Tag: FoxCT

A Busy Day At The TV Factory

I walked in the newsroom this afternoon and ran into Joe Furey. I was in early, but he was in late… very, very late. Joe has a dual role at FoxCT and the CBS Radio station in the Hartford area. He was holding down the radio fort.

It was obvious something was brewing. There wasn’t enough to mention tornadoes Thursday night, but as I got ready for work and scanned the radar I knew we were going to get soaked if not worse. A Tornado Warning on Long Island was an attention getter!

I led the 4:00 PM News on FoxCT with a watch already posted for our six eastern counties. While live in my normal weather slot a Tornado Warning was hoisted in Connecticut.

When there’s a Tornado Warning in effect that’s what we cover! Everything else is blown out. It’s our policy. I didn’t even check with the producer (I should have since she runs the show) before explaining on the air we were going to stay with weather.

At this point things come at you quickly. Radar is close to real time. Storm reports are always delayed. My job was to stay in front of the weather.

If I wait until I see a cell over a town it’s too late!

Bridgeport had 1.6″ of rain in an hour. New Haven had over 2″. A wind gust near 60 mph was reported in Madison.

Being able to place towns from memory while sight reading a map is helpful here!

What began as a well planned show turned free form. If Joe walked out of the radio booth it meant he had info for me. He was on-the-air ASAP. No waiting. Just do it.

I began to ask the director and producer for external cameras. To their credit they totally understood. You’ve got to have the team pulling together, even if we’re not always sure where together leads.

Because of Joe’s diligence we were on-the-air showing the potential tornado in Glastonbury as the warning came up! He saw it in the radio booth and came out.

We switched to the Doppler function of the radar–unusual to see most days. This was totally Joe’s doing and I’m glad I trusted my instinct to let him lead the way. It was powerful TV for people in the storm and everyone else. His experience was showing.

As the point guy for our 2’ish hours of live coverage I hope a lot of people watched. In the end it was a day to reinforce what we have… how we do what we do… our style and sensibility in coverage. We tried to make friends.

I hope you watched.

The Zucchini Bread Payoff

For the past few weeks after my Thursday garden segment I’ve brought veggies to the newsroom. If you want some, take some! Brent Hardin took a watermelon shaped zucchini home.

I’ve got a garden here at FoxCT. It’s flourishing in spite of my parental guidance!

For the past few weeks after my Thursday garden segment I’ve brought veggies to the newsroom. If you want some, take some! Brent Hardin took a watermelon shaped zucchini home.

Today that zucchini returned in the form of amazing zucchini bread. It was baked by Brent’s wife, Leann. She told me the recipe came from the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League Cookbook… not available at the Fox house.

Zucchini bread is to vegetable healthfulness as carrot cake is to good eyesight. Man it was good!

Reunited With Al (with video)

Neither Al nor I are young and pretty. In that way FoxCT is taking a risk. Young and pretty seems to rule hiring nowadays. Whatever Al and I have transcends age. Well, at least I hope it does.

I was going to write about my car today. As I drove past Wethersfield Cove in I-91 the odometer rolled over to 100,000 miles. Nah–too inconsequential.

The big story in my news was on our news. I was reunited with Al Terzi after 18 years.

Like Cher or Meatloaf all I really need to use is a one word name: I worked with Al today. Say “Al” in Connecticut and everyone knows who you’re talking about.

Al and I worked together in New Haven from my first day in 1984 until he left for Channel 3 ten years later.

From a selfish standpoint Al was a great on-air partner. He always listened. He always responded. He always laughed at my jokes, even when they were only marginally funny (or not funny at all). He sold me to viewers.

Al and I worked with a few partners who didn’t understand how to take one for the team. Again, from my selfish standpoint, that sucked! I suspect some co-anchors had no idea why I was put on Earth.

Much of whatever fame I have in Connecticut I owe to Al Terzi!

Neither Al nor I are young and pretty. In that way FoxCT is taking a risk. Young and pretty seems to rule hiring nowadays. Whatever Al and I have transcends age. Well, at least I hope it does.

As I watched him anchor this afternoon it was easy to see there’s nothing off his fastball. He’s still got that beautiful read and avuncular authority. Viewers trust him for good reason.

This is a very cool day. I am very happy.

A Little Inside Baseball On Today’s Storm Coverage

There’s little comparison shopping during a storm like today’s. You just have to hope the folks watching were satisfied and you made some friends who’ll remember you next time they need this kind of info. That’s all you can do. Then you pray audience follows performance.

Were we on for two and a half hours today? I think so. This kind of wall-to-tall coverage sneaks up on you.

