The 3-11

The new man of the Associated Press

2008-04-15T07:15:00.003-04:00

By Christian Henson

The Australian Brodcasting Corporation is reporting Rupert Murdoch has temporarily joined the board of directors at the Associated Press.

Murdoch owns 20th Century Fox, which includes movies, entertainment television, and news.

The conservative businessman will sit on the board until the next election of directors. Until then Murdoch can make directorial decisions about how the Associated Press writes and publishes information.

More lost money

2008-04-15T07:01:00.004-04:00

By Christian Henson

The Publishers Information Bureau released it's quarterly report this morning and the verdict is consumer magazine publishers have been less successful in their advertisement sales than last year.

Foliomag.com reports that over half of the magazines surveyed decreased the amount of advertising pages. The loss of advertising can result in higher magazine prices, or even a shut down of some magazines if this trend continues.

The loss of ad pages caused a decrease of profit by 1.2% in just the first three months of the year.

Journalist released

2008-04-15T06:53:00.005-04:00

By Christian Henson

The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that CBS journalist Richard Butler was released yesterday after two months in captivity.

Butler and his interpreter were seized by gunman at the Palace Hotel in Basra, Iraq on February 10 of this year.

Butler and his interpreter seem to be unharmed.

Job swap

2008-04-15T06:32:00.007-04:00

By Christian Henson

Katie Couric has been hosting the CBS Evening News for 18 months and ratings have been dropping after an intial high.

Tvspy.com reports that insiders are talking about rearranging the on air talent at CBS to try and get rating back up. The latest suggestion is to replace Couric with Anderson Cooper and have Couric replace Larry King when he retires.

Even at a 75 million dollar sallary your job is never guaranteed in journalism.

The rules of blogging

2008-04-15T06:20:00.006-04:00

By Christian Henson

The New York Times reports that Mayhill Fowler, of Offthebus.net, questioned posting comments made by Barack Obama at a fundraiser that might hurt his campaign. This made Fowler, and other bloggers, question themselves about there roles as journalists.

In the end Fowler said she had to post the comments or she wouldn't consider herself a real journalist, even if everyone else did.

Council Backs Housing Plans

2008-04-08T08:53:00.003-04:00

By Evan Brown
The Post Standard reports, in a unanimous vote the Syracuse Common Council approved a series of bills to improve Syracuse housing and neighborhood quality. One of the councilers said that the bills were a necessary step to reviving city housing and expanding strong city neighborhoods.

Two bills will make low-interest home improvement loans available to homeowners and landlords in parts of the city. Another would advance an initiative to offer tax breaks to people who renovate vacant houses or build on vacant lots.
A few more of the approved plans to lower interest rates and plans to benefit home renovations in certain areas of the city were discussed.
These bills still must be approved by the state Legislature to come into effect.

Injured Child dies after car crash

2008-04-08T08:39:00.004-04:00

By Evan Brown
The Post Standard reports, a 4-year-old boy died Sunday from injuries in a crash in Cicero.
Raymond Bernet was a passenger in a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by his mother. They drove through a stop sign and was broadsided by a 2003 Ford F-250 truck, according to police.
Bernet suffered a head injury from the crash and died of multiple injuries from the crash.

Bernet's mother and older brother sustained minor injuries and are being held at University Hospital.

Canal Locks Up Late

2008-04-08T08:28:00.003-04:00

By Evan Brown

The Post Standard reports, Canal Corp. officials have decided to keep canal locks open later from May until September. These longer hours mean better business for businesses that use the canals in Skaneateles. The Canal Corp. decision contradicts what canal official said last month about shutting down locks earlier to save money.
Over the past weeks, boat operators and others who use the canal protested the early shutdown times at public hearings.
In response, Canal Corp. will reduce its seasonal work program and suspend the "Green Thumb" program that assists with groundskeeping along the canal. These initiatives will save approximately $400,000.

Proposed Liverpool School Budget

2008-04-08T08:21:00.003-04:00

By Evan Brown
The Post Standard reports that the The Liverpool School Board adopted its proposed 2008-09 budget.
The Spending plan is $132 million, which is quite small according to one of the Board Members.
A hearing for the budget is planned for May 7, and residents will vote on the budget proposal May 20.
The budget increased about four percent from last year's budget.These increases have occured because of healthcare costs, contributions to state retirement systems and fuel.

New Superintendent for West Genesee

2008-04-08T08:06:00.003-04:00

The Post Standard report, he Superintendent of the West Genesee school district was announced. Superintendent of the Hammondsport school district, Christopher Brown will take over West Genesee sometime this summer. Interim superintendent Joseph Proscia, served for the past year and retires in late June.
Brown grew up in the Onondoga hill area before he was became a Westhill student.
The Hammondsport school district has about 550 students while the West Genesee school district has about 5,000.

Grant Improves Homes in Syracuse

2008-04-08T07:56:00.002-04:00

By Evan Brown

The state Affordable Housing Corp. plans to give a $300,000 grant to Home HeadQuarters to renovate to 62 single family homes in Syracuse and Onondaga County.

The grant is a part of a $1.45 million plan for a few counties in New York state.

Clay Town Police Merger

2008-04-08T07:41:00.002-04:00

Residents of the Town of Clay must decided whether to merge Clay Town Police with Onondaga County Sheriff's office in a public referendum by June 23.
If the merger is approved taxpayers would save $ million, according to a Clay Supervisor.
Yesterday, Clay had a public meeting to discuss the merger and over 350 arrived, including police officers.

