to his body.

Happy 4th

2007-07-04T12:56:00.000-05:00

Some views of Plainfield, New Hampshire's 4th of July parade.

Community Access

2007-06-25T22:22:00.000-05:00

While I am not chasing breaking news I am working at my job in community access. Three days a week I program local cable access shows.

I time them. I log them into the programming system. I load them into the dvd player.

My job doesn't end there, I also get to setup equipment and direct the occasional live broadcast.

A few weeks ago we went live for graduation.

http://www.claremontv.org/

7 Years millions of pages

2007-06-25T21:50:00.000-05:00

After 7 years of internet surfing, emails and videos I am waiting for my new laptop to arrive. I will not miss the blue screen of death or the locking up when I try to load a few too many programs. (Two programs!) I really won't miss the 600 by 800 resolution.

Yes, two cooling fans later the old HP 3100 series is still chugging. I never had to replace the hard drive. I added some ram. The fact that the motherboard or hard drive never died amazes me. My family has gone through many laptop issues as the HD or the motherboard goes.

Anticipation!

You Tube and Hearst-Argyle struck a deal

2007-06-06T00:44:00.000-05:00

You Tube and Hearst-Argyle Television struck a deal to post video from some of their TV stations on a preproduced youtube page.

Example:

A bear gets stuck in a tree in Manchester. . . We shot it in 20 minutes! After striking out at court we went to see this bear the desk sent us to. Fun story.

www.youtube.com/wmurtv

Telephone

2007-06-01T20:32:00.001-05:00

I loaded the jeep cherokee with all the equipment and my run bag. Thursdays destination. . . . court.

We went through security and after a while of sitting we found the hearing wasn't going to happen. On to story number two.

We were on a long treck to Chesterfield New Hampshire, over an hour more away. No highways and turns all around we made it to the police station.

"Oh he will be right back, I let him know your here.", the dispatcher told us. We knew better. He did show up, but couldn't give us any sound. A quick fuzzy cellphone call to the station and we were off. No we didn't go back to the station instead we went to. . . . Vermont!

A tanker truck had flipped over a guard rail and now was upside down in the West River spewing (slowly) number 2 fuel oil.

Some teeth grinding and more road signs later and we were right up at the police tape with the other two reporters (from the next market over!)

"You can't go past this line, there will be a press conference at 3 o'clock." the trooper told us.

Lacking any real eye popping b-roll or a cell signal we made our way to the detour on the other side of the river. We ended up on a narrow dirt road. Twists and turns. Up and down.

Then we saw a clearing to the river and (in a kinda slimy journalism way) made our way to the bank. It was there in full chrome on its side. I popped off some quick shots knowing that we'd be stopped at any moment.

Seconds later were shoowed away, but we had what we needed so far anyway.

Back at the fire station the press conference we learned that less then 100 gallons of fuel oil had spilled. We learned the name of the driver. And we learned how complicated this clean up job was going to be.

The sate truck showed up. My partner in crime used a neighbors phone and called the base.

Without cell phone service and a non-cooperating sate-phone we were piecing together how we were going to contact the outside world.

Just as I finished editing the last piece of video we heard a big bang. Lightning.

Ryan the sate op stowed the dish and we waited and waited. No live shot, but they wanted the pack.

Under the firehouse roof we formed a plan on how to get the pack back. Ryan decided we were going to relay instructions from the firehouse to the truck. As odd as it looked, it did work. I talked to an engineer who was on a conference call with the sate company and myself. The engineer yelled "power up" and I yelled power up and so did the reporter. We got the truck on the bird and with a transfer, we fed the video.

We jumped right in the car and made our way back. It was a long ride. It still amazes me when you think one thing is going to happen during your shift and something comes out of no where and your off.

See the story. click here.

How stations use XD Cam

2007-04-29T21:58:00.000-05:00

I stumbled onto this You Tube video highlighting how some of the Hearst Argyle stations (including WXII) are using XD Cam and Avid in the field. It's cool to see how other stations are using the technology. The video itself well. . . kinda hard to sit through, but informative.

You'd think most stations would be done with deck to deck.

CBS : Imus Show Cancelled

2007-04-12T17:52:00.000-05:00

(4:33p) According to Broadcast and Cable's Web Site Don Imus' show has been cancelled on CBS radio. Yesterday NBC cancelled the simulcast on MSNBC.

Interesting:

Reuters compiled a list of advertisers who said they suspended or were evaluating suspending their advertisments. Reuters via I Want Media.

More April Snow blankets New Hampshire

2007-04-12T10:48:00.000-05:00

Well I can't believe it's spring and we got more snow today. Thursday morning we got a few inches and winter just seems to refuse to leave. The end of March was quite the tease with most of the snow melting and temperatures high enough to get the garden hose out. I guess we're in the wintery mix for a bit longer.

News Car Crashes. Competition Swarms

2007-04-09T14:32:00.000-05:00

Corpus Christi, TX - I read on FTVLive that a KZTV news car crashed into a light pole and the driver got out and ran away. (Yeah and that's it!)

The incident was reported by the competition. I want to know, WHY was it reported? What was the News Director thinking? Who really cares? I thought it was interesting enough to read the story because i workin the business, but to every joe do they care? Do they even know the call letters of either station? Are they even watching? Some are, yeah. Some know the stations, yeah.

Why are stations going to the LOWEST common denominator in this pissing match. Who cares if an employee crashed the car into a light pole. Also to put the word alcohol any where near that story (Police don't knopw if alcohol was involved.) is truely opening yourself up to get sued.

My point. The public could give a rats ass if your compotition crashed their car and thank you for bringing down this industry more. Truely a NONstory.

Near-easter comes to New Hampshire

2007-04-06T06:17:00.000-05:00

April 4th and 5th brought snow to New Hampshire. While snow in April is not all that uncommon, it was a surprise to many. I washed my car just last week!

Interstate 89 South April 5th. One lane open.

A family builds a snowman in their Manchester yard. We went to two other houses who had built huge snow bunnies!

Northern New Hampshire got a lot of it. This snow was very heavy.

Fisher Cats opening day was Thursday. We stopped by to get video of them clearing off the field. They decided at noon to cancel and reschedule their game.

Jib Jab - What We Call The News

2007-03-29T20:07:00.000-05:00

An interesting cartoon from Jib Jab. Originally they went after president Bush and people around the White House. Now it seems they have expanded their selection and are including THE NEWS.

