Oregon Media Insiders

First thing I did when we got here? Even before checking email? The cable. Yes! SciFi channel is there! glee!

We're going down to the restaurant. Look for us. I have my OMI shirt on under a denim vest. (It's cold.)

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Lynn Siprelle * Fairy Blogmother

Any update on when KATU will debut their new set? I bet it will blow KGW's out of the water!

I hate to be superficial, but man do I love a new television news set. I know it’s more a reflection of money, space and technology, but there is nothing more appealing to me than watching my news delivered with lots of flash and glitter. Plus a completely tricked out weather center is always nice.

Right now, my vote for best news set in Portland goes to KGW. When they made their HD debut, they rolled several new pieces in their news set arsenal. But what perplexes me is their lack of a modern weather center. KPTV has one, and it’s got the graphics to prove it. But their news set is weak – which is a surprise. I read on OMI that KPTV will be rolling out a new set in the fall. KOIN’s though is worst of all. I’ve dogged KOIN on this blog so many times that I’m beginning to sound like a one trick pony. But KOIN is in despite need of a new on-air home. That leaves me with KATU. Hopefully, KATU comes out with something truly whiz bang.

To me, the most interesting news set experience is the out of the box experiment tried at KIRO in Seattle about 15 or so years ago. From what I recall, KIRO paid a fortune to create this poorly received flop. At the time, someone wrote that had Aaron Brown still been at KIRO, it might have had a fighting chance. I can’t imagine even Aaron Brown saving that sinking ship.

Does anyone remember KGW doing 5pm, summertime broadcasts from out of doors? I know it was Pete Schulberg and either Tracy Barry or Kathy Smith who anchored from a portable news set out of doors. Plus, I recall years ago KGW traveling around the state visiting different locations and hosting its 5pm broadcast from those locations.

What happened to the fat guy on Mattress World ads? Haven't seen him lately.

Just curious,

Viewer Rick

JJ will be live-blogging the panel. Why? Because we can. Though the wi-fi in this meeting room is slooooooow. I'm a bit worked up about doing it. There's a reason I blog, and did radio before that: I didn't have to actually SEE anyone. eek. And blogging has the edge over morning drive in that I don't have to get dressed until I'm good and ready, and I don't have to go to bed at 6 pm, and I don't have to wake up at 2 am.

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Lynn Siprelle * Fairy Blogmother

So I am a veteran con-goer. I have repaired the boots of a Klingon warrior. I have stared down the YipYip folks in the halls of the SeaTac Hilton. I have watched das blinkin' lights flutter and dance to the rythmic beats of the Timewarp.

However, I have never seen such a pretty room with such an amazing view (Picture coming after the panel.) This beats all.

OUR TOPIC FOR TODAY: BROADCAST ON THE WEB.

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DISCLAIMER: my opinions are my own, not those of OMI or any employer.

Sparsely attended, but there are folks here.

Brooks Burford is looking for coffee.

Frank Mungen is a news manager for network affiliates. NBC both in Seattle and Portland, and ABC in Portland. Manages KGW.com and has won the AP award for the last 6 or 7 years.

Lynn is also on the stage. We know all about her. KLCC, OPB, KGW, KINK.

Kevin Hayes is between them. Kevin has won several awards, including AP Awards. He works at salem-news.com. Is a gulf-war vet, and worked in the Sacto market, and then moved back home to Salem.

Joe Arndt worked at KGW in Portland. He gave the reasons for putting together the panel.

Q #1: Knowing which entities you folks represent, do you feel a part ofmainstream news, or somewhere in the middle?

Frank: He does feel as tho he is part of the alternative media while he is in the building, but after he leaves the building, the does actually feel like a part of the main media.

Kevin: He feels like themiddle. City and state officals believe them to be a blog, and won't talk to them, but they are also a news site.

Lynn: Her initial was that they aren't inside, but they are finding that they are viewed as an extension of the news sites. To outsiders looking in, folks are seeing OMI as a news source to the news source.

JOE: Do you feel like you are dealing with a credibility issue, Kevin?

Kevin: absolutely. Other sources will badmouth the blog as having a lack of credibility.

JOE: How do the conflicts get handled when web vs tv comes into play, Frank?

frank: He loves the fact that he has the resources of a network affiliate, and isn't bound by the limitations of the television news. One picture off of a cell phone camera, and the web can run with the story once fact check is complete, whereas the television process is more time and tech consuming.

JOE: do the web and TV sites reflect one another.

Lynn: KGW is different in terms of them utilizing their web as leverage.

Frank: All to often, websites are seen as merely an extension of the TV channel, instead of being an entity unto itself. The best way to get an audience for 10 and 6, would be to server the customer for the other 22.5 hours a day.

JOE: Everyone knows that we used to have fights about whether or not to post a story before the 5oclock show...those days are behind us, but they still occur from time to time. Kevin: How do you market yourself?

Kevin: Wow...we rely on outside sources, and folks who pick up our stuff. They rely on CNN, Google, and linkbacks with attribution. That is the primary source of traffic. You can't fight linkages.

JOE: is it easy for all 3 of you to figure out who is seeing your site, Lynn?

Lynn: not really...we use google analytics, but otherwise, we don't know names and addresses. Bartelstien and Rebecca (notes to be filled in later.)

There is a movement in media from Cool to Warm. TV is a cool media. Its a passive interface, someone comes in and fills you in on wha thappened. Radio gets in your head, and its a warm media. The web also appears to be a nice connection that resembles Warm.