The forecast was pretty straight forward. I write a little columnette in the Hartford Courant. Here’s what was written yesterday evening and hit the doorstep this morning:

The Storm Prediction Center has an odd way of giving us a heads up on severe weather. As of late Tuesday evening we are under a “slight risk” of severe weather for Wednesday. When SPC says “slight risk” you can read it as “significant risk.” I do and I probably follow their work a little closer than you. Strong, possibly severe, storms this afternoon will usher in cooler, drier air for Thursday.

So, this weather was no surprise to any of us (even at the other stations). Dan Amarante says he talked about it on-the-air over the weekend. That’s a pretty decent lead time.

Once you know about the weather you’re supposed to get ahead of it. Joe Furey stayed late. I came in early. Dan just came in (on his day off).

Rachel, off to visit her grandmother out west, will hopefully board her flight only five hours late! Bradley is the last place she wanted to be. I can relate.

The Severe Thunderstorm Watch was issued at 1220 PM. It followed a Mesoscale Discussion this morning which gave a 95% chance of the watch being issued! Like I said, conditions were straight forward.

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF

CONNECTICUT
MASSACHUSETTS
NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY
SOUTHEAST NEW YORK
RHODE ISLAND
COASTAL WATERS

EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 1220 PM UNTIL
900 PM EDT.

HAIL TO 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER…THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70
MPH…AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

We went on live around 2:00 PM covering the beginning of the scheduled program. Joe Furey did handled that one and in two minutes set the stage.

At 2:30 PM I went live and then a funny thing happened… we didn’t go off! The storms were vicious. There were reports of large hail and wind damage. The cells were living up to expectations.

When the light on the camera came on I had no idea how long I’d be on. I never expected it to last until 5:00 PM.

Dan ‘drove’ the graphics equipment. Joe kept giving me on-site information coming into the newsroom.

It’s possible to do this kind of coverage by yourself, but its best when the talker concentrates on what he’s saying and the others feed him info. I prefer to watch the monitor and have the graphics lead me. That’s what Dan and Joe did.

There are a lot of standard things to say: how to stay protected, what the colors on the radar mean, what’s expected. It’s also important to have an understanding of the state’s geography. Mentioning West Farms Mall is probably more meaningful than mentioning any of the three towns it straddles.

Dana and Sara, two producers, were in the control room. Along with them were a director, camera operator and audio engineer. They are used to following a set rundown. Not today. Everything was seat of the pants.

Alison and Brent anchored on-set. They did all the interviews, but on a day like today they let the weather folks do the heavy lifting.

It really is a team effort and its made better when the team has a singular goal.

There’s little viewer comparison shopping during a storm like today’s. You just have to hope the folks watching were satisfied and you made some friends who’ll remember you next time they need this kind of info. That’s all you can do. Then you pray audience follows performance.

Postscript: My wife found it funny my tissues ended up on the desk with me. For 2.5 hours my mind was off my cold.

How I Get Severe Weather Alerts

We have a cool feature at FoxCT Intercontinental Headquarters on Broad Street. They haven’t asked me to write about it, but it’s worth knowing so here goes.

Weather watches and warnings are issued by the Weather Service. They help put everyone on the same page

There are lots of ways to get them. I get mine from FoxCT as text messages to my cell. I’ve been using our service for nearly a year.

You choose which county or counties you want. That limits messages somewhat.

We have a cool feature at FoxCT Intercontinental Headquarters on Broad Street. They haven’t asked me to write about it, but it’s worth knowing so here goes.

Weather watches and warnings are issued by the Weather Service. They help put everyone on the same page

There are lots of ways to get them. I get mine from FoxCT as text messages to my cell. I’ve been using our service for nearly a year.

You choose which county or counties you want. That limits messages somewhat. Messages for you are received nearly instantly as watches and warnings are issued.

This is not for everyone. You get texts at any hour day or night.

If you still think it’s for you FoxCT offers this service at no charge, no strings attached. We’d like you to watch our fine TV station, but I openly offer this to our competitors who might be in need. We won’t know/care it’s you.

You have to scroll around halfway down the page until you see: “Sign Up For Severe Weather Text Alerts Here.”

Gardening Season Begins!

I’m heading downstairs in a few minutes. It’s time to plant my garden. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon at work!

I used to have a garden at my old station. Over time it became more-and-more difficult to get a crew to shoot it. I gave up over a decade ago.

I’m heading downstairs in a few minutes. It’s time to plant my garden. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon at work!

I used to have a garden at my old station. Over time it became more-and-more difficult to get a crew to shoot it. I gave up over a decade ago.

New place, new attitude. Last summer I made the suggestion to my boss who loved the idea. Before you could say “blossom end rot” a 5′ x 14′ plot had been cleared and tilled and horse manure added to the soil.