This cartoon highlites mostly cable news and after seeing CNN this week, I believe it!
After I returned from a local news story CNN had this headline : "Brittney taken to a hospital with a toothache". Now that is BREAKING NEWS!

Wednesday's Snap Shots

2007-03-01T01:23:00.000-05:00

Edited some news stories.

Did a 5 and 6 p.m. live shot.

I shot video of a hockey game and returned.

I edited more video.

Then I drove home. Not exactly a typical day, just one where I remembered the camera.

Snow and Covered Lab

2007-02-15T10:21:00.000-05:00

Sydney, A black lab with a white coat.

The only place she could walk was in the snow paths we shoveled.

New Google Blogger and Change

2007-02-15T10:13:00.000-05:00

Okay so the new google blogger isn't really new. I just refused to switch over for 2 months. Well I was forced to and after changing to the new google account at first I could not get in. A moment of anger set in.

What is this negativity toward change? As humans and US citizens we are forced into changes (most simple) that we would rather just forget about. New passwords every 30 days (It's for security they say.) New operating systems so they can make money. (The old one works. What's the problem.) More and more commercials. Buy or crap. (Fine. Other people can buy that crap. I will stay away.

No I am not amune to commercialism like I sound. I bought a new movie I have been waiting to come out. I buy things on a whim. Occasioanlly. All these things and all these messages is enough to make our consumer brains explode. Then who would buy stuff so your share holders make a profit?

NH Snow Update 2:00p.m. Wednesday

2007-02-14T14:19:00.000-05:00

Heavier snow seems to be falling. The winds have picked up and just blow the snow back over shoveled areas!

Uncovering my car!

NH Snow Update 12:15p.m. Wednesday

2007-02-14T12:14:00.000-05:00

Here is some video taken around 11:30 a.m. in Northern New Hampshire.
(The video should be available shortly, You Tube says it's processing.)

Let it snow

2007-02-13T18:16:00.000-05:00

Get the snow shovels, bread and milk! Or atleast stay home and watch it LIVE on TV as team smotherage gets into gear.

Lost, Found and a Small World.

2007-01-25T20:06:00.000-05:00

It's not every day you get a news story with a positive ending. Most days someone either ran off the road, ended up in the ground because of some factor or was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Thursday's news story started out bleek. An 80 year-old woman went walking late in the morning on Wednesday in Merrimack New Hampshire. She hadn't been seen by anyone for 24 hours.

We rolled up at 10:15 a.m., got some quick video of police canvasing the area and a quick interview with an official. As officers started up the ATV's I shot some more and waited for the satellite truck.

11:30a.m. the truck rolls into positions and in we rush to cut this live video for noon. The next 30 minutes really was a blur. The truck operator "Boys this is gonna be close." All I can think is "Stop, Edit, Player, Stop Edit, Player!"

We just make the window to feed, I plug in the camera and in a blip, we go LIVE.

Back in the truck, the operator and I get a second to introduce each other. The usual, where are you from, where did you work last.

In a surprise responce when I said "High Point" Ryan, the truck op said. "High Point!, I just came from Winston-Salem in August!!".

I get a quick lesson on just how small the Biz is and stories of the Piedmont start flying.

An hour after this revolation I am shooting an interview with neighbors when I see these officers running. Running like on Cops! "They found her, behind apartment C!" the officer yells. So I start running just like the camera operators on Cops!

It turned out the lady was found in the bushes by a neighbor, consious, but cold. The police yell for a back board. She was put in an ambulance and family near by hugged one of the officers.

Freelance on a day off

2007-01-23T16:25:00.000-05:00

Today I awoke to scanner chatter. All I heard while half awake was "Black smoke showing". Which as any scanner listener or firefighter knows isn't a good sign.

I jumped out of bed, threw some clothes on and went down stairs hoping for a second tone. Sure enough a second alarm for 6 departments to head to the scene. A fire had started at a condo on a unmentioned ski area slope.

I got my TV gear and scanner and headed for my car.

I drove thru town after town until I got there and it was burning pretty fast. I got some video and asked an eyewitness what he saw.

A good test run for me anyway. The TV station couldn't sync up my video among other things. . . maybe next time!

Back on the shoulder

2007-01-22T21:29:00.000-05:00

I have been picking up a camera for a few weeks on and off. I have had some interesting stories, but each time I find I left my still camera at home and blogging news without stills just isn't the same.

So don't give up yet. Blogging Photog AHEAD. . .

I'm still feeling out the place and people.

Warm Days

2007-01-06T14:14:00.000-05:00

60 Degrees in Northern New England, in January!

Can't stay away.

2006-12-30T16:37:00.000-05:00

As the snow finally flies, just days after Christmas, snow plows roll out, the scanner lights up and volunteer firefighters-rescue-EMT's scramble to help those stranded by traffic accidents.

Since hearing a call a week ago (about a possible warehouse fire) I got my old (circa '98) VHS! camera out and located the tripod. My plan is to get my butt out on the street a day or two a week and chase whatever local catastrophy is coming across the scanner.

Today would have been a HUGE day. Five or six car accidents in a few hours would equal some sizable freelance dough in this market.

With a few purchases (new battery, top light and eventually portable DVD recorder.) I will be ready to go. I can see it now, DVD on one shoulder camera on another. . .Umatic reborn! Minus the weight. (I missed the 3/4 days. . .never picked one up.)

Next month, I might be back. . . to DV Cam. See future posts!

And there was snow!

2006-12-08T08:26:00.000-05:00

A whopping 4 inches.
It takes 6 to 12 inches and at least some ice to close school!
Lucky for me. . or not so. . the plow trucks came through. Off to work!

Nobody Knows New Hampshire Like Dish Network

2006-12-02T11:23:00.000-05:00

Good bye WMUR TV. We really did enjoy watching you on Dish Network. Thanks for taking away New Hampshire's only TV station because of a Florida court dispute. It's not like this state has quadruple TV markets.

When coverage of news events doesn't follow the topographical markings of the FCC defind "local market coverage area" then what is the point of having the markets defind this way.

I could get cable and watch WMUR right now. My location is the exception. A year ago satellite tv was all I could get. For many Dish customers in this area satellite is all they can get and yet they can't watch the TV station in their own state.

Mountains disrupt over the air signals and distort actual ability to get these stations from a roof top antenna. The lack of a cable infastructure in rural areas drew people to Direct (in the 90's) and then Dish when they announced local Burlington stations would be offered.