By Evan Brown

NEWS: Canal Boating Hours Reduced

2008-03-25T08:04:00.004-04:00

By P.J. Wascher

News Ten Now reports that boaters are frustrated with the states decision to reduce hours along the canal and add tolls.
The new hours are 9:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. The move was made to make for the million dollar shortfall. The New York State Canal Authority says it also plans to cut jobs.
People in the area frustrated are frustrated with the new rules for the fear of detouring boaters away. Fishermen typically like to be on the water at the crack of dawn. The new rules will also eliminate many events that typically occur on the Canal after 7:00 P.M.

NEWS: Jury Set in Arnold Trial

2008-03-25T08:00:00.003-04:00

By P.J. Wascher

The Post Standard reports that the jury has been selected to decided if the Audrey Arnold is guilty to of endangering the welfare of a child, named Fajo Edwards.
Edwards, 3 ½ months old at the time, was dropped off at Arnold’s daycare. Arnolds claims she shook the baby twice and called for help.
Edwards, now two years-old, has suffered 75% brain damage and retinal injuries. He is unable crawl, see, or feed himself.

NEWS: Clay Looking to Consolidate Police Department

2008-03-25T07:57:00.004-04:00

By P.J. Wascher

The Post Standard reports that the town of Clay is looking to consolidate its Police Department with Onondaga County. The move could save the town about a million dollars a year.
All sixteen full-time officers would be offered similar positions in the county. The plan would commit two patrol cars to the town at all times.
The town will have a public vote sometime this summer. If the proposal is approved, the clay police department will be abolished.

NEWS: Jonas Brothers Coming To Syracuse

2008-03-25T07:52:00.008-04:00

By P.J. Wascher

WTVH reports the Jonas Brothers are coming to this summer’s State Fair. This is the first concert announcement for the upcoming fair. The Jonas Brothers recently were on tour opening for Hannah Montana. Tickets go on sale this Saturday at noon.

Image from AP Images. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert.

NEWS: #6 Syracuse Womens Lacrosse defeated by #1 Wildcats

2008-03-25T07:47:00.006-04:00

By P.J. Wascher

The Syracuse women’s lacrosse team were defeated yesterday by the Northwestern Wildcats, the number one team in the country. In front of a record attendance, the Orange battled hard in the first half, keeping it close, but could not hold off the three-time defending national champions losing 19-7.
The Orange will play again Sunday March 30th 1:00 P.M at Cincinnati.

NEWS: Gov. Paterson Admits to Drug Use

2008-03-25T07:38:00.010-04:00

By P.J. Wascher

It appears New York’s new Governor, David Paterson has more to declare. The New York Times reports that Paterson confessed to a television reporter on Monday that he has tried both Cocaine and Marijuana.
The New York Times quoted Paterson as saying he used both drugs “ a couple of times” in his early twenties, which would be in the late 1970s.
In the interview, Patterson gave an interesting quote which will used by a lot news outlets covering the story today. Paterson said that many Americans who used drugs during that time period now live “responsible lives.”

Image from AP Images. AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews
© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

The SPJ Get a New Board Member

2008-03-25T01:43:00.000-04:00

By Lenora Woods

The Society for Professional Journalists announced its newest national board member. Scott Maben has been appointed the northwest regional director for the SPJ. In this position, Maben will work to promote ethics, freedom of information, diversity and education in the journalism industry.

Maben has been a SPJ member since 1987, when he joined as a student at the University of Oregon. Since then, Maben has worked for various newspapers in Oregon, including The Spokesman-Review, The Register-Guard and The Bulletin. Maben previously worked as a regional director for the SPJ in 2004.

SPJ president Clint Brewer says that Maben is a “welcome addition to the board.”

As regional director of the northwest, Maben will represent Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Russian TV Reporter Found Dead

2008-03-25T01:18:00.000-04:00

By Lenora Woods

A Russian television reporter was found dead in his Moscow apartment on Friday. According to www.guardian.co.uk, the reporter was discovered hours after blogging about being labeled a “dissident.”

The website reports that IIyas Shurpayev was found with a belt tied around his neck and multiple stabs wounds. Shurpayev worked for Channel One, a state-run television network in Moscow.

According to www.guardian.co.uk, Shurpayev blogged about his column being banned from a local newspaper only hours before his death. There is still no strong evidence that links his death to his journalism work. The website reports that more than a dozen journalists have been killed in Russia since 2000.

Money Problems Halt Student Publication

2008-03-25T01:14:00.001-04:00

By Lenora Woods

The Hilltop, Howard University’s daily student newspaper, has been halted indefinitely due to financial issues. According to Editor-in-chief Drew Costley, the paper had to stop printing due to more than $48,000 of debt. Costley says another $20,000 is missing from the newspaper’s account.

Costley says that the paper was stopped after administration discovered the paper’s debt to the Washington Post for printing fees. According to Costley, the decision to halt the paper was made in an administrative meeting held on March 6. Costley says the administration conducted an “illegal vote” to halt the paper. According to the university’s policy, 11 voting members are needed to make such a decision. Costley says only 8 or nine voters were actually present at the meeting.

Ron Harris, the director of the office of communications at Howard University, was not at the March 6 meeting. Harris says he was informed that there were 11 administrators present for the vote.
Costley says he does not know how $20,000 was lost from the newspaper’s account. He says the university is working to pull money together to get the paper back up and running.

