We are just human & humans make mistakes. It is unfortunate when misspellings and typos show up in the news. Several eyes look over the scripts and graphics to check for errors and to make corrections. Sometimes, the mistakes just get by us and end up on the air. My recent favorite was in a story listing the symptoms of e-coli where the graphic said STOMACH CRAPS instead of STOMACH CRAMPS. (Seriously. I couldn't make that up.)
I expect people to call to correct us. Some people do it out of wanting to help. Others, and I can tell by their tone, are calling to gloat like this call is proving he/she is smarter than the media. Some like to call and joke with us. I don't think I have ever talked to so many giggling men as I did the day CRAPS instead of CRAMPS aired. They thought it was hilarious. A couple of laughing women called too. One woman did call absolutely enraged that had aired and threatened to call the FCC.
Then there are the calls like I took tonight. All I can say is, don't you have anything better to do with you're time? You're not funny at all.
8:28pm
Me: CBS4 News this is Misty
Caller: Yes, I'm watching your 6:30 news that I recorded and at 6:53 you aired a story on debt and then you went to a story on the Aspen budget. I'm looking at a graphic with the word college and it's spelled c-o-l-e-g-e. I'm just wondering if there's a new spelling for college or if that's just a mistake.
Me: Sir, that's obviously a mistake. I will ch...
Caller: CLICK
If he'd let me finish I would have told him that I would check the graphic and fix it if it was incorrect. This is exactly what I did. However, the graphic I found is this: Colorado Mountain College. Which is not wrong. To be thorough I checked the entire 6pm newscast for every script and graphic with the word college. Not once did I find a mistake.
The time I spent finding a non-existent mistake, could have been used to update twitter with the latest excitement on the desk...
Monday, February 16, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Combat the desk fat
I have a relatively sedentary job. I'm supposed to sit at the desk to monitor EVERYTHING. People get antsy when I or my coworkers walk away, even to just use the restroom. So I sit at an over sized desk, on a chair where my feet dangle a few inches off the ground (I'm only 5') for hours.
My movement of the day consists of:
Walking to the conference room in the middle of the newsroom for a daily meeting
Walking to use the restroom
Walking to fill my water bottle
Walking to the break room to warm my dinner
Walking to the lobby to pick up the delivery order for me and my coworkers
Walking to the edit bays or photographer ready room to talk to crews
Walking at a fast pace to hunt down crews during breaking news
And, yep, that's about it.
So besides all the muscle aches and stiffness from sitting at this not-even-close-to-economically correct desk, I literally fill my arse expanding. Tonight feels like one of those nights because I couldn't resist sesame mushroom from this amazing Asian cafe near the station.
In times like this, fall into "combat the desk fat" mode. I drink some water with lemon and/or green tea with mint or lemon to help digest and fight bloat. i take a walk around the newsroom and around the entire second floor, or if I can escape long enough, walk up and down the 3 flights of stairs. Then I break out the jump rope or exercise bands I keep in my desk drawer.
That's right I get my heart racing for at least a few minutes in my attempt to burn some calories and treat my body right. I admit, my attempts are usually feeble because I have very little time off the desk to really break much of a sweat. But, at least I try.
Thankfully my wardrobe usually consists of jeans or slacks, so I don't have to worry about flashing anyone in a skirt. I also keep a pair of old sneaker and socks in my drawer to change into after kicking off my boots or heels. If at all possible I leave the desk to do the more active exercises cause it's frankly embarrassing, and my coworkers do not want to see me jumping up and down behind the desk!
When I can't leave the desk I can hide behind it and pump out some push ups, sit ups and other floor exercises. Chair exercises with the exercise bands are great too. My favorite was working out to short videos on slimtree.com, but sadly the site now charges for access to videos longer than 5-min.
Logically I know my efforts aren't that much and would be substantially better if I just said no to delivery and the various food that end up on the desk, but just knowing my jump rope and exercise bands are in the drawer give me hope and comfort.
My movement of the day consists of:
Walking to the conference room in the middle of the newsroom for a daily meeting
Walking to use the restroom
Walking to fill my water bottle
Walking to the break room to warm my dinner
Walking to the lobby to pick up the delivery order for me and my coworkers
Walking to the edit bays or photographer ready room to talk to crews
Walking at a fast pace to hunt down crews during breaking news
And, yep, that's about it.