Note to future gardeners: Plant your garden at work and make sure there’s an amazing building crew. Without those guys I’d be lost!

Today the garden begins for season two.

I drove in with plants from a local nursery. During our 4:00 PM News I’ll put them in the ground.

Though there will be lots of different veggies (and flowers) little matters to me but the tomatoes. If my tomatoes grow strong and healthy the garden will be a success.

Here’s the segment open created by Jade Yoon and Chris Moran.

A Year Already

From a professional and creative standpoint it’s been a very good move. I didn’t know stations like this still exist! I can guarantee there aren’t many.

Today marks my first anniversary at FoxCT. It doesn’t seem that long. Time flies when you’re having fun… and as you get older.

That first day here I came to work with a batch of cookies from Helaine. Her idea. Great idea. The way to a co-worker’s heart is through his/her stomach! It’s tough to start on the wrong foot if you meet someone cookie in hand.

From a professional and creative standpoint it’s been a very good move. I didn’t know stations like this still exist! I can guarantee there aren’t many. There’s been too much retrenching in TV news. There has been too much slashing.

No business has all the people they need or all the equipment. We come very close.

I still meet people who say they miss me. They say they used to watch me. That makes me sad. Old habits die hard.

One-by-one we’re convincing people to watch us. There have surely been shifts in the past year. We’re not done.

I wouldn’t ask you to watch if I wasn’t proud of what we do–proud in the abstract and proud compared to the other choices.

I could have packed it in after my personal ‘nightmare on Elm Street.’ Helaine said, “you still have too much TV in you.”

Indeed I do.

I’ve said this around a million times, but I’ll say it once more right now. I owe this job to you!

I was not hired based on my talent, though I’d like to think I have some. I was hired because my bosses hoped I’d bring you along. I am valuable because of you.

Thank you.

When TV Goes Bad

It is extremely frustrating if you’re there when that happens. Everyone points fingers. Never good.

I felt terrible for friends at my former station. They did their newscast tonight with no audio going home. I wish I could say that will never happen at Fox CT. I think it’s a lot less likely.

Digital technology has created more single points of failure that can take down the system. It is extremely frustrating if you’re there when that happens. Everyone points fingers. Never good.

A little selling here. I appreciate those of you who’ve moved over to FoxCT. For some of you it’s more difficult to switch. I get it.

Here’s what I see. We have an incredible commitment to our product and that includes spending for things that make small improvements often at substantial cost.

There is a maintenance engineer in the control room every time we are on-the-air. He has no job during the newscast but to be there should something happen. Think ambulance on the sidelines at an NFL game.

My friends wish everyone had one.

St Patrick’s Day Parade One

Because we were at the back of the line-of-march our wait was the longest. We watched other units return to their vehicles and drive home before we left the staging area.

St. Patrick must have been a cool guy. He gets two parades in Connecticut and his birthday is still a week away! Why do Hartford and New Haven hold their St. Patrick’s Day parades this weekend even though the actual St. Patrick’s Day is next Saturday? I have no clue!

The Hartford parade was this morning. FoxCT had a float (aka-flatbed truck with our air staff) going which meant a quick turnaround from last night’s 11:00 PM news.

I was home at 12:20 AM, in bed by 3:30 AM, awake at 7:45 AM and back at the station by 9:15 AM. That’s when hurry up and wait began.

Let’s face it, there is no monumental undertaking like a parade without some hurry up and wait. Because we were at the back of the line-of-march our wait was the longest. We watched other units return to their vehicles and drive home before we left the staging area.

As predicted it was cold! I arrived in Hartford with the temperature in the mid-30s and a chilling breeze.

Helaine found my “union suit,” red thermal underwear that covers shoulders to calves. Bless you Helaine.

Our float didn’t leave the Capitol until about 12:20. The streets were packed. I snapped photos while my colleagues threw plastic bead necklaces to the crowd.

We do it again Sunday in front of a larger crowd in New Haven. I’m ready.

When TV People Fly The Coop

In broadcasting people come and go all-the-time. Upward mobility is the implied promise that makes working in tiny markets for slave wages seem reasonable. It’s still sad.

Today is Jenn Bosworth’s last day. She is a reporter/anchor at FoxCT. She will now work for a new “golf lifestyle” channel, The Back9 Network, founded by her husband.

It’s always sad to see someone move on. Jenn’s a good person. She and I sit in facing cubicles. She has learned to not hear my loudness. Someone new must now be broken in!

In broadcasting people come and go all-the-time. Upward mobility is the implied promise that makes working in tiny markets for slave wages seem reasonable. It’s still sad.

Sometimes there are going away parties. I never go. I’ve missed hundreds… maybe thousands.

Years ago the general manager of my station in Buffalo forbade going away parties. “They just encourage people to leave,” he said.