ABC and CBS Sign A New Contract With The AFTRA

2008-03-25T00:50:00.001-04:00

By Lenora Woods

ABC and CBS will soon be covered under a new two year contract with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The new agreement calls for better benefits for about 200 on-air journalists that work for the two stations.

The agreement, which was ratified last week, calls for increased pay, fee increases for freelance correspondents, and improvements in pension coverage and coverage for members in digital platforms. AFTRA president Roberta Reardon says that the contract will help to give broadcast journalists more security in “an age of emerging new media.”

The agreement takes effect on May 16, after the previous contract has expired. This marks the AFTRA’s third successful contract this year.

Boston Reporter Sues for Ageism

2008-03-24T03:51:00.002-04:00

Lenora Woods

After over a decade of dedicated service, Michael Macklin is suing the station he says gave him the boot because of his age. The 57 year old was a veteran reporter for WHDH-TV Channel 7 in Boston for 13 years when he was let go. Macklin says he saw a decrease in shifts starting in January 2006, after the station hired several younger reporters. The news director at the station says that Macklin was let go because of his lack of aggressiveness, and that age was not a factor in the decision.

Macklin filed suit with the Suffolk Superior Court last week. Randi Goldklank, general manager and vice president of WHDH, says that Macklin’s lawsuit “lacks merit.” According to the lawsuit filed by Macklin’s attorneys, Burns & Levinson, Macklin is seeking court costs, attorney’s fees, reinstatement and compensation.

Eleven Charged for Gang Related Activities

2008-03-18T08:14:00.003-04:00

By Mike Tressa

The Post Standard reports that the Syracuse Gang Violence Task Force has charged 11 people for selling crack cocaine in alleged gang activities. Police took eight of the 11 into custody and some are due to appear in court Tuesday afternoon.
All the accused are allegedly members of the Uptown gang. The eight in custody range between 18 and 27 years old. Syracuse police Chief Gary Miguel has not release the names of the three others.
The authorities began focusing on targeting the gangs a year ago. Miguel and Mayor Matt Driscoll started the initiative after hearing complaints of gang activity. This is the third gang in the last five year the taskforce has brought down.

Alzheimer's Disease on Dramatic Rise

2008-03-18T08:03:00.004-04:00

By Mike Tressa

The Post Standard reports the number of Central New Yorker's with Alzheimer's Disease has increased 25% since 2000. The numbers may continue to increase in the next few years as the baby boomers get older, according to the Alzheimer's Association of Central New York.
The group provided the numbers for Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties. They were following a study saying Alzheimer's is heavily affecting the country physically and economically.
Roughly 5.2 million people suffer from Alzheimer's and the direct and indirect cost of caring for these people is around $148 billion, according to the national study by the Alzheimer's Association. The study shows the disease affects one in eight people over 65 and one in two people over 85. The numbers are not good for Onondaga County, where almost one fifth of the population are between 55 and 74.

Syracuse Hosts Robert Morris in NIT

2008-03-18T07:55:00.003-04:00

By Mike Tressa

Syracuse fell short of reaching the NCAA Tournament, and as compensation received a one-seed in the NIT tournament. Now the Orange have a chance to play up to three home games. The first comes tonight against Robert Morris at 8 p.m. in the Carrier Dome.
Robert Morris is 26-7 on the season and comes from the Northeast Conference. The Colonials won the conference regular season title, before falling to NCAA Tournament bound St. Mary's in the semifinals.
Syracuse makes the NIT for the 12th time and second in a row. It's the first time since 1981-1982 that Syracuse hasn't made the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years.

Economic Market May Continue to Struggle

2008-03-18T07:44:00.003-04:00

By Mike Tressa

The Bear Stearns buyout by JP Morgan Chase & Co. may only be the start of continuous economic downturn. The Federal Reserve's loan of $30 billion to Morgan is an unprecedented move depicting the hard times.
JP Morgan bought all of Bear Stearns for roughly $2 a share, one-tenth of the market price before the company went under, according to the New York Times.
Investors and consumers in the Central New York region are advised to weather the storm. The financial market is in a dive toward recession according to Tom Barkley of the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse.
Things do not look to get better in the current term. According to Barkley in the Post Standard, investors are advised to keep money where it is as the market tends to swing back and forth.

David Paterson To Bring Change as New Governor

2008-03-18T07:25:00.004-04:00

By Mike Tressa

David Paterson was sworn in as the 55th governor of New York State on Monday, becoming the first black governor as well as the first legally blind governor. At the ceremony to swear in the new governor, Paterson said he is ready to serve the people of New York. He wants to focus on the high cost of education, property taxes and lack of affordable housing.
The new governor follows the resignation of Eliot Spitzer , caught through a federal wiretap making payments to a high-class prostitution agency, Emperors Club VIP.
According to the Post Standard, Paterson said he will get right to work on the state budget and other matters. The Legislature has until April 1st to pass the estimated $124 billion budget.

INDUSTRY: ON-AIR MELTDOWN

2008-03-18T04:59:00.004-04:00

By: Joe Varvara

This really isn't breaking news, it is a video dating back to July, 2001, that just recently has caught internet stardom via Youtube. The video takes place on New York's Fox Affiliate channel. The video involves Jim Ryan, the anchor, and Dick Oliver, the reporter. Ryan was later suspended for his role in the incident and apologized for it. I just thought this video was one of the funniest on-air spats I have ever seen. This needs to be seen by anyone going into journalism on how not to act on-air. It is a lesson on unprofessional behavior in the journalism world.