So besides all the muscle aches and stiffness from sitting at this not-even-close-to-economically correct desk, I literally fill my arse expanding. Tonight feels like one of those nights because I couldn't resist sesame mushroom from this amazing Asian cafe near the station.
In times like this, fall into "combat the desk fat" mode. I drink some water with lemon and/or green tea with mint or lemon to help digest and fight bloat. i take a walk around the newsroom and around the entire second floor, or if I can escape long enough, walk up and down the 3 flights of stairs. Then I break out the jump rope or exercise bands I keep in my desk drawer.
That's right I get my heart racing for at least a few minutes in my attempt to burn some calories and treat my body right. I admit, my attempts are usually feeble because I have very little time off the desk to really break much of a sweat. But, at least I try.
Thankfully my wardrobe usually consists of jeans or slacks, so I don't have to worry about flashing anyone in a skirt. I also keep a pair of old sneaker and socks in my drawer to change into after kicking off my boots or heels. If at all possible I leave the desk to do the more active exercises cause it's frankly embarrassing, and my coworkers do not want to see me jumping up and down behind the desk!
When I can't leave the desk I can hide behind it and pump out some push ups, sit ups and other floor exercises. Chair exercises with the exercise bands are great too. My favorite was working out to short videos on slimtree.com, but sadly the site now charges for access to videos longer than 5-min.
Logically I know my efforts aren't that much and would be substantially better if I just said no to delivery and the various food that end up on the desk, but just knowing my jump rope and exercise bands are in the drawer give me hope and comfort.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
I have your number
A race for high definition. Sony XDCAM vs Panasonic P2. Final Cut Pro vs Avid. You Report vs I Report. TV news is a whole world of advancing technology.
So why is it callers are surprised the station has caller I.D., which has been a staple of households since the 90's? That's right our phones, like most home and cell phones, have caller I.D.
This means when you want to take out your frustrations on the person who answers the phone, usually me, I have your phone number, and even your name.
Tonight during the fourth call from the same man, who kept asking the same question and then interrupting me and getting louder and louder, I finally used my mommy voice and sternly explained, "Sir, I am no longer going to answer your calls if you continue calling. I have your number, 303-***-****, and I will hang up on you without even answering first!"
Finally, there was silence on his end as he realized I was telling him the truth.
In a much calmer voice he asked if he could ask me just one more question. "Only if it isn't the same question that you've been asking over and over because I've already answered it." He started out exactly the same way as every time before. "Sir, I really must work. I am hanging up now." Click.
He didn't call back.
So why is it callers are surprised the station has caller I.D., which has been a staple of households since the 90's? That's right our phones, like most home and cell phones, have caller I.D.
This means when you want to take out your frustrations on the person who answers the phone, usually me, I have your phone number, and even your name.
Tonight during the fourth call from the same man, who kept asking the same question and then interrupting me and getting louder and louder, I finally used my mommy voice and sternly explained, "Sir, I am no longer going to answer your calls if you continue calling. I have your number, 303-***-****, and I will hang up on you without even answering first!"
Finally, there was silence on his end as he realized I was telling him the truth.
In a much calmer voice he asked if he could ask me just one more question. "Only if it isn't the same question that you've been asking over and over because I've already answered it." He started out exactly the same way as every time before. "Sir, I really must work. I am hanging up now." Click.
He didn't call back.
Monday, February 9, 2009
News tip: In the event of my death...
The news desk receives hundreds of emails every day from PR types, organizations like police, schools and hospitals, and viewers. Viewers email what they think are news tips, which is everything from witnessing something that could be considered breaking news, to letting us know of their child's school play, to rants on conspiracy theories.
I sift through it all and within a glance I know if it is:
1. to be shouted out to the newsroom because it's breaking or developing news
2. to be filed under the day's press releases, added to stories we're following, or placed in a future day file for possible coverage
3. to be immediately trashed
The desk received the below email. Sadly, it caught my eye because it's written so well compared to many emails that are sent. I read it just to figure out if there was some type of surprise twist to make it a legit release. But, no. So I'm sharing with you, so you can get a taste of the crazy that I see all too often.