The local Valley News says the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) was suing Dish over copyright infringement for carrying "distant network signals" without NAB's consent. Dish claims NAB reniged on an agreement that would have allowed Dish to broadcast distant network signals.

Dish Network claims the dispute over money will "hopefully" be resolved. Dish also said they hope "the courts will see through the Fox Network-led coalition of broadcasters, whose real intention is to deny consumers their freedom of choice and leave the Fox-owned DirecTV as a monopoly for distant networks."

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

I wouldn't want to be a Maine customer, word is that Maine doesn't have their locals offered, but many were allowed to sign up and get "really" distant locals.

Net's are human too.

2006-11-21T00:20:00.000-05:00

Rumor has it two stories didn't roll right on Monday's CBS Evening News eastcoast feed. Couric tossed to the show close. . . followed by two promo's and more Katie on set with music.

The video runs 2:14. . . Light show!

Check it out here: VidClick By the time you read this CBS probably pulled the link on You Tube.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
TV Newser says CBS News had a "corupt file" on their audio board computer system that prevented the audio from passing thru. That ultimatly led to the show being light and the long credits.

Black Cats and Halloween

2006-10-30T23:27:00.000-05:00

I was reading Associated Press stories on the wires today and up poped a story on an animal shelter in Boise Idaho, who along with other shelters across the country, are banning the adoption of black cats and white bunnies on Halloween.

The idea behind this, according to the AP is that some people adopt black cats and either use them for "halloween pranks" or worse "satanic rituals." They did quote someone saying that this is rare, but that they don't want to take a chance that an animal could be harmed.

Gail Buchwald, the VP of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals disagreed and was quoted, saying, "Black cats already suffer a stigma because of their color. Why penalize them any more by limiting the times when they can be adopted?"

I couldn't imagine someone hurting an animal for satanic ritual. Especially MY cat, Goliath!

Black Cat Adoptions from Yahoo, via the Associated Press.

WPTZ,WCAX and Leahy make it into TV Week

2006-10-26T22:19:00.000-05:00

I opened up TV Week, which I thought had run out and honestly I was not going to renew.

(You can only take so many advertisements covered up as stories.)

This story was for real.

The Society of Environmental Journalists met in Burlington, Vermont and in a feature article, TV Week talked to WCAX and WPTZ TV employees. It was a good read and pretty cool to see the market I grew up in highlighted.

Mostly they talked about how the stations covered environmental news as TOP STORY.

"Every market is odd in its own way. This market is odder than most." Peter Martin, GM/Owner of WCAX TV.

I would say that is true. In a good way.

The lead would usually be an issue on the minds of farmers or the legislature once in a great while it was who shot who, but that was rare. Sometimes reading the local news I think that's changing (by violence, not what the news is covering), but I'd like to still think it's not!

TVWeek article on the Environmental Journalists

The articles about WCAX and WPTZ TV, as well as Senator Patrick Leahy were not on the Web site.

Big Enough Wedge of Cheese?

2006-10-21T22:01:00.000-05:00

I was shopping for groceries tonight and while looking in the "expensive" cheese section I looked down and there was the largest wedge of cheese I have EVER seen.

I would say it was about a foot and 3/4 long, about 9 inches wide (at the base of the triangle) and at least 8 inches thick.

I didn't even look at what kind it was. I did however notice the price, $331.00

In hind sight, it would have been funny to try and steal it, because it was so huge it would never fit under a jacket.

I guess the store bought it figuring someone from "market" would buy it.

Anyway if your on Eastchester take a look at the H.T.'s $300 piece of cheese.

(HP Plaza)

Where's the Sat-Truck?

2006-10-18T17:53:00.000-05:00

BetaboySP -- This picture taken by Jacob L. Grant, of The Caledonian Record, shows three SNG/ENG hybrids outside of the Caledonia County Court House in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. You know these trucks, the microwave dish on the side with the big dish on back that can transmit satellite signals.

Looking at this picture, I wonder, "Where are the satellite trucks?" It's interesting to see three hybrids in the bunch and possibly the fourth being a satellite truck. Hybrid's seem to becoming more of a choice these days rather than buying a huge industrial size sat-truck.

I can only imagine how these hybrids must handle on the road. (And I thought going around those on-ramps was fun with an ENG van!) It must be more exciting with a huge dish and mast on the back!

This picture was taken at the (Monday, October 16th) arraignment of Brian Rooney, who is a suspect in the death of a University of Vermont student. He was being arraigned on unrelated felony charges.

WCAX TV and WPTZ TV (their stomping grounds) who were also there according to the Cal-Rec, both have a satellite and ENG truck. (Last time I checked.) Both satellite trucks were probably there, ENG and line of sight doesn't mix in the mountains.

The Caledonian Record

Movie Commercials

2006-10-12T10:22:00.000-05:00

The last time a friend and I saw a movie in a theater I remember getting there real early and seeing trivia questions on the screen followed by a few previews, the concession spot and the movie.

Yesterday seemed a little different. We sat through a mini story of sorts promoting halloween and a few specifically placed items like cell phones. Followed by the exact same commercial for Yahoo you see on TV. (You know that funny one where Scruffy comes back to life.)

Anyway this idea to run commercials in theaters has seemed to expand a bit in the last few months. We did only get there 15 minutes before the start time, but it felt like 30 with all the commercials.

The movie it self? The Departed. Worth the commercials! It was a great movie!

News Corp Takes Time Square Screen

2006-10-11T17:32:00.000-05:00

According to The Hollywood Reporter Web site News Corporation has a new deal to "broadcast" news, sports and anything else they want on the Time Square huge TV screen. The big loser in this? NBC who has had the screen for many years. They lost it October 1st. For years NBC News has signed off their news program showing that big screen as they close the show. I guess the peacock is coming down and FOX News is going up!

First Job

2006-09-21T22:40:00.000-05:00

I had just gotten my drivers license and my parents were eager to get me out of the house and making money. My summer of freedom was OVER.

I started by appling at a hardware store. My father had worked there years before and I knew the manager so I thought. . "this would be a snap," I thought. Boy was I wrong.

I walked into the store and upon seeing a friend of mine I explained, "I am here for an interview!" The store manager close by took me to the back. She sat me down and started asking me if I could do this or that. By the time she got to "Can you lift 80 pounds?" I was lifting a bag of feed to see of i could do it. I could barely do it. Which ment to her I could barely do the job. So much for a job in hardware.