INDUSTRY: ONLINE RULES?

2008-03-18T04:51:00.004-04:00

By: Joe Varvara

Miami Herald guest media columnist Edward Wasserman believes that message boards and chat rooms need some rules to maintain control and civility. Wasserman, a professor of journalism ethics at Washington and Lee University, analyzes both sides of the argument in his article by trying to maintain the freedom of the Internet user, while also trying to create a civil atmosphere for readers and participants. This is a very intriguing topic because it delves into the idea of Freedom of Speech. The postings on these websites lead to offensive exchanges and personal attacks. The Organization of News Ombudsmen is currently talking about how news organizations should handle public comments. Wasserman discusses how he believes that these public debates are good in small doses, until they grow to big, and become a problem.

INDUSTRY: CUBAN BLOCKS BLOGGERS

2008-03-18T04:39:00.003-04:00

By: Joe Varvara

Dallas Maverick's owner Mark Cuban explains his reasoning for not allowing bloggers into his team's locker room after games and makes a suggestion to the New York Times to not call their reporters bloggers. Cuban does all this on his own blog, blogmaverick.com. Cuban follows this up with some interesting marketing strategies for the New York Times and how to differentiate themselves from bloggers. Some suggestions include calling the New York Times blogs, RealTime Reporting, and comparing this debate to how there is TV and then their is HBO. An interesting read due to the rise of the blogging field in years past.

INDUSTRY: TV MANAGER NOT CHARGED WITH CRIME; RESIGNS

2008-03-18T04:15:00.003-04:00

By: Joe Varvara

TV manager Bill Carey, who was arrested for crashing his car into a women and then grabbing her by the neck, will not be prosecuted, according to state attorney's spokesperson Pam Bondi. Carey, the general manager of WFTS in Tampa, resigned afterwards. The resignation letter Carey sent to his ex-employees can be viewed on the link.
Photo courtesy HCSO and MyFox Tampa

INDUSTRY: SLATE HEADS TO WALL STREET

2008-03-18T04:04:00.003-04:00

By: Joe Varvara

Slate dives into the financial world according to Reuters.com's Kenneth Li. The Washington Post owned online magazine that provides news and opinions plans to launch a business website called "The Big Money." The website will provide the same style that Slate.com employs towards politics and general news, towards the business world. Slate Editor, James Ledbetter, feels that this new product will be different from the usual "dry" financial news.

INDUSTRY: NO BACKLASH FOR ROD PARSLEY

2008-03-18T03:52:00.004-04:00

By: Joe Varvara

The main question is who is Rod Parsley? This seems to be Zachary Roth's biggest problem with the media's coverage of John McCain and Barack Obama's spiritual advisors. Obama's spiritual advisor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, was "torched" by the media for some controversial remarks about America. While Parsley, McCain's spiritual advisor, made some controversial remarks about Obama that were not as well-publicized.

Industry: Greenhouse Accepts Buyout Package

2008-03-04T07:53:00.004-05:00

By Nergish Sunavala

Reporter Linda Greenhouse has accepted a buyout package from the New York Times. Greenhouse is best known for her coverage of the Supreme Court beat. The Times announced last week that it would have to eliminate a hundred jobs. Currently, the New York Times has a larger staff than any other American newspaper. Greenhouse in a phone interview with the Associated Press said that she was planning to retire in a few years anyway and the buyout offer came at an opportune moment. She has written multiple law review articles and a book while working for the New York Times. She won a Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of the courts in 1998. A photo of the New York Times by Richard Drew © 2008 The Associated Press.

NEWS: SU Women's Lacrosse Team to take on Binghamton

2008-03-04T02:51:00.003-05:00

By Landon Stolar

The Syracuse University women's lacrosse team will play Binghamton tonight at the Carrier Dome. The Orange is now ranked sixth in the national poll after its first loss of the early season. The now two and one Orange lost at second-ranked Virginia 13 to eight over the weekend. Syracuse hopes to get back on the winning track tonight. (Source is News 10 Now; specific link unavailable as of 3/28/08).

NEWS: Another Turf Issue Hits Central New York

2008-03-04T02:24:00.005-05:00

By Landon Stolar

The Fayetteville-Manlius School District is the latest to join the trend of voting for or against new turf. News 10 Now reports the school district will vote on Wednesday whether to lay down new turf on the football field. This is not the first high school turf issue in recent weeks. The school board for Jamesville-Dewitt decided not to let taxpayers vote on a turf at all. The Liverpool Central School District also recently said no to laying down new turf. (Specific link unavailable as of 3/28/08).

NEWS: "Most Wanted" Fugitive is Caught

2008-03-04T02:19:00.003-05:00

By Landon Stolar

William Finster, a fugitive on the Onondaga County Sheriff's Most Wanted list was caught at his home on the south side of Syracuse yesterday according to News 10 Now. Finster was wanted for first-degree criminal contempt and a DWI.

NEWS: Mahoney to Give First-Ever Address

2008-03-04T01:39:00.003-05:00

By Landon Stolar

Onondaga County executive Joanie Mahoney will give the State of the County address Tuesday night at seven. The address will be Mahoney's first as county executive; she replaced Nick Pirro this past January. (Source is WTVH; specific link unavailable as of 3/28/08). Photo is Joanie Mahoney by Kevin Rivoli © 2005 The Associated Press.

