GOOD TO GO!

I just got word that I am cleared for KOMU! This is definitely one of the landmarks in my college career. At this point, I will no longer have to do weekly packages for Broadcast 2, but instead will be completing various shifts at the station. 

I won't be able to do most of my shifts until after spring break, because many are already taken, and a lot of my time will now be devoted to Greek Week activities. I will certainly blog each time I do complete a shift, as well as post links to each of my stories, so be watching out for those!

I was reading through some articles a friend sent me, and one in particular stood out. After a press conference, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D)-Mo. turned the tables on the reporters. She had a camera, set on video mode and began filming and asking the reporters questions. It was actually quite humorous. Many of the questions she asked involved technology, like Twitter, YouTube and blogging. It is interesting to see how journalists are utilizing these new networks and how high profile people like Sen. McCaskill do as well. To see the video from McCaskill, click here

I think these kinds of networks, whether it's twitter or bogging, are just one more way to bring transparency to our government and allow more people to be "watchdogs" of the real "watchdogs" - American journalists. 

On that note I will also mention that I have indeed joined the twitter bandwagon. Check out my profile and begin following me! 

Another week in the life...

This week, I covered another bill. Senate Bill 368, sponsored by Republican Senator Bill Stouffer would allow motorcyclists to make a left-turn on a red light. Senator Stouffer said the legislation is needed to make intersections safer for motorcyclists.

When I originally came across this bill and interviewed Stouffer, I wondered, how could running a red light make things safer? Stouffer said allowing motorcyclists to run these lights would mean they will be less susceptible to being hit by a larger vehicles.

I did speak with one motorcyclist who said he was indifferent. He joked, saying he didn't make many left turns on his way to work. But he did say he often makes the turns when it is early in the morning, or very late at night.

The journalism Gods were working in my favor (for once) on my second day of shooting. The sun was out, there was minimal wind, therefore there were plenty of motorcyclists enjoying the day on the road. I did have to shoot my stand-up more than once. I was having audio problems the first day, and due to a nasty cold - had no voice! Fortunately, Friday morning my vocal chords were on the mend and again, was blessed with good weather. My second attempt at my stand-up was good to go.

On another note, I was watching Brian Williams earlier this week. (Yay, I finally had a moment to sit and watch a television broadcast!) One of the teases in the A-block mentioned something about an almost tragic event for planet earth. In the final block Williams said a earth had a close encounter with an asteroid roughly the size of a 10-story building that would have caused damage comparable to 1,000 atomic bombs. How shocking! The best part of the story, how Williams attributed the source - he said, "...they, again the people who tell us these things." I just found it rather interesting that the "scientists" could never be identified.

Oh, the roadblocks of journalism!

To see a video of the story, "Close Encounter" reported by Brian Williams on NBC Nightly news, click here.