My next stop was the grocery store in a neighboring town about 30 minutes away. This went more smoothly I found out quick I needed to be more professional and straight forward. I talked to the human resources person, answered a few questions and took a test. My next step was an interview with the Customer Service Manager. I don't remember much about that interview, but I must have done well, I ended up as a service clerk the next week.

Training I remember was done by a woman who you could tell teaching a young kid wasn't her favorite thing to do. She went over how to bag correctly and where all the food returnables go. We went to each department and learned where everthing is stored in the back. The final lesson was how to clean the bathrooms.

I leanred a lot at that job. A lot about responsibility. I would say for the first year I liked it. Getting carts was a blast. Early mornings on Saturday included great conversations with co-workers because at 7:00 a.m., no one was there.

Months into this job I decided I needed a new challenge. Cashier. I told my manager I wanted to be a cashier. The next week I took the cashiers test and failed. Discouraged, but not beaten, I took it two weeks later and this time I passed.

Being a cashier was fun for me. You could really learn codes and try and scan as fast as possible with out breaking the eggs. Shift leaders (middle managers) were really the fastest scanners and kept the "front end" at peak performance. Espcially Saturday mornings or anytime from December 1st to January 2nd. They staffed the holiday season with more people and more goods.

The holidays were crazyness!

A few months went by and after being in the store for hours on end I started to really hear the sounds around me. People, Carts and music. The PA announcer kinda had me wondering. "What's that all about?" I later learned it was done in-house by a guy in the meat department. A few month later when he left the company I was in the store managers office asking for the "extra duties"

I auditioned to be the PA announcer, which was a taped playback machine that inserted short commercials under the satellite music. The store manager liked my audition and the job was mine! I have to say that was the most fun I had there. I took the flyers and circled items from each department and recorded a short written out blerb. "Green Horn Peas two for Ninety-nine cents!"

Eventually I think I told the store manager that I had had enough with announcing and was ready to go back to just cashiering. Which was about the time I felt I was done with groceries and got a job at Radio Shack.

Schieffer Says Goodbye

2006-09-01T10:30:00.000-05:00

Rosenblum : KGTV going VJ

2006-08-30T17:43:00.000-05:00

Ever since WKRN TV went to a Video Journalist newsroom the rumors have been flying. While people on one side of the debate think it's a great idea, many in the TV industry think it takes away from the art of telling real stories. According to Lost Remote, Michael Rosenblum "dropped them a note" saying that he is training at KGTV.

If this is the case, KGTV becomes the third TV station to train photojournalist's to write and reporter's to shoot. The VJ "revolution" as some call it, takes cheaper camera's and laptop's and puts them in the hands of employee's that now will have two hats instead of one.

Lost Remote
Rosenblum TV

2006-08-03T21:19:00.000-05:00

In hurricanes, snow, tornado's , ice! We are transmitting!. . . My cable went out.
Brings me back to my roof top antenna days.

Some how the internet is still up??? Going to be some odd meters tomorrow!

Amanda Congdon leaves Rocketboom

2006-07-05T16:25:00.000-05:00

According to Lost Remote Amanda Congdon has left Rocketboom after an apparent dispute with Andrew Baron. It is also on the Rocketboom's website.

Lost Remote
Amanda UnBoomed
Rocketboom

Camera Accessories!

2006-05-06T19:42:00.000-05:00

With all of the fancy electronic gear photog's get to use day in and day out there is one product that kinda just sits there. It's the camera cover or case. This product has seen all sorts of situations. Yeah it took them 30 years to be this well known! Their product can be found in almost every TV station and country around the world. It can also be seen on many different pieces of audio and video equipment.

Check out this news story about how Porta-Brace is made in Bennington, Vermont.

(This link is to the main page. Click on "Made in Vermont: Porta-Brace" under the video section.)
WCAX.com Porta-Brace

Friday night

2006-04-21T22:26:00.000-05:00

Some days you walk into the newsroom only to run right back out to the next news event. Friday was just like that.

I walked in and was sent directly to a press conference. No bother. It is part of the job. I jumped in the car and headed off. About 40 minutes later I turned into the County sheriffs office. They led me back to a gated lot full of stolen construction equipment with a trailer, a bobcat, and a welding machine.
I got some video and sound. Sheriffs from three counties had jointly found many of the stolen equipment. After about 10 minutes I packed up and headed back.

When I walked in for a second time my coworkers were trying to find a story for the reporter I was working with. For a while we were going to interview a Katerina evacuee family about some tie in. That never happened. Actually we jumped back in the car and headed to the homes of where this man had tricked people into thinking he was doing landscaping. In reality he had stolen the equipment and needed a place to store it.

No one wanted to talk. We drove around the country side to two homes; both owners were too embarrassed.

We got dinner and headed back to the station.
He wrote, I edited and we went to do a live shot at the county line.
Just another Friday.

Leisurely Saturday

2006-04-15T19:20:00.000-05:00

While most of the country is getting up; ready to start their Saturday. I am putting the camera in my news car and heading off to the next news story.

Yesterday's story turned out to be 2 hours plus away!

After checking in at the station and loading up a live truck Scott (the reporter I work with) and I were off. We passed the usual markers that dot our viewing area and headed north west. Yesterday's story. . A large brush fire.

An hour plus later we were turning onto a narrow side road and ultimately up a mountain side! It was exciting climbing higher and higher. We stopped every once in a while checking with anyone we saw. With no signs and directions only to the road we were on; we were driving in the blind. A few fire trucks some emergency crews on ATV's lots of houses and we were stopped and talking to Roger who's with the NC forestry Dept.

This was my third (second one this week!) forest fire. Before we got any closer to the fire Roger had both of us suit up in fire retardant shirts. I loaded the tripod and camera in Roger's blazer and he took us closer. The blackened brush probably stretched for miles. All we could see were burned limbs and scorched grass in the thick woods.

Once we had a stand up in the can and had a second to drink some water we went off road. YES off road! Roger took us down a path that had been cleared by a tractor to help stop the fire from spreading. It was cool to get even closer inside the forest. It was a bumpy ride!

A few more shots later and some questions and we were ready to leave. We jumped in the live truck and began our decent down the mountain. Thank god for low gears.