NEWS: Destiny USA Lays Off Workers

2008-03-04T01:20:00.004-05:00

By Landon Stolar

Forty-five Destiny USA workers are going to be looking for new jobs soon. News 10 Now reports Robert Congel, head of Destiny USA, said since the capital market is shut down right now, the company will have to wait to proceed with plans to construct a hotel along Onondaga Lake. This ultimately resulted in a layoff. Destiny expects the financial situation to pull through in time and the workers can return.

Copycat Columnist

2008-03-03T22:53:00.010-05:00

By Nergish Sunavala

CNN reported that a senior White House official, Tim Goeglein, was caught plagiarizing large sections of an article which he published in an Indiana newspaper, the News-Sentinel. On further investigation it was found that he was guilty of many more instances of plagiarism. Goeglein has accepted full responsibility and apologized profusely to the newspaper staff. He says that “pride and vanity” lead him to make this mistake. A statement released by the White House says that the President is disappointed and saddened for Tim and his family. Goeglein has been a columnist for the News-Sentinel for over twenty years. He was never paid for his articles and he was under no deadline pressure. A Photo of the White House by Ron Edmonds © 2008 The Associated Press.

Industry: IFJ insists on safety for journalists in Iraq

2008-03-03T21:36:00.005-05:00

By Nergish Sunavala

The International Federation of Journalists calls for better protection of reporters in Iraq. The IFJ urged the U.N Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, to issue a statement in support of the Iraqi Union of Journalists. The death of the President of the IUJ, Shihab Al-Timimi, has resulted in this mass outcry. The IFJ has resolved to put more pressure on the Iraqi Prime Minister, Al-Maliki, to defend the independent media. They are demanding that the government find and prosecute those who are guilty of targeting media workers. Photo is Shihab Al-Timimi by Adil al-Khazali © 2008 The Associated Press.

Industry: WSJ cuts in on book deals

2008-03-03T20:07:00.004-05:00

By Nergish Sunavala

Wall Street Journal employees are miffed about the Journal’s new book policy. The New York Observer reported that employees of the Wall Street Journal received a memo asking them to inform the management if they intended to write a book. The reason given was so that the management could provide marketing and advertising assistance. The catch is that the WSJ has a right to a certain percentage of the proceeds, if the book is a result of Journal reporting. This policy was introduced only a few months after the Journal was bought over by Rupert Murdoch. According to the Observer, the staff feels that this is the management’s way of deterring reporters from writing books.

Industry: CoverItLive

2008-03-03T18:02:00.004-05:00

By Nergish Sunavala

Poynteronline reported on a live blogging tool called CoverItLive. It is being used increasingly by journalists and bloggers to cover live events. It allows the blogger to add new entries, pictures and videos in real time. These entries pop up on the reader’s screen like instant messages. Gone are the days when the reader had to refresh the screen to access new information. If the blogger is covering an election, the results can be updated in real time. Reader feedback is also instantaneous. Once the live blog is finished an instant replay is created for readers who want to access the blog at another time.

NEWS: Officials Plan Transportation Future

2008-02-26T01:13:00.001-05:00

By Chris McGrath

Transportation officials traveled to Syracuse on Monday to discuss their 20-year plan for the state’s future in transportation. Everything from buses to airplanes was discussed at the meeting, according to The Post Standard. Some ideas bounced around: better pavements and safer highways and bridges. Economic development leaders also voiced the need for increased traffic in Central New York, but cautioned a system must be in place to support it.

NEWS: Local Congressional Race vaults into national spotlight

2008-02-26T01:07:00.004-05:00

By Chris McGrath

With 435 seats in the House of Representatives, it must take an intriguing match-up to rank as the number one race in America. Well, that’s exactly what the 25^th District race is shaping up to be. The Post Standard reports that the race to replace Rep. Jim Walsh takes such distinction. Chris Cillizza, a political blogger for the Post, claims the 25^th district is the No. 1 House race this year and gives the edge to the Democratic nominee. (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)

NEWS: Ronald McDonald House Decision Reached

2008-02-26T01:05:00.001-05:00

By Chris McGrath

Efforts to place the Ronald McDonald House of Central New York under historic designation came up just one vote short Monday. The Post Standard reports the Common Council voted 6-3 to keep the 19^th-century building as is. Seven “yes” votes were needed to keep the house at 1100 E. Genesee St. Now that preservationists have lost their battle, the Ronald McDonald House looks to create a new building for headquarters and family housing.

NEWS: Bad Beef found in Central New York

2008-02-26T01:02:00.001-05:00

By Chris McGrath

Cheeseburgers will not be a featured-item throughout Central New York as we head into March. The Post Standard reports that at least five Central New York school districts have been affected by a beef recall in California. Six area districts plan to change their lunch menus until the investigation concludes. Just last week, The U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered a recall of more than 140 million pounds of beef from a California meatpacker—nearly 37 pounds of which had believed to have been sent out to the nation’s schools.