I am not including the viewers name or email address, because, although I may think this is crazy, it's not my place to out a viewer.
EMAIL RECEIVED @ 9:52pm
In the event of my death, I would like all data and information pertaining to my work to be turned over to Google, US Government, Music Artists And Bands, And All Those Who Create Art. I Will not have this used by Evil me, and the associated groups of propaganda, hate and abuse take over youtube servers. These people are running wild with garbage information. For people to not listen to ones story from the very beginning, claiming to have information and more knowledge about me and what is going on. They are fools. They continue to spam non sense information and only choose to show what information they want to the world. This is what I mean about Technology going over the heads of many.
I have seen my death within a dream, so in light of this, and due to the fact that many events have happend that I have had dreams about before the event. I would like share all data with those who choose to use it for the common good of man. I have talked to my close friends and family which have known about this work, and have been eye witnesses to these matters as well. They should be the ones to speak with in the event of my passing.
I sift through it all and within a glance I know if it is:
1. to be shouted out to the newsroom because it's breaking or developing news
2. to be filed under the day's press releases, added to stories we're following, or placed in a future day file for possible coverage
3. to be immediately trashed
The desk received the below email. Sadly, it caught my eye because it's written so well compared to many emails that are sent. I read it just to figure out if there was some type of surprise twist to make it a legit release. But, no. So I'm sharing with you, so you can get a taste of the crazy that I see all too often.
I am not including the viewers name or email address, because, although I may think this is crazy, it's not my place to out a viewer.
EMAIL RECEIVED @ 9:52pm
In the event of my death, I would like all data and information pertaining to my work to be turned over to Google, US Government, Music Artists And Bands, And All Those Who Create Art. I Will not have this used by Evil me, and the associated groups of propaganda, hate and abuse take over youtube servers. These people are running wild with garbage information. For people to not listen to ones story from the very beginning, claiming to have information and more knowledge about me and what is going on. They are fools. They continue to spam non sense information and only choose to show what information they want to the world. This is what I mean about Technology going over the heads of many.
I have seen my death within a dream, so in light of this, and due to the fact that many events have happend that I have had dreams about before the event. I would like share all data with those who choose to use it for the common good of man. I have talked to my close friends and family which have known about this work, and have been eye witnesses to these matters as well. They should be the ones to speak with in the event of my passing.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
State of economy measured by press releases
Today: a chocolate sheet cake celebrating the 50 years of the Colorado Garden & Home Show.
Yesterday: a beautiful heart box filled with Godiva heart chocolates from a local hospital promoting a weekend event.
Tonight: tummy ache
I am not a sweets person. I am not a chocolate woman. I am chips and salsa. But I couldn't stay away from the heart chocolates that melted in my mouth. I couldn't say no to one, plus a small, pieces of cake.
What normally would have taken hours, if not the entire day, to be devoured by the newsroom staff, disappeared in a flash.
Press releases sent along with goodies like cookie flower baskets, candy, burritos from Chipotle, frozen slushies from 7-11, and so much more have been the norm since I started. These press releases sit in front of my face on our over sized desk to accommodate all of the electronics. The desk is also a step higher than the rest of the newsroom to be the flagship, to oversee the newsroom, so it is naturally the place to put all the goodies.
I have worked hard to not over indulge, or even to say no, to such treats because I sit for the most part of my job monitoring scanners, phones, Internet and email. All these goodies and all this sitting over the years have not been kind to my derriere. (Then there's always the question of when did this arrive? How long has it been sitting out? How many hands have touched this? More reasons to say no.)
As I came down from the chocolate high this afternoon and realized how fast the cake had gone, I realized that it's been a while since such a release came to the desk. It's been even longer since there were treats two days in a row. No wonder we all ran towards the sweets. I'm surprised there wasn't a mob scene with injuries.
Wow. I realize now the goodies definitely did not pile in over the holidays as they have in years past. Oh the baskets of fine treats like salami, cheese assortments, fruits, wines, chutney and so much more were nonexistent this past Christmas. The non-perishable goodies, like water bottles and key chains, weren't anywhere to be seen either.
Trust me, releases that come in this way are not overlooked or forgotten like others that come in with the rest of the hundreds of emails that we receive each day. I try my hardest to file each emailed story idea and press release, but lets face it, some are going to be overlooked. This station focuses on smart hard news and enterprise stories. Full coverage of a feature event is rare, but if the event info comes with goodies, you do have a better chance of getting coverage, simply because your release is remembered.
