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November 20th, 2008 Heather Kovar
The holidays traditionally bring tourists and shoppers into New York City to revel in the decor. (Let’s hope in this economy they’ll do more than window gaze.)
Here is a rare sight many tourists– even residents– probably miss.
Check out this Central Park Hawk taken November 19th. Maybe he’s staking out his spot for the upcoming Thanksgiving Day Parade.
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November 17th, 2008 Heather Kovar
What could possibly be on the web that can’t already find with Google, Yahoo, Dogpile, MSN, and the more than 50 engines
listed on this page?
Visual people might want to check out Viewzi.com.
Giovanni Galluci, who works at the Dallas based Viewzi sent me an email saying “This new site truly represents the future of search. Viewzi is not simply a search engine, but a search platform able to morph into any number of user interfaces using any number of different data sources as the situation calls for.”
Here are some example searches:
Album search for Pearl Jam
MP3 search on Britney Spears
Video search for Barack Obama
News search on the Wall Street Bailout
Carrie Underwood Picture search
Book search Stephen Colbert
Timeline search U2
Galluci also said the company has found that television reporters and journalists have taken quite a fancy to us for all kinds of rich media searches on the web. He adds that Laptop Magazine just named Viewzi.com one of its top 50 products of 2008.
Let me know what you think. I’m still trying out all the applications.
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November 16th, 2008 Heather Kovar
New York Press Club Hall of Fame inductee and NY Press Club Foundation President Gabe Pressman welcomed the crew at the 16th Annual NYPC Conference Saturday, November 15th, speaking of elections of his youth.
“Election night was exciting when I was a kid.” Pressman spoke of the tin horns that would sound as results were announced. He said when we realized the importance of this year’s election, it was exciting.
“It stirred deep emotions and made us feel good about the future.”
He said it ended inspirational, with that gracious concession by John McCain, but Pressman added some things about the campaign that were bad, such as how long it was.
“This was also an election of punditry and smart ass commentary. I think people were hopeful the election would happen.”
Ellis Henican, Gabe Pressman and Robert Wiener
And the “bloviators.”
Pressman said there was an excess of commentary of people seemingly talking to each other showing off wisdom.
“We interupt this commentary to bring you the news.”
“We’ve gotten away from the essentials of journalism to let the voters make the
decision.”
He mentioned the three p’s in this election. Pundits, pollsters and polarity.
“Thank god its over I say.”
Following Pressman’s introduction was a panel discussion of the coverage of the 2008 elections, moderated by Glenn Schuck of MetroNetworks.
Panelists included Reporter Carol Zimmer with Bloomberg News, Dr. Greg Dworkin with Dailykos.com, and self admitted “bloviator of the panel” Ellis Henican, Newsday columnist and Fox News Commentator.
Zimmer mentionned the viral nature of the election, how Obama used online like never before in his campaign. (See my last post for commentary on Obama’s internet usage.)
Online, Zimmer said it can be difficult to know the facts from rumors. She also brought up McCain’s feeling of the “media bais.” She said reporters go after the interesting story and that Obama and Palin were the interesting stories. Not McCain or Biden.
Henican admitted he is actually going through a bit of post partum depression now that the election is over. He listed five things of interest in this campaign.
1. He says Latino voters will be pushed into the hands of Democrats for a couple of years. He said many would vote republican because of family values, but he feels the harsh rhetoric over immigration may have shooed them over to the Democrats.
2. Palin monster- or savior. He said no way is Palin going away. “She steps up as the person to beat.” Some see her as a savior; she repels others.
3. Social networks. Again we mention the online campaign Obama ran.
4. Race. “Lots of white people voted for a black man.” Henican says he doesn’t believe racism is over. He says it will be interesting to watch, “it might be a one man story.”
5. And finally he says Republicans are doing some major soul searching now.
John Montone, Heather Kovar and Ellis Henican.
I grabbed John Montone to tell him how I enjoyed a recent report of his on 1010 WINS on the arrival of this year’s Rockefeller Tree. It was hysterical, because he spoke with a man he described as wearing a red hat and being from Los Angeles. You hear Montone ask if he saw the tree, and the man says, Oh, I saw it the other day. Montone replies, but it just went up. The guy says it must have been another tree he saw. John tags out something like, and that is why they call it living in la-la land.
I’m still laughing.
Montone was on a panel moderated by David Diaz called “COPS, A Critical Look at Coverage of the New York City Police Department Beat.”
The next event hosted by the Press Club looks at jobs and opportunities in the media in these turbulent economic times.
Monday, November 24th
New York Press Club Penthouse
330 W 42 Street (8th & 9th) 33 floor
6:30pm – 9:00pm
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November 15th, 2008 Heather Kovar
I was alerted via Twitter this morning that President elect Barack Obama had debuted his first YouTube video. Watch it here.
This article about Obama’s Address also brings up Obama’s people not using or updating Twitter since the election.
Come to think of it, he sent out text messages and emails alerting people of his V-P pick, but I haven’t received an update since right after the election. I guess there isn’t a need to ask for money now. But come on, where is my text/email telling me about each cabinet appointment? What about an alert to check out the YouTube message?
Obama’s camp adequately used online social networking during the election. He got people motivated and into the campaign. It seems he would want to keep them active. I’m sure he’ll figure something out.