Industry: Police Director Sues Miami CBS Channel

2008-02-26T00:58:00.003-05:00

The Miami Herald reports the Miami Dade Police Director has sued a local Miami TV station after it reported the police director's son was arrested for armed robbery. The reporter who covered the story claimed to have called the police director, but was told simply that the story was not true. Gary Nelson, the reporter, issued an on-air apology recently. The report aired back in early October 2006. One of the police director's lawyers has asked for $500,000 in settlement funds.

NEWS: Barclay Given Third Line

2008-02-26T00:56:00.002-05:00

By Chris McGrath

In a unanimous ruling, the state’s highest court allowed Assemblyman Will Barclay to run on the Independence Party Line in today’s special election—this according to The Post Standard. Barclay will not only appear as on the Republican line, but on the Conservative and Independence Party line as well. Today’s election stems from Senator Jim Wright’s resignation last month, leaving the 48^th state Senate district seat vacant. The party line has been up in air over the last month. Both Barclay and his competitor, democrat Darrel Aubertine, have been competing for the line. Each agrees the Independence Party line will be a pivotal factor in the election’s outcome.

Industry: Lansing Reporter Found Dead

2008-02-26T00:21:00.007-05:00

By Mike Smeltz

The Detroit News reports Lansing TV news reporter Suzanne Wangler was found dead Saturday. The cause of death is not known. Wangler was in the news recently after having "allegedly embezzling" $149,000 dollars from Les Pingelley, whom may have been Wangler's boyfriend. Wangler was released on bond this past Thursday. The police are looking into suicide for the cause of death.

Industry: Word 'Gay' Approved For Use By The Washington Times

2008-02-26T00:03:00.003-05:00

By Mike Smeltz

Washingtoncitypaper.com reports that the Washington Times has decided to change its choice of words. Instead of using the word "homosexual" in quotation marks, the WT has decided to use gay. The WT is known as the conservative paper in Washington D.C., and this change in language is viewed by washingtoncitypaper.com as a loosening up of the conservative views. The WT has also chosen to use the term illegal immigrants instead of "illegal aliens."

photo courtesy of www.iri.org

Industry: Younger Viewership Up For News

2008-02-25T23:33:00.004-05:00

from cnn.com

By Mike Smeltz

According the New York Times, there is a tremendous increase in viewers from age 18 to 34 watching cable news channels this election cycle compared to 2004. CNN has experienced a 232 percent bump from that age group, MSNBC a 400 percent jump, and Fox News has seen a 78 percent raise. The article credits the stations using new technologies to attract younger viewers and how Senator Barack Obama reaches out to younger voters.

Industry: Digital Edge Award Winners Announced Monday

2008-02-25T23:08:00.005-05:00

By Mike Smeltz

The Newspaper Association of America (NAA) announced Monday the Digital Edge award winners, according the NAA website. The award recognizes the best in newspaper websites. Categories range from best overall newspaper website to the most innovative multimedia storytelling. Each category is broken up into three sub-categories according circulation of the newspaper. The three winners for best overall websites are the Lawrence Journal-World, Knoxville News Sentinel, and the St. Petersburg Times and Congressional Quarterly.

INDUSTRY: Media Jobs Getting Squeezed

2008-02-18T22:05:00.005-05:00

By Chris Shepherd

U.S. media employment is shrinking.

Jobs in media dipped to a 15-year low in December 2007, with 886,900 people employed in some type of media, reports Advertising Age. Much of the drop is due to the declining size of news rooms at newspaper companies. Two people walk by The Chicago Tribune office. The Tribune says it will cut 100 jobs by the end of March. Photo by M. Spencer Green (c) Associated Press 2008.

Advertising and marketing agencies report an increase of jobs. Furthermore, more and more media jobs are online. There was a 13.4 percent increase of employment in 2007.

Television, newspapers, and radio cut back in staff in 2007.

INDUSTRY: Los Angeles Times Boots Managing Editor

2008-02-18T21:53:00.003-05:00

By Chris Shepherd

There's a new sheriff in town. The new Los Angeles Times editor is already making changes.

Russ Stanton fired John Montorio, the managing editor for the features section. Montorio notified staff via e-mail Monday morning.

Kevin Roderick of LA Observed reports the firing; Roderick is a blogger. Montorio used to work for The New York Times before going west. Roderick says that the firing of Montorio is welcome by some who worked under Montorio because he was seen as an arrogant person.

INDUSTRY: The New York Times in a Digital File

2008-02-18T21:33:00.004-05:00

By Chris Shepherd

With so many people using the internet and computers, it's no surprise that some of this nation's large-circulation newspapers are read online. The New York Times is one of these companies that have different ways for someone to read an electronic version of the paper. But it's the Times Reader that could triumph all versions. Photo by Jason DeCrow (c) Associated Press 2006

The Reader is a joint production between the Times and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. The electronic form of the popular newspaper features a seven day archive, a slideshow of news pictures, and the ability for the user to control the font size. Above all else, the Reader syncs with a computer. So if your internet is not working, you still have all the latest news.

It promises to "read like the real thing." And yes, it still includes advertisements.

INDUSTRY: Watch the News and Avoid Traffic

2008-02-18T21:15:00.005-05:00

By Chris Shepherd

WPBF in West Palm Beach, Fla. introduced new traffic reporting tactics for its morning news cast. The station now uses 3-D graphics, real-time reports and a scroll at the bottom of the screen. The system is called "Beat The traffic."

Nielsen reports that homes using televisions between 5 and 6 a.m. increased 13 percent from November 2002 to November 2007. The ratings for WPBF's 5 to 9 a.m. news increased from 19 rating points to 24. Click here to view the article.