*SIGH* I guess this is just another economic hit to the newsroom. Having the goodies and sharing it all always brought the news departments together. In those moments it's easier to ignore or forget about the other economic impacts that have come with budget cuts: layoffs, no more truck engineers, more to do with less resources.
The upside is no treats = no temptation = no further expansion of my derriere!
Yesterday: a beautiful heart box filled with Godiva heart chocolates from a local hospital promoting a weekend event.
Tonight: tummy ache
I am not a sweets person. I am not a chocolate woman. I am chips and salsa. But I couldn't stay away from the heart chocolates that melted in my mouth. I couldn't say no to one, plus a small, pieces of cake.
What normally would have taken hours, if not the entire day, to be devoured by the newsroom staff, disappeared in a flash.
Press releases sent along with goodies like cookie flower baskets, candy, burritos from Chipotle, frozen slushies from 7-11, and so much more have been the norm since I started. These press releases sit in front of my face on our over sized desk to accommodate all of the electronics. The desk is also a step higher than the rest of the newsroom to be the flagship, to oversee the newsroom, so it is naturally the place to put all the goodies.
I have worked hard to not over indulge, or even to say no, to such treats because I sit for the most part of my job monitoring scanners, phones, Internet and email. All these goodies and all this sitting over the years have not been kind to my derriere. (Then there's always the question of when did this arrive? How long has it been sitting out? How many hands have touched this? More reasons to say no.)
As I came down from the chocolate high this afternoon and realized how fast the cake had gone, I realized that it's been a while since such a release came to the desk. It's been even longer since there were treats two days in a row. No wonder we all ran towards the sweets. I'm surprised there wasn't a mob scene with injuries.
Wow. I realize now the goodies definitely did not pile in over the holidays as they have in years past. Oh the baskets of fine treats like salami, cheese assortments, fruits, wines, chutney and so much more were nonexistent this past Christmas. The non-perishable goodies, like water bottles and key chains, weren't anywhere to be seen either.
Trust me, releases that come in this way are not overlooked or forgotten like others that come in with the rest of the hundreds of emails that we receive each day. I try my hardest to file each emailed story idea and press release, but lets face it, some are going to be overlooked. This station focuses on smart hard news and enterprise stories. Full coverage of a feature event is rare, but if the event info comes with goodies, you do have a better chance of getting coverage, simply because your release is remembered.
*SIGH* I guess this is just another economic hit to the newsroom. Having the goodies and sharing it all always brought the news departments together. In those moments it's easier to ignore or forget about the other economic impacts that have come with budget cuts: layoffs, no more truck engineers, more to do with less resources.
The upside is no treats = no temptation = no further expansion of my derriere!
Breaking News?
Sometimes breaking news is only covered because of timing and resources. Shootings, bank robberies, fights, chases, searches, stand offs, auto/pedestrian accidents, etc happen regularly on a daily basis. There is simply no way to cover everything that happens. Plus, this may be cold but true, who really cares about all of this? Incidents happen and resolve without injuries or without road closings, school lockdowns, evacuation. Sometimes there are injured victims, sometimes there are road closings, school lockdowns, evacuations. But, we still can't cover everything.
Why would we want to cover everything? Why would we want to give airtime to gang shootings or stabbings? As long as the general public isn't affected or in danger, these incidents can be used in a newscast without video or sound, or not even mentioned at all.
But, then there are times these incidents we wouldn't rush to cover happen when everything can fall into place. Tonight, shortly after 5, I heard of a shooting in Montbello, a northeast part of Denver that has plenty of gang problems, with the suspect on foot. Copter4 was in the air for the 5pm newscast.
I immediately moved the copter to the scene. I then told the producer what I was hearing over the scanner. Then I paged the public information officer (PIO) to get confirmed information. Some stations go on the air reporting unconfirmed reports from scanner traffic. It is a very rare occasion when CBS4 News does this. I monitored the scanners and relayed what I was hearing to the copter crew and the booth.
When there was very little time in the newscast left, the PIO called me and confirmed just enough that we could go on the air with a report. At the same time, the copter crew noticed a couple of officers running. The copter photographer followed the running officers and then saw someone running from the officers.