We stopped about half way and talked to a neighbor. Their description "The sky was bright red" really said it all. The return trip down the mountain seemed to fly by compared to our up hill climb. An hour and a half later we were at our Winston bureau editing and feeding our story.

"Turn that CAMERA OFF"!!

2006-04-14T23:40:00.000-05:00

Being a photojournalist we all at one time or another come up against a person who does NOT want their face on TV.

I haven't been in TV too long, but so far I have backed off or tried to get a shot from another location when put in a confrontational situation. I have also rolled on the conversation just for safety. My job is to get good video, sound and unique moments. Photojournalists should not have to deal with crap like this from others. We have a right to be on public property and shoot whatever we have to to do our job. The baseball player, the security guard and now. . . it gets violent.

According to B-roll.net one KXAN photojournalist got even more then just harsh words. A county employee told the photographer to stop rolling and he didn't stop there. He physically pushed the camera off of her shoulder. Watch the PACKAGE! here.

Visiting NC

2006-04-14T12:11:00.000-05:00

Has it really been a month since posting. . .YES. . IT has!

Last week I took a few days off so I could show a friend of mine. . also a photog around my corner of North Carolina.

Russ is a photographer in Northern New York state and last summer I went to see him.

This time he came here to visit and see what the Triad is like. All in all we had a good time. We toured all three cities, went to a Hopper's game and traded tv talk.

My Space

2006-03-13T01:13:00.000-05:00

WOW!

I had wondered what My Space was all about so a month ago I decided it was time to try it out. After a few times and tonight over an hour I still only can say WOW!

My Space is a great site and is extremly addicitive. First you sign up and put in some info about you. Then you start adding friends or just sit there and wait . . they'll find you! Once you have a few friends up on your home page you can click their picture and you will find a HUGE amount of people. We all have friends and we all link to other friends. After a while your clicking through friends pics and finding more and more people you know from your past!

It doesn't end there. Try searching your school or your career interest. There are groups for many many different careers out there. Network of same career minded people!

http://www.myspace.com

Handy Cam

2006-03-10T00:27:00.000-05:00

I've been getting Television Week Magazine for a few months because I really enjoy keeping up with "the Biz". This week I opened it up and immediately saw an advertisment stuck inside. In bold letters at the top it proclaimed "Available Now For Under $9000!" Then I looked down at the camera. Yeah it's a handy cam. Many photographers in the TV biz are opposed to these camera because of there auto matic functions and small buttons. The cameras in question also do not hold up as well to their bigger, stronger counter parts.

Seeing this shocked me a bit. Mostly because I can only imagine how many TV station owners pick up this magazine weekly and would think looking at this camera . . . "I'll be able to save a bundle".
I've wondered if these cameras would be attractive to corperate owners. (non VJ stations.) Many people said (me included) that the tape transports and other parts just can't take the daily grind of news gathering. Many "head honcho's" would miss this fact. Just the fact that it says "Broadcast ENG" in the uses line is a bit worrysome.

Cat Traitor

2006-03-02T01:06:00.000-05:00

Good thing sweeps is over because my cat is a traitor!

One Year!

2006-02-28T00:55:00.000-05:00

It's been 1 year ...already! So many stories; so many places!

It really doesn't compare to many of my co-workers; a small accomplishment in scale, but a big one for me personally.

Fox 1 - Olympic's 0

2006-02-16T11:27:00.000-05:00

All over the net columns and articles are saying the same thing about this years Olympics. The Olympics holding viewers every night is no more. In two cases Fox and ABC programming has gotten higher ratings then NBC's Olympic games. In one case NBC was running their highest rated competition Figure skating and still Fox pulled away with American Idol.

The Olympics always were the sure winner in the ratings race when other networks "ran and hid". Today that's not true ABC and Fox have scheduled new episodes rather then run reruns. CBS still is running reruns.

One article said "younger viewers prefer, and are more loyal to, their TV shows. The Olympics--especially the Winter Olympics with figure skating--skews to an increasingly older viewer." WOW What a statement. I remember watching the games as a child on TV and at that time yes the Olympics were number one. We would sit and watch until bed time. Today I admit I have yet to sit and watch.

NBC probably will still win the February "book" ratings month, but could you imagine. . . if they didn't!!

Media Post

CSI / Rocketboom

2006-02-02T14:02:00.000-05:00

Rocketboom's Amanda Congdon will be on CSI Las Vegas tonight at 9pm on CBS. . Acording to the Rocketboom Vlog.

Wow. ..the big time.

What if the internet wasn't free?

2006-02-02T13:03:00.000-05:00

Check out this article from The Nation via I Want Media.

Pay for everything.

This makes me even more angry at corporations for their greed. I don't care if the internet kills AT&T. The internet should be free. Cable companies need to stop charging so much for broadband and make a la carte programming available. Consumer choice would make America a much happier place. I acknowledge we are VERY lucky with our freedoms compared to many other nations, but is internet access without corporate and stockmarket influences too much to ask!

"Millennial"

2006-01-24T00:03:00.000-05:00

I am a millennial!

From the New York Times website.

"The relentless multitasking and interactivity are "just a different way of doing things," Ms. Roxas said,"

"The television and film industries, like the recording industry before them, are slowly recognizing that consumers - particularly young ones like Mr. Hanson - want to watch on their own schedules, in a variety of formats, and at a low price.
Clearly, if the market doesn't find ways to make programming simple, inexpensive and legal to download, millennials will continue to find solutions for themselves."

'86

2006-01-23T23:38:00.000-05:00

This image really doesn't need any caption. Most people would know its NASA's space shuttle Challenger when it exploded January 28th 1986.

Tonight I caught a special on the National Geographic channel about what really happened behind the scenes before the launch.

In the last 20 years I never imagined that NASA actually knew about the problem with the seals on the rocket or that the company with the seal actually was against launching at one point. This indepth show was very factual. I thought the astronauts died the second the shuttle exploded. It looks like it in the video clip. . right?

While the show says they had immediate decompression the shuttle itself wasn't in as many pieces as the pictures make it out to look. The cabin (front end) was in one piece on its way to earth. I figured there was nothing left of anything.

Files sharing and Television

2006-01-20T09:52:00.000-05:00

File sharing is a huge deal today and was even bigger four years ago with music. At that time I had just started my second year in college and students around me were downloading music like MAD.

I remember one incident where Sony claimed they would sue the school and a student who had hundreds of songs on his computer and internet site. The student was expelled and his site shut down.