The station also added former Miss Cuban-American Nathalie Pozo as a full-time traffic reporter.

INDUSTRY: Taking the Local and Making it National

2008-02-18T20:59:00.003-05:00

By Chris Shepherd

The New York Observer has a new way for local politics to go national. The Observer started politicker.com. The goal is to pull together a website focused on politics for each state. When someone visits politicker.com, state websites are listed. The user can click on a state and get directed to a page dedicated to local political news in that state.

Politicker.com functions based on advertisements. National advertisers are directed to state and local audiences when someone views a local page.

Ten state websites are on politicker.com: Arizona, New Hampshire, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.

INDUSTRY: Editorial Flip-Flop

2008-02-12T07:10:00.000-05:00

By David Resnick

It’s fitting that in the election season, there is a story of someone flip-flopping. Well, the Chicago Sun-Times didn’t exactly change its stance; it just modified it a bit. Photo is of John McCain by J. Phil McCarten (c) 2006 Associated Press

After endorsing Barack Obama and John McCain, people outside of the editorial board changed some of what was written.

This didn’t exactly sit well with editorial page editor Cheryl L. Reed. She resigned, stating that she was troubled by the fact the editorial endorsements could be rewritten. Photo is of Barack Obama by J. Scott Applewhite (c) 2005 Associated Press

INDUSTRY: The Magical Election Wall

2008-02-12T07:09:00.000-05:00

By David Resnick

Think supersized iPhone. Or better yet. An intelligent Smart Board. Election night coverage never looked so good.

You can bet on Super Tuesday night, CNN will pull out all of the stop with its new gadget. The Muti-Touch Collaboration Wall, or simply known as The Wall, spruces up Election coverage with its colorful charts, pictures and jaw dropping effects.

Jeff Han created the touch sensitive display monitor that’s changing the way CNN provides its coverage.

INDUSTRY: NYDN Flying Solo

2008-02-12T07:08:00.000-05:00

By David Resnick

Where would Newhouse students be without the Associated Press? Who knows. But the New York Daily News decided that it can continue without the AP’s services. The NYDN recently revealed it cancelled its membership and access.

The AP intends to implement a new rate system starting in 2009, much to the dismay of a number of editors. The Associated Press decided to expand breaking news offerings to core members, but make other information only available through additional fees.

INDUSTRY: Wilson Moves On

2008-02-12T07:07:00.000-05:00

By David Resnick

Ed Wilson is changing companies, but not titles. Wilson is stepping as president of FOX Television Network to take the same position with Tribune Broadcasting. Fox, however, is not seeking a replacement.

Instead, SU alum Tony Vinciquerra, president and CEO of Fox Networks Group will take over Wilson’s responsibilities. Vinciquerra already oversees all of Fox’s networks, so the added duties are not substantial.

INDUSTRY: Have No Fear of Google

2008-02-12T06:29:00.000-05:00

By David Resnick

Despite fear from traditional media companies, VP of Content Partnerships, David Eun reiterated in an interview with IWantMedia.com that Google has no intentions of becoming a media company. Google won’t produce its own content, rather be a platform for its partners to do. According to Eun, rumors of buying the New York Times are not truthful. Photo by Paul Sakuma (c) 2006 Associated Press

News: Super Bowl Celebration Slowdown for Municipal Workers

2008-02-07T17:24:00.000-05:00

By Ryan Delaney

So many garbage collectors in Syracuse called in “sick” Monday that garbage wasn’t collected in parts of the city. According to The Post-Standard, an already high number of workers taking the day off was worsened when 30 to 40 people called in Monday morning. As a result, workers were not able to finish their routes. The trash will be collected today instead.

NEWS: OCC Gets Big Donation

2008-02-07T17:19:00.000-05:00

By Ryan Delaney
Onondaga Community College got a big financial boost to start off 2008. According to The Post-Standard Syracuse Research Corp. is donating $525,000 to the school. It is the largest donation to OCC and the largest Syracuse Research Corp. has ever given out. The new money will go into the school's Presidential Scholars Program. The official announcement will be made later today.

NEWS: Super Tuesday

2008-02-07T17:13:00.000-05:00

By Ryan Delaney
Polls in Central New York open at noon today for the closest thing to a national primary this country has ever had. New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton expects to win her home state, but Democratic challenger Barack Obama opened a campaign office in Syracuse over the weekend. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani backed out of the race last week and New York Republicans look to swing to John McCain instead. New York is the second biggest state holding a primary or caucus today.
(2008 AP Photo/Mel Evans)

NEWS: Competition for Turning Stone Casino

2008-02-07T17:04:00.000-05:00

By Ryan Delaney
The Turning Stone Casino will soon have competition for business. Not for gambling, but for where people stay. There is already a new hotel being built on Route 365 and WTVH says another one may be in the works. A developer talked about building a new hotel during a Verona Town Board meeting last night. The hotel that is currently being will open in the spring.
(2003 AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)

NEWS: A New Work Force Settles in New York

2008-02-07T16:58:00.000-05:00

By Ryan Delaney
Upstate New York is seeing immigrants playing a big role in local economies. News 10 Now reports that the new population is boosting an aging work force in the area. More importantly, they are buying goods and spending money. The story is based on a new report by SUNY Buffalo. A policy analyst at the university says the immigrants and refugees are making upstate cities vibrant again. According to the report, Syracuse has received the most new residents from Bosnia, followed by Cuba and Ukraine.