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November 9th, 2008 Heather Kovar
Following months of rehearsals, overtime and job description changes, the Eyewitness News format hit the airwaves at WABC on November 17, 1968.
The man behind the concept of putting reporters out in the field as eyewitnesses and actually appearing on television, of bringing racial diversity to newscasts, and using graphics and teases and camera movement to liven up TV News, brought WABC from 3rd in the ratings books to number ONE.
In “EYEWITNESS Newsman,” Al Primo takes readers through getting his first job in TV in the mail room to becoming a Network News Executive and beyond.
His Eyewitness style of having reporters seen in every news story, eventually changed every newscast in America. Prior to Primo, the anchor read every story. Excitement followed his success, but you can imagine the grumbling getting it done. Here is a line from “EYEWITNESS Newsman.”
“Camera operators were told that they’d never need something to sit on again because they’d be constantly moving.”
Here is an introduction to Albert T. Primo. In this picture he says he was VP of News for ABC and was on the phone with Harry Reasoner.
Here is an interview with Primo from his Old Greenwich, Connecticut office on changing the face of the newscast. (Yes, I need to steady my Flip Mino cam.)
Of course I had to ask him about the future face of journalism, with journalists and ordinary people alike blogging and instantly sending text and video to their blogs.
Al Primo has numerous awards from his past work. But don’t think he’s done shaping what we see on television. Currently he produces Teen Kids News, syndicated weekly to 200 TV stations and 10,000 schools. Hear more from Primo on Teen Kids News.
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November 8th, 2008 Heather Kovar
In President-elect Barack Obama’s first news conference, he said a “major issue” is getting that dog he promised his daughters.
He said his preference is a shelter dog, but that “a lot of shelter dogs are mutts, like me.”
What that means is a shelter dog is probably out because the criteria for a dog is that it needs to be hypoallergenic. His oldest daughter is allergic.
My own dog had come up with a poll to see what kind of dog Obama should get. So far the leading choice was mutt or shelter dog. The poll will have to be updated with some of these hypoallergenic choices: (From Wikipedia.)
Airedale Terrier
Australian Shepherd
Barbet (dog)
Basenji
Bedlington Terrier Doesn’t shed
Bergamasco Doesn’t shed
Bichon Frisé Springy undercoat doesn’t hold much hair or dander
Bolognese Doesn’t shed
Border Terrier
Bouvier des Flandres
Cairn Terrier Sheds little to no hair
Chinese Crested Has very little fur, doesn’t shed much
Coton de Tulear Doesn’t shed
Dandie Dinmont Terrier Doesn’t shed
Fox Terrier (Wire) Sheds little to no hair
Greyhound Short hair, single coat
Goldendoodle Doesn’t shed
Havanese Doesn’t shed
Irish Water Spaniel Doesn’t shed
Kerry Blue Terrier Single-coated, short hair, sheds less
Lagotto Romagnolo
Lhasa Apso
Maltese Doesn’t shed
Peruvian Inca Orchid No hair
Poodles of all sizes and Poodle hybrids Single coat, sheds less
Portuguese Water Dog Doesn’t shed
Puli Doesn’t shed
Samoyed (dog)
Schnauzers of all sizes Short hair, sheds less
Scottish Terrier
Shih Tzu Doesn’t shed
Silky Terrier Sheds the same amount of hair as a human
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Doesn’t shed
West Highland White Terrier Sheds little to no hair
Yorkshire Terrier
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November 7th, 2008 Heather Kovar
Check out this article about mobile news consumption during the elections from Beet.TV.
You’ll also find a web video interview with Ethan Dreilinger, Director of CBS Mobile News.
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November 7th, 2008 Heather Kovar
Following the selection of Democratic Congressman Rahm Emanuel as President-Elect Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff, Obama is expected to make his choice for Press Secretary next.
Today is also an exciting day for journalists, as Obama will hold his first press conference since being elected. He may also announce other appointments.
As for Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, a top aide to Obama, is expected to get the nod.
The article from Politico.
.
We’ll watch as we learn the names we’ll no doubt get fairly familiar with over the next four years.
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November 2nd, 2008 Heather Kovar
Upon buying a magazine at Duane Reade on Saturday, the day after Halloween, some comment led to the response of the manager. He said, “Christmas- oh, that’s tonight project.” He flailed his arms as if to say, “come back tomorrow and every item in the store will be topped with a santa hat.”
In years past, retailers have told me that people will start buying holiday items as soon as they are on the shelves. So they like to get them out early. And then this year, with the scare of possibly the worst retail season in memory, Christmas came with a week to wait till Halloween.
I did a news piece on the topic. I’ll link it soon.
Also Saturday, the New York Christmas crew was busy installing lights on the trees in the 80′s on Broadway.
I
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November 2nd, 2008 Heather Kovar
Congratulations to defending champion and course record-holder Kurt Fearnley as he wheels his way to another win in the 2008 NYC ING Marathon.
Edith Hunkeler won the women’s wheelers.
What a nice day for a race. Brisk and cool but not cold. The runners have to appreciate today’s weather.
Because of Media4Humanity, area at-risk children have the opportunity to watch NYC’s ING Marathon from the Finish Line Grandstand Seats.
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