Frank: Analytics. They get very interesting analytics. TV ratings can't be driven down to the individual story, but the web can easily show EXACTLY what folks are able to see. To the point that they take guesses in the AM as to what is most popular story of the day.

Gave Snowball as an example of news driver pushed by analytics.

Joe: the web analytics drove KGW looking further into the law with the state, and then pushing back in the public interest.

JOE: Give us some of your site's history, Kevin.

Kevin: he lost his Gulf War clothese. Tim King and he got to talking and they jumped on it. there are only 3 of them working there. they are trying to place themselves as an alternative to the statesmen/ournal.

Joe: its important that there is an alternative to their regular news soure.

Kevin: the residents are slowly figuring out that they are there, and they

JOE: Ethics and sources. Lynn, what comes across your laptop?

Lynn: "News, blah, rank gossip" We try to verify, but if we can't, we put it out there as non-verified. 9 times out of 10 it is true. She keeps sexual innuendo off of the site.

JOE: Frank, on KGW.com are there differences in terms of sourcing?

Frank: the good news is that we can get info to our customers faster than ever before. The bad news is that we can get bad info to customers faster than ever before.

Gave the Boring Cougar as an example (from yesterday.) They barely caught a snopes-flagged story.

Moral: Speed kills and we have to be very very careful about it.

BROOKS: Please use snopes. It saves his butt. Brooks asked about the McCain visit.

KTVL is in the house, and they are being extra careful about press releases now.

They actually flagged it as being a possible april fools joke, but didn't stop it from running.

Frank: Attribution is fine. He is perfectly happy with attribution. They encourage it.

Kevin: He doesn't have the time to go after anyone who is snagging their bits. He feels a little flattered, as long as the link is given back to you.

Lynn: you can't make sure that someone is going to be giving you credit. Jump 'em on it, and put the video clips on youtube yourself. Put your audio clips up yourself.

JOE: burn your bug in when you post it.

Frank: Our approach is to win with bringing the stuff out, but he understands that other folks will source, and they love winning. He loves the AP, and is more than happy to attribute. "If you are in the blogosphere, I am of the mind that...you deserve to be sourced."

Lynn: Blog vs. News Dicotomy. Drives her nuts. "Bloggers that commit acts of Journalism." Tabor controversy. News4Neighbors picked it up, then BOG picked it up, and now tabor is NOT being sold. Bog isn't a journalist, but he did, in this case, commit an act of journalism. News detatchment is a recent construct, and the interpersonal connection one gets.

"Should I throw my objectivity out of the window?"

Lynn: no, of course not, but do have an opinion as to what

JOE: it will be interesting to see this evolution of trust in the new media.

FRANK: How many people have blogging on your sites now?

KTVL: reporters are required to blog.

Frank: two core functions of blogging: 1. Puts forthe personalities. 2. "The rest of the story." Pat Dooris goes more in depth as to the stories. The on-air story had all the 5 w's but the blogging filled in the holes.

Q: Are you making any money?

Frank: We are. They have a large dedicated online only sales staff. He has found that they need a dedicated online sales team.

Kevin: they struggle. Salem is not ready for the Internet. Salem listens to Portland Radio, and they won't advertise. Advertisers are wary.

Q: What ARE the sources of revenue? Do you get revenue, Lynn:

Its pays more than itself, but not enough for a living.

Frank: Money will follow eyeballs. The folks that will do the buys, are still trying to figure out how to take advantage of online marketing.

Q: One thing that makes me mad about blogging is the needs of logging in order to blog or comment.

Frank: its a philosophy issue. Anonymous posts vs community posting.

Q: What do you see as the future of online? Do you believe that it will drive folks back to the newscast?

Lynn: F and I were talking about this before. Delivery isn't the focus. NEWS folks are info providers, regardless of the delivery medium.

Frank: Its his favorite topic. Is it a threat or an opportunity? "If you want the weather, you will have to wait until 5:12! Hah!" He is fond of the term, "Platform agnostic." "I am a content creator. How can I get the info to you in a manner that is convenient to you."

Overview of schedule.

Note: edited by Cablenut: removed the term "shit" at the request of my Mother In Law. Lynn did NOT use the term, "shit", but instead used the term "video clips." I apologize for putting the word "shit" in my notes. That was wrong. Love, you, A ;-)

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DISCLAIMER: my opinions are my own, not those of OMI or any employer.

Thanks...I couldn't make it, but wanted to.

BTW..what's the phony cougar story?

Last weekend, I wrote about C-Span’s interview with former CBS News Correspondent Roger Mudd. Tonight, C-SPAN aired part two of Brian Lamb’s interview with Roger Mudd. Such compelling television. Had I been born many years earlier, I would have given my all to be a reporter in Washington during the 1960’s and 1970’s. So much was happening in this country at that point in time, and Washington DC was the epicenter. Roger Mudd had the opportunity to cover such matters as the passage of the first, meaningful civil rights legislation in 1964. Plus he covered the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Later, he covered the resignation of Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, the Watergate scandal and Edward Kennedy’s run for the presidency in 1979.

From what he described in the interview, working out of the CBS Bureau in Washington DC was magical. The convergence of so much history; truly amazing stuff.

KATU employees just got a note this morning to let us know that Jim Bosley had passed away last night.

So the geniuses at KPAM get Craig Robinson to do an interview with Victoria Taft yesterday shortly after he's introduced as OSU's new basketball coach. And of course Taft goes "there" after softpedalling her anti-Obama rhetoric. "So," she asked. "Have you ever been to that crazy church in Chicago?" Robinson, "You know, there is a lot of truth in historically black churches." (Awkward silence) She then went on to ask him about his economic philosophies.