To The Field

I have boots, gloves, earmuffs and a hat. I’ll wear enough to stay warm, no more. Would like to be fashionably snowy!

It’s been a while since I had a chance to do weather live shots. I’m doing one this afternoon on our 4:00 PM FoxCT news from the DOT garage in East Hartford.

I have boots, gloves, earmuffs and a hat. I’ll wear enough to stay warm, no more. Would like to be fashionably snowy!

(Photo from the live shot added after this entry originally posted)

I Help In All Departments

I checked and double checked and at one point even had someone looking over my shoulder to make sure everything I said was absolutely right.

If you walk into Home Depot you see people wearing aprons saying: “I help in all departments.” That was me this week at work.

I was in the Weather Center Thursday afternoon when Hugh Owen walked over. Hugh is the front page editor for the Courant. FoxCT and the Courant are one and the same. We are commonly owned and share a newsroom.

Hugh was there because Mara Lee was writing a story on the impact of winter. I was asked to add some technical expertise to a second story showing the nuts and bolts of this crazy weather.

Over the next few hours I spoke with Hugh, business editor Dan Harr and graphic designer Wes Rand. They questioned and probed.

TV news and news in a newspaper are very different. Newspapers have much more room for detail and depth. I’m not sure an entire newscast would fill a full newspaper page! That demands everyone involved have a more thorough understanding of the story.

I was excited and pleased to be involved. I checked and double checked and at one point even had someone looking over my shoulder to make sure everything I said was absolutely right.

Friday morning the Courant hit the street with the product of our labor. I was quoted in the story and credited for providing the data for the graphic. Between those credits and an ad for FoxCT I was mentioned on the front page three times. Usually you need to commit a major crime to get that level or notoriety!

I’m pretty buzzed about it. No lie.

When I went to work on Broad Street I hoped I could get involved in this way. Mission accomplished.

What’s Atop Our Building

I will admit it was very cool seeing this atop our building when I came to work today.  Yes, I took a little extra time getting in from the parking lot!

I will admit it was very cool seeing this atop our building when I came to work today.  Yes, I took a little extra time getting in from the parking lot!

My Aimless Walk In The Basement

I was down in the basement tonight walking under the massive presses that produce the Courant, Advocate and other publications. It was quiet when I walked in. It wasn’t quiet for long.

Every once in a while I get ambitious and do a little exploring here at the TV station/newspaper. This is by far the largest facility I’ve ever worked in! The logistics of putting out a newspaper are complex. Nothing is dainty. Nothing is small.

I was down in the basement tonight walking under the massive presses that produce the Courant, Advocate and other publications. It was quiet when I walked in. It wasn’t quiet for long.

Though the presses don’t start until midnight or so there’s lots of setup work. Massive rolls of newsprint, each large enough to be used by Scorsese for a cinematic mob hit, get moved from storage to their feed points. They’re aged to adjust to the indoor temperature after being trucked in from Canada.

Strategically placed nozzles spray a very light mist to keep the humidity up. You’ve got to be nice to paper that’s about to speed through presses and processes.

Mark, an old hand in the mechanical end, saw me walking aimlessly and asked if I really wanted to see the bowels of the operation. This is where I become sixteen again!

I’ve worked here eight months. Mark showed me places I’d never seen nor even guessed might be here.

Is it possible to fall in love with a building?

And The Calories Just Keep On Comin’

I am living proof. Too many Christmases. Too many pounds.

I like working here in “Connecticut’s Newsroom.” It’s a busy place. Since we’re a TV station, website and the Hartford Courant it’s by far the largest newsroom in the state! A newsroom like this is steeped in tradition.

I got this via email yesterday. It’s a newsroom tradition!

Just a reminder…..

Tomorrow (Wed.) is our annual newsroom holiday party.

Please bring a potluck dessert to share.

See attached flyer.

Happy holidays !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I forwarded a copy of that note to Helaine who sent me in with banana cake enveloped in cream cheese frosting. Somewhere nearby a cardiologist is crying!

In case you’re wondering my place of business is just like yours. Throw out some food and they’re all vultures!

It was just a little crazy with cakes and cookies and pies. It was too much even for an overeater like me! There are delights I’d love to sample if only they’ll keep until tomorrow.

Fat chance!

Eat-a-thons like ours today are the grist of holiday news stories like this one from the New York Times.

[S]everal studies now show that the average weight gain during the winter holidays is just one pound.

The news isn’t all good. Most people don’t ever lose the pound of weight they put on during the holidays, according to a report in The New England Journal of Medicine. Since the average weight gain during adulthood is about one to two pounds a year, that means much of midlife weight gain can be explained by holiday eating.

I am living proof. Too many Christmases. Too many pounds.