Today music files and sharing files in general is just as big. The lines between what is okay to share and what is copyrighted is changing. More and more files are ending up. . .online.

A recent commentary (by Pat Dunbar) in TV Week brought up the point: "Does Television risk being Napsterized?" Well does it?

Like music files and the fast pace of broadband plus the recent migration of video files all over the net could people be stopped from posting copies of TV shows for all to see?

"a la carte" 2

2006-01-09T23:13:00.000-05:00

A la carte programing for cable is a new idea to let customers pay for only the channels they want and not pay for the ones they don't. (The one's they don't being the majority . . I would think.) I did my own "a la carte" pricing when I looked into getting the digital tear channels from my cable company. After reading threw the new channels that could grace my screen I realized 20 out of the 45 channels I didn't want. So if I don't want 44% of the channels does it make sense for me to pay $17 dollars more a month for them? I decided against it; among other factors.

Looking at the basic and select channels I already get I can see many channels I don't want. Home Shopping channels OUT! CNBC and HGTV OUT! A few more. . OUT! The rest can stay.

In writing this post I first stumbled onto this column on the Boston Globe's website. It's a funny read.

Search Video

2006-01-06T12:58:00.000-05:00

Recently Google released it's latest service in the online community. It's Google Video search! Check it out! video.google.com It's amazing what you will find.

ICE!

2005-12-15T12:07:00.000-05:00

"We'll get through it"

2005-12-12T21:57:00.000-05:00

"What you need to know to save your life." " Ways to protect yourself against house fires."

As it gets colder out news shops mine included roll out the packages dealing with fire danger and safety. This weekend I covered a group effected by a fire that seemed a bit unusual. The fire was in a church.

A reporter and I went Sunday for their first service since the fire Tuesday. Luckily for them they had other buildings not attached to the sanctuary.

We were late arriving and quietly took a spot in the back. The "hall" we were in had decorations including a Christmas tree, a manger and two wreaths in the front. I later learned this had been the original sanctuary years ago.

The two wreaths got my mind wandering. The church I grew up in had these huge columns, a vaulted ceiling, stained glass windows and two huge wreaths during advent. I would be extremely distraught if anything happened to that church I thought. "Let us pray" said the minister. And I was back in reality.

I picked up a bulletin. The service was quite similar to my memories from years past. Some hymns, the choir, Glori Patri, Doxology, Offertory etc. During a familiar section that I knew by heart I realized how nice it was to be back in a familiar church service. . even if I was working.

After the Sermon and some more song; we went looking for sound. A nice older gentlemen explained he had been here when they built the sanctuary. "Yep I was in my 20's."He said.

My co-hort asked him a few "tug at your heart" questions and we moved on to the minister. "Do you see this as a kind of lesson for the congregation?" asked my coworker. (I stayed focused on the camera.) The minister replied (something like this.) "No, things happen in life. We. . the people here. . are the church. The building is not the church it's just a building."

"What a statement." I thought.

It IS true. I've covered plenty of church services since being on weekends. Under a tent, in a huge ornate building or in a small simple building; church for these folks is more about being together in worship then in a specific space.

Mario Bros.

2005-12-05T13:35:00.000-05:00

In the late 80's my parents decided to get my sister and I a Nintendo entertainment system. This was the original system that became popular in the mid 80's. My parents bought two games with it. Mario Bros. (the original) and Duck Tales.

My sister and I became quite good at getting to the high levels and ultimately saving the princess. In later years we added more games to the pile. We never upgraded to Super Nintendo or today the Game Cube. We did get a Game Genie to cheat the levels!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

All of this reminiscing started this morning after clicking a link on Medialine. A 9 year old boy playing XBox with his headset on; argues with his mother. It is quite amazing to listen to.

"a la carte"

2005-11-29T15:55:00.000-05:00

On any given day I hit my remote control's channel button through the channels looking for something to watch. Certain things spike my interest. Today I found myself on C-Span. That's one channel that 99.9 percent of the time really doesn't interest me. However today I got hooked on a media indecency meeting with CEO's from many of the major broadcasters. It isn't everyday you get to hear what they are going to say about the biz.

The meeting itself titled "Media Indecency" actually covered a huge range of TV and mainly cable topics. Many people said that the V-Chip ratings system wasn't publicized enough to the public. A few talked about how the ratings system really does work and how the public just needs to try it out. Others asked for more government control of broadcast media. Many of the networks (not just the big 4) disagreed and said the parents need to decide what's appropriate.

One of the biggest topics was to have cable operators allow their customers to choose bundled programs (a la carte) rather then paying for channels that they may not want. Sounds like a good idea to me. The Cable Association of America said that that would increase there customer's bills by a few dollars which would be bad. Trinity broadcasting said (essentially)that they need to be on must carry and not selected by customers.

That brings up a big question. If cable companies are forced to go with customer bundled packages who will the losers be? What channels would survive and who would not? Would C-Span? Would the local access channels?

Coming Home

2005-11-24T12:15:00.000-05:00

I walked into the newsroom today. . as always not quite sure what news I would be covering. Immediately someone walked up to me and explained I was going to the airport. I was assigned to cover the return of a soldier.

This return however was not a grand one. I was to meet up with the sargent in charge of security who would lead me to the tarmac where the soldiers flag draped coffin was to be unloaded.

Today was my first time shooting a story on the runway and my first time covering the return of a fallen soldier. As we walked out and carefully found a spot between a fuel truck and a refueling jet I set up the sticks and composed a shot. We had to be a good 500 to one thousand feet away, but I was very lucky to have a long lens, a doubler and semi low light capabilities.

It really was a strange sight. People exiting the plane thinking of thanksgiving and about to meet their families. The soldier was ending its journey. . . he or she was almost home too.

The soldiers from a near by post were waiting. They did the honorary salute. I wondered standing out on the freezing cement. . Who would see this? All the families moving around the airport had their own families. Was his or her's here?

Sometimes I never realize how important a simple 40 second piece of video can be. So many stories, some ground breaking, some fluff, but tonight just being out there put all of that miles of tape to shame. . . this was their time.

Alphabetical Groceries

2005-11-17T00:21:00.000-05:00

It was probably about fifteen to twenty degrees outside. You couldn't tell me that. I was asleep in my bed under three layers. It was early about 6 am. My dad walked in and tapped me on the shoulder. "Matt . . . Matt wake up." he whispered. "Do you want to go to Purity with me?" "uhhhhh mmmm okay." I said. I sat up a few minutes to the sound of the front door closing. I looked out my half frost covered window. Dad was walking out across the street. He picked up the paper and did an about face back to the house. Now fully awake I walked downstairs.