The producer was able to take the copter live as the photographer followed the chase and the copter reporter reported what I'd confirmed and narrated what we were watching live. With seconds to go in the newscast, the suspect trapped himself in a backyard. He got on the ground as police surrounded him, and was handcuffed.
That was Live coverage of Breaking News. If this shooting had happened during another time of day, or while the helicopter wasn't up, it may have never even gotten a mention during a newscast.
Police Look For Shooting Suspects In Montbello
Here's what the file on this shooting says. The most recent information is always at the top.
2-4-09
6:30pm
PIO is now going to the scene... photographer will get sound
559pm
from pio: 1 victim DOA, 1 victim critical at University, 1 person detained for questioning in what his role may or may not have been in this shooting... Homicide detectives have not arrived on scene yet
550pm
from pio: there is one fatal now.. no other information available
530pm
from copter and DPD radio room: one suspect in custody (copter vo).. radio room says two more suspects black males, one wearing a black sweater...
5:20pm
from pio:confirm: dpd responding to a call of a shooting at 5062 Victor Way... two victims transported to University... unconfirmed possible 3 suspects.. black males
5:12pm
from scanner only: 5062 Victor Way, Denver: multiple units responding to a shooting with suspect on foot... sounds like victim is conscious and talking...
Why would we want to cover everything? Why would we want to give airtime to gang shootings or stabbings? As long as the general public isn't affected or in danger, these incidents can be used in a newscast without video or sound, or not even mentioned at all.
But, then there are times these incidents we wouldn't rush to cover happen when everything can fall into place. Tonight, shortly after 5, I heard of a shooting in Montbello, a northeast part of Denver that has plenty of gang problems, with the suspect on foot. Copter4 was in the air for the 5pm newscast.
I immediately moved the copter to the scene. I then told the producer what I was hearing over the scanner. Then I paged the public information officer (PIO) to get confirmed information. Some stations go on the air reporting unconfirmed reports from scanner traffic. It is a very rare occasion when CBS4 News does this. I monitored the scanners and relayed what I was hearing to the copter crew and the booth.
When there was very little time in the newscast left, the PIO called me and confirmed just enough that we could go on the air with a report. At the same time, the copter crew noticed a couple of officers running. The copter photographer followed the running officers and then saw someone running from the officers.
The producer was able to take the copter live as the photographer followed the chase and the copter reporter reported what I'd confirmed and narrated what we were watching live. With seconds to go in the newscast, the suspect trapped himself in a backyard. He got on the ground as police surrounded him, and was handcuffed.
That was Live coverage of Breaking News. If this shooting had happened during another time of day, or while the helicopter wasn't up, it may have never even gotten a mention during a newscast.
Police Look For Shooting Suspects In Montbello
Here's what the file on this shooting says. The most recent information is always at the top.
2-4-09
6:30pm
PIO is now going to the scene... photographer will get sound
559pm
from pio: 1 victim DOA, 1 victim critical at University, 1 person detained for questioning in what his role may or may not have been in this shooting... Homicide detectives have not arrived on scene yet
550pm
from pio: there is one fatal now.. no other information available
530pm
from copter and DPD radio room: one suspect in custody (copter vo).. radio room says two more suspects black males, one wearing a black sweater...
5:20pm
from pio:confirm: dpd responding to a call of a shooting at 5062 Victor Way... two victims transported to University... unconfirmed possible 3 suspects.. black males
5:12pm
from scanner only: 5062 Victor Way, Denver: multiple units responding to a shooting with suspect on foot... sounds like victim is conscious and talking...
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
When fire alarms go off at the station
I'd just hung up the phone. I heard laughter coming from the 10 p.m. newscast meeting in the news directors office. The rest of the newsroom was relatively quiet, even the scanners.
BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ
Blared from the ceiling. The fire alarm was going off.
No one moved except the assistant news director who came out of the meeting to look around. She looked at me and I said, "I'll call the security guard."
Security guard, "I think it's the main water line."
Me, "So I don't have to evacuate the building?"
Security guard, "Oh thought you were David."
Click
That really didn't tell me if there was a fire somewhere else in the building and that we should evacuate. I just shrugged my shoulders at the AD. "Want me to send a photographer?" She smiled and went back into the meeting.