NEWS: Spitzer in Town to Talk About Money

2008-01-29T10:32:00.000-05:00

by Barbara Fought
The governor will be back in town this morning to meet with industry leaders and talk about state priorities and where to spend tax dollars. WSYR-TV reports the governor is meeting with the Manufacturers Association of Central New York. Last week local pundits and politicians named its head, Randy Wolken, as a possible candidate for Congressmember in the 25th District. Photo is Eliot Spitzer by Mary Altaffer (c) 2008 Associated Press

NEWS/SPORTS:No Turf for J-D

2008-01-29T07:35:00.001-05:00

by Barbara Fought
Continuing the saga of which local high schools will build an artificial turf field, the Jamesville-Dewitt school board said "no," Monday night, according to the Post-Standard. Cost appeared to be the factor. Many parents wanted their students to be competitive with other area teams and work on a fake field, but the school board turned down their requests to put the idea to a public vote.
Several local districts are contemplating this, or have recently decided to go to turf. One district found its field so bad that it banned students from playing on it.

NEWS: Voting Roundup

2008-01-29T07:18:00.000-05:00

by Barbara Fought
Today's the first full day of operation for Hillary Clinton's local office. Staff opened it yesterday and are no doubt busy shoring up support for Clinton in next week Tuesday's New York primary. The Post Standard lists contact information for many presidential candidates, including names to know: Denise Willaims-Harris, 395 8913, the Clinton local leader and Lisa Daly, 428 1384, CNY coordinator for Barack Obama. Reporter John Mariana doesn't list local contacts for Republican presidential candidates, but includes contact information for their national offices. The local parties, Democrats and Republicans do have web sites.
WAER reports that today is the last day to absentee-vote-by-mail for Tuesday's primary.
Meanwhile, speculation continues on who might run for Jim Walsh's seat. Dan Maffei, the leading Democratic candidate, brought together many supporters from the party and unions Monday.

NEWS: New Jobs Slated for East Syracuse.

2008-01-29T06:33:00.000-05:00

by Barbara Fought
A great economic boost to the area -- the Post Standard reports that a German company will build a plant in East Syracuse and recruit nearly 300 people to run it. The firm, Biztzer US Inc. currently employees 12 people at an engineering office in the village. New employees will make air conditioning equipment.

The official announcement is yet to come but P-S reporters apparently followed up on a tip dropped by Governor Eliot Spitzer in his State of Upstate address. The firm appears in a list from the governor's office of job creation.

INDUSTRY: No Facebook or Wikipedia for French Reporters

2008-01-21T13:14:00.000-05:00

by Barbara Fought

Well, maybe we should learn something from the French.
A European equivalent to AP, Agence France Presse, says to its reporters -- don't get sources from Facebook or Wikipedia. You likely read about the bogus posting about the Bhutto son that many news organizations fell for. And since about anyone can change a Wikipedia entry, most news organizations don't ever trust it as a primary sourse, either. Logo from facebook.com

INDUSTRY: ND Resigns Over Conflict of Interest

2008-01-21T12:32:00.000-05:00

by Barbara Fought
A Wisconsin newspaper reports the news director at TV-13 in Eau Claire, Wisc., left the station after a disagreement over whether staff of one hospital should be the exclusive spokespersons on medical stories at the station. The Leader Telegram says station bosses were trying to negotiate a deal with one hospital over all others in the area and the news director said this was an obvious conflict of interest.

INDUSTRY:Mag Editor Fired over Noose on Cover

2008-01-21T12:17:00.001-05:00

by Barbara Fought

A follow-up to the sportscaster's supposedly-joking comment during a golf game about Tiger Woods and "lynching." As if she didn't get in enough trouble, Golfweek found it a provocative story, and after staff discussion (at least they discussed the pros and cons!) put a noose on its cover. The cover read, “Caught in a Noose: Tilghman slips up, and Golf Channel can’t wriggle free.”

The public outcry sparked the publisher's decision to fire the editor and apologize to readers and advertisers. Read about it in this New York Times story. Photo from Golfweek

INDUSTRY:Survey Shows Consumers Turn to Net for Campaign News

2008-01-21T12:00:00.000-05:00

by Barbara Fought
The folks at the Pew Center have done their every-four-year study on media habits and find that more people are going to the web to find out about the presidential campaign than did so in 2004. Two centers -- Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the Pew Internet &
American Life Project -- released the report last week. It shows some decline in use of local TV and newspapers and a larger decline in watching of network news for information about politics.

Along with increased internet use, more people reported listening to NPR than they did in 2000.

INDUSTRY:Stations and Networks Win DuPont Awards

2008-01-21T11:43:00.000-05:00

by Barbara Fought
Stations in Houston, Chicago, Dallas, St. Louis, and yes even small a TV station in Monroe, La., won national awards last week. Broadcasting and Cable reports that both CBS' 60 Minutes , NBC and MSNBC also won awards. It's hard to tell the content of the winner stories from the titles but some related to justice, education, the Iraq war and crime. The small Louisiana station exposed looting by National Guard members during Katrina. The radio piece that won, from Chicago Public Radio, focused on discrimination a New Jersey Muslim family faced.

Note that several of these stations are owned by the Belo Corporation, which Newhouse faculty believe is one of the best companies around.