I was about 8 years old and about to go on a weekly outing that my dad invited one of us to go on. My sister and I took turns. We never went together because we would fight. It actually was a quite simple adventure. Dad did his grocery shopping early Sunday morning and if we were awake enough and made it downstairs we could go.

As I walked into the living room I could hear the radio on. "This is Weekend Edition on NPR news" and that classic theme came on. (I have a real hard time listening to that tune today. I do continue to listen to Car Talk!) Dad was behind the counter making toast as the water heated in the coffee maker.

What do you want for breakfast? He asked. "Peanut butter toast!" I said. Dad made my toast and after a little convincing I had a cup of coffee too. It was only half full of coffee and milk with lots of added sugar. My father sat down read the paper for a bit and then took out his shopping list.

My father was a great at writing the list in order of where the groceries were in the store. He would start from the front door and write down what we needed aisle by aisle. Last was of course milk and frozen stuff.

With the list completed and the morning ticking away he went out and started up the van. After a bit of scraping off the windshield and the defroster warming up we were ready.

Out of the stacks and stacks of cassette tapes my father owned, one stood out and became a hit with my sister and I. Bye Bye Miss American Pie, by Don McLean. That song became so famous with my sister and I that we both can recite it today. We would listen to it on the way to the store.

We parked in the Purity Supreme lot and headed inside. Dad pulled out his list and pen and one by one crossed off the groceries. Snacks consisted of the occasional chips and cookies, but more often then not we had cheese, Saltines and maybe a fruit loop or two as a snack staple. We hardly had any soda instead we had juice and milk. Sugar cereal was reserved for birthdays.

One of the best stops on the grocery hunt was the bakery. Most weekends my favorite was an Apple Fritter or a Bavarian cream dough nut. Deciding between the two was difficult.

With most of our groceries in the cart it was time for checkout. Dad's goal was one hundred dollars. Some weeks we did well others like holidays or parties we went over.

As we walked out of the store people started pulling into the spaces and the store was filling up fast. We however were all done.

Cannibal Burgers! No, No humans were harmed

2005-11-11T01:07:00.000-05:00

An odd name for such a great recipe invention! If you are a vegetarian, an animal enthusiast or can not eat meat you may not want to continue. Be forewarned.

My family has had this cannibal (HAM)burger recipe since I can remember. We would have this hamburger meal usually on Sundays when the rest of the family met. The recipe is actually quite simple.

Here is what you need.
1/2 a pound of 90% lean hamburger. (less grease)
Worcestershire sauce. Get Lea Perrins. . you can't go wrong!
Garlic powder.
and
Six slices of bread.

First put the bread slices on a baking sheet. Set the oven to broil. Then take out the hamburger and spread it on the bread with your hands.

Take out your Worchestershire Sauce and coat the hamburg. Then take a little Garlic powder
and spread. Now put the baking sheet in the oven for only a minute or two. You want the bread to be burnt on the sides and the hamburger done through out.

Once they are done all the way through take out the baking sheet and your done!

You may need to keep them in a bit longer to make sure they are done through out the hamburger.
- - - - - - - - - - - - I am not responsible for contamination of uncooked hamburger or under cooking of hamburger. . . try this at your own risk. Hand/Utensil washing assumed.

That darn register wall!

2005-11-09T01:01:00.000-05:00

Check out this website. Bug Me Not.com. Reading many aggregator sites has led me to links to sites behind closed "Register Now" walls. You didn't hear about this site from me!

Missing. . . now found?

2005-10-31T20:48:00.000-05:00

Two people missing since December 7th 2004 may have been found in Craven County, North Carolina. I covered the case on many different angles with WCTI TV 12's Kinston reporter when I was working there. It was a weird case. The two people a grandmother and granddaughter went missing after they were said to be heading to Virginia and never made it. The last trace was a cell phone call made to the exhusband.

This week WCTI reported that they found the van with the license plate GAIL-RN which was reported as the plate on the van when they went missing. Two people were found in the van.

It may turn out to be closure for the family, but sounds like it will be a sad ending. WCTI said the medical examiner will find out tomorrow if it is the two.

Snow!

2005-10-26T09:33:00.000-05:00

The Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire got snow yesterday!

Valley News
(Valley News — David M. Barreda)

It's Fall!

2005-10-25T19:31:00.000-05:00

Some things never change. . . . . . .
. . . . . . Thank goodness!

Road Trip #2

2005-10-25T13:03:00.000-05:00

I had just got off a week of work when I got a call from my stations weekend reporter Scott. "Hey you want to go to DC?" "DC?" I said. . . Uh that's real far away isn't it? No it's only 5 and half hours. Have you ever been? He said. "Yeah once when I was a teenager." I responded. After some back and forth bickering we agreed to meet at 8am. It was about to be Scott's first time in DC!

The next morning I got up got ready and we set out. Our first stop was fuel and the ATM. At around 9 we were on 85 heading towards Durham, NC. The trip north was actually uneventful. We stopped every two hours.

As we made our way up 395 Scott blurted out "Hey isn't that the Pentagon?" It was! A minute or two later we were passing Constitution Avenue! We found out quickly the walking public does have and WILL take the right of way in a cross walk. . . even if the light is green. After a while of circling, getting lost and dodging pedestrians we found a garage to park in . Valet parking ohhh ahhhh only 12 bucks!

With our map in tow and directions from the garage we walked down Vermont avenue heading towards the White House. We turned the corner and there it was!

After a few pictures and stops to read historic markers we made our way closer to constitution avenue. Scott commented on the dress of many people in DC. Mostly new clothes and very upscale looking.

We made our way closer to Constitution Ave. There were many carts with DC trinkets tempting us with sparkle and price. People were walking back from lunch to work.

As we got closer the Washington Monument came into view. We walked up to it, but found out that tickets were sold out to check out the view. We decided to walk to the Lincoln Memorial instead.

From the top of the steps you could see for a few miles around you!

Lincoln was covered in scaffolding.

Next we stopped at the Korean Veterans War Memorial.

We decide to try to see the Capital building on the other side, but once we made it back to the Washington Monument time was tight and so were our legs.

Walking back to Vermont avenue we saw the press area around the White House.