When the sirens from the firetrucks were heard, a couple of my coworkers wandered to the window to watch them arrive. Still no one left the building.
Thoughts in my head (those that I could hear as the blaring alarms continued well after the fire fighters arrived) included: call the PIO? call our building supervisor? flee the building and fling myself into the arms of a fireman?
The alarms finally stopped, yet still vibrated through my head. I guess there was no fire.
Soon after the scene cleared, I made two decisions:
1. In the event this is ever a real fire I will flee into the arms of a fireman, taking of course my work cell so I can still do my job and make all those calls necessary to cover breaking news.
2. I need to keep a bottle of Jameson Special Reserve Irish Whisky in my drawer. If drinking in the newsroom was still allowed, just one shot would have calmed the headache caused by the alarms much faster than the advil I did take. Then again, a medicinal drink on the desk would go a long way to fixing almost any problem I face...
The chatter throughout the newsroom and edit bays on and off through the night included several comments and jokes about staying to cover the fire as the building burns around you vs. leaving the building. Facebook status updates pondered the same questions and made jokes of the situation.
I made a comment to a couple of editors about calling the guard to find out if I should evacuate the building. The response from one was, "Wait, so you're in charge of the building evacuation and will tell me if I need to leave or not?!?"
"Of course, I'm the queen and in charge of everything in the newsroom!" (How true on so many levels haha ;)
Other than this, the rest of the night was calm. Scanners remained relatively quiet. Photographers were able to edit, shoot and engineer their own live shots. (I did have to send a second live truck to Boulder to replace the one there because the dish on the one already there was loose and basically just hanging there.) No one called to yell or complain. The producers got everything they wanted for the show. And then I went home to finally have that drink.
Oh, the cause of the alarms was a sudden and immense water pressure drop to the station which tricked the alarm system into thinking the water sprinklers had gone off.
BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ
Blared from the ceiling. The fire alarm was going off.
No one moved except the assistant news director who came out of the meeting to look around. She looked at me and I said, "I'll call the security guard."
Security guard, "I think it's the main water line."
Me, "So I don't have to evacuate the building?"
Security guard, "Oh thought you were David."
Click
That really didn't tell me if there was a fire somewhere else in the building and that we should evacuate. I just shrugged my shoulders at the AD. "Want me to send a photographer?" She smiled and went back into the meeting.
When the sirens from the firetrucks were heard, a couple of my coworkers wandered to the window to watch them arrive. Still no one left the building.
Thoughts in my head (those that I could hear as the blaring alarms continued well after the fire fighters arrived) included: call the PIO? call our building supervisor? flee the building and fling myself into the arms of a fireman?
The alarms finally stopped, yet still vibrated through my head. I guess there was no fire.
Soon after the scene cleared, I made two decisions:
1. In the event this is ever a real fire I will flee into the arms of a fireman, taking of course my work cell so I can still do my job and make all those calls necessary to cover breaking news.
2. I need to keep a bottle of Jameson Special Reserve Irish Whisky in my drawer. If drinking in the newsroom was still allowed, just one shot would have calmed the headache caused by the alarms much faster than the advil I did take. Then again, a medicinal drink on the desk would go a long way to fixing almost any problem I face...
The chatter throughout the newsroom and edit bays on and off through the night included several comments and jokes about staying to cover the fire as the building burns around you vs. leaving the building. Facebook status updates pondered the same questions and made jokes of the situation.
I made a comment to a couple of editors about calling the guard to find out if I should evacuate the building. The response from one was, "Wait, so you're in charge of the building evacuation and will tell me if I need to leave or not?!?"
"Of course, I'm the queen and in charge of everything in the newsroom!" (How true on so many levels haha ;)
Other than this, the rest of the night was calm. Scanners remained relatively quiet. Photographers were able to edit, shoot and engineer their own live shots. (I did have to send a second live truck to Boulder to replace the one there because the dish on the one already there was loose and basically just hanging there.) No one called to yell or complain. The producers got everything they wanted for the show. And then I went home to finally have that drink.
Oh, the cause of the alarms was a sudden and immense water pressure drop to the station which tricked the alarm system into thinking the water sprinklers had gone off.
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