We were hungry and tired . . . stopped at a sub shop. Back to the car and with directions from the valet we were off back to NC. The return trip was not an easy one. Sitting in rush hour traffic and rain and fog at night added to our car claustrophobia.

All in all it was a great trip! Personally it was a big accomplishment. From the rural hills of NH I had always had an intimidation of cities. . . NOT anymore!

Newschannel 12

2005-10-23T07:42:00.000-05:00

The former tv station I worked at is "rolling out" with big changes. A new set, New graphics and a new look! Check it out at ENCDTV.com
Way to go CTI!! - Picture courtesy of ENCDTV.com

"Snow Day"

2005-10-16T22:34:00.000-05:00

One of the best things to hear on the radio on a below zero, snow covered school day is "Classes Cancelled today" Words that are rare in my home parts. Words that one morning I never heard on the radio.

I woke up and turned on the radio. I listened intently. Wading through commercials and the latest storm coverage. . . I waited. "(local) Elementary School . . . . . . . . Cancelled" My sister still asleep had just gotten off lucky. I, was in high school and unlucky. I waited and waited . . nothing.

I sulked to the shower. I got dressed, got some food and checked the radio again. . . .nothing.

My mom said she would drive me to school. On bad weather days the high school bus in the next town over didn't run. That day was sunny with newly fallen snow on the tree's and a huge pile of snow collected at the end of the drive where it had been plowed. Nonetheless mom got the car out to the pavement where sand and salt gave us better traction.

We made it down our road alright and headed to the covered bridge. When all of a sudden the cars in front of us stopped. In front of all of us was a huge maple tree covering the road.

alright!, a day off I thought. Unfortunately my mother was a human GPS device and knew exactly how to get me to school. The alternate route however, was just as bad. It was up hill.

Mom gunned the engine and we rode up the hill. Some how we made it. We ascended down the the other side to the bridge. The sun shown down just trying to tease me. We made it to the school entrance and I had my hand on the door handle. "Hey!" a custodian beckoned while salting the sidewalk. "schools cancelled" Hallelujah" I thought. . . . . Mom was not so happy.

Before it was "business"

2005-10-16T21:37:00.000-05:00

In the comfort of my new apartment digs I turned off the TV and packed my lunch for the day as the hour quickly approached. I was dressed up and ready to go, but I was also nervous.

This was the first day of my internship. I loaded up the car and set off for the "green mountain state" capital. Montpelier.

The roads, narrow but familiar led me through many tiny towns and villages as I made the trek to the capital bureau of a local TV stations news department. I looked for a place to park and knowing it was very limited I found a space a ways away. I walked in the door and introduced myself to the reporter. He said hello while I nervously sat and waited for the photojournalist I had only met once.

A few minutes later in walked Bill. Bill had been with the station for many years and was familiar with the back roads of the state. He gave me the grand tour and took me out to see what I could do. We walked down the street. He was holding the tripod I had the camera on my shoulder. . . Holding onto it for dear life.

I took some pictures and Bill showed me some tricks. The macro, shooting ideas and using the manual controls were a few of things I learned. A while later we were in the news van making our way to the main headquarters. Just as we passed an exit over the 2 way we hear "Bill ***** from Base" Bill answered "go ahead" "We need you to return to the bureau" "ok" he said and we were off back to base.

Bill called the bureau on the cell and asked what was actually happening. As he hung up He said calmly "There's a dead body at a house, we need to pick up the reporter and head out".

We got to the bureau picked up the reporter and were off on a few back roads to the site. On the way my stomach was doing loopty-loops as I wondered exactly what we might find.

We got to the mail box where yellow tape announced we had found the location. A few police cars were about. We couldn't see the house. This. . was in the woods. Bill got a few shots while the reporter drove into town to get cell service.

After a while of gathering shots and swatting mosquito's the competition showed up. (One that today. . . is dark.) The reporter returned with the van followed closely by a huge truck which at first I thought was a command station vehicle, but immediately the logos screamed. . . this was the sat truck.

The large beast pulled to the side of the dirt road and out popped the sat truck operator. He started up the generator and pulled some cable.

Then I watched as the reporter rehearsed his live banter. Bill put on his headset and the live shot started. The reporter gave details of the scene and went on to inform as video played back at the station.

With in a flash it was over and the cable wrapping began. The second competition showed up to get their piece of the pie. Bill, the reporter and I jumped into the van and were headed back to the bureau. Not a bad first day I thought to myself. "Damn this was exciting!" I thought.

Getting paid to do it everyday is a thread for another day.

The Exclusive. . . almost.

2005-10-10T17:18:00.000-05:00

Sunday brought rain and clouds, but tell that to the thousands that turned out for the Crop Walk benefit snaking around a nearby city.

A reporter and I were assigned to cover it. We got there a few minutes past 3pm and were frantically trying to get past blocked roads to get the shoots for our 10p story. Little did I know it at the time, but we had just walked into a huge story. . . and it wasn't the walk.

We stopped to talk to a police officer to see exactly where the walking route was. I glanced to my right and noticed a huge satellite truck parked across the street. As the reporter went to talk to the officer I walked over to the driver to see what was going on. The truck had Washington DC and Boston marking's on it. . why so far south I thought. " Hi" I said . . breaking the ice sort of. . "So what's going on??" "Uh all I can say is it's a secret. . a two camera shoot in the theater." "Oh okay" I said "thanks" and I left.

Then at 5:00pm today I found out what the truck was for! A huge company in the city is merging and they planned to annouce it to their employee's in the theater.

Darn it all!! so close to a scoop. . . .oh well welcome to the news biz.

Affair to remember. . .

2005-10-02T23:44:00.000-05:00

After being assigned to do a live picture from our local fair I decided to let loose my own fair experience.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

My mom has this picture of me sitting on an unused concession booth counter chomping away on a hot dog back when I was maybe 5. That picture takes me back. The fair was lots of lights, great food and for a kid, rides!

I grew up with the fair. Today we have a yearly county 4-H fair. (I have yet to miss one) It's not all live stock. A few sheep, some cows, horses, oxen and the occasional pig scramble. (Live greased pig; get it in a sack. Win the pig.) And you've gotta have the midway rides and blooming onions or cotton candy.

The fair for me was a time that signaled fall. A week or two later I would be getting up early to meet the bus. Something I despised then. The fair also brought cool nights. . . a sign of the few months left before the snow really came down.