Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Saying goodbye to Abby .... and other items of note

It feels like Abby Ham just arrived at TV3 and now she's leaving again. This is her last week on the morning news, and then she'll be returning to her home state of Tennessee. She'll take over as morning anchor at our sister station, WBIR-TV, and be closer to her family. While we work opposite schedules, I've never seen Abby without a smile on her face in the newsroom. She'll certainly be missed.

I was all set to turn a story yesterday on the DTV walk-in centers when the news came in about an explosion in Wayne County. This was one of those quandary moments in a TV newsroom. Do we wait until we have more information on damage and injuries before putting a crew on the road? Or do we cancel an existing story (in this case, my DTV story) and hit the road immediately in hopes of beating the competition to the scene should it turn out to be a major story while also risking a long trip for nothing if it turns out that it wasn't much of a house? Turned out to be a relatively minor story as far as damage -- and fortunately injuries too -- so the shift didn't pay off as far as getting a significant news story, but it's the coin flip we face every day in the newsroom. Besides, the DTV switch still has another 9 days until it becomes reality.

Akron's recall election is now three weeks away, and I'm still wondering about what kind of turnout we'll see. Getting folks to sign a petition on their porch is one thing, but getting people to take the time to come to the polls is another.

Now that the Cavs are out of the playoffs, I have time to actually pay attention to the Tribe. Ughh. Last place is no place to be. Will Travis Hafner ever turn it around and get healthy? Feels like the whole team is hamstrung by this fat contract for a designated hitter with a bad back.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

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This was one of those quandary moments in a TV newsroom. Do we wait until we have more information on damage and injuries before putting a crew on the road?
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You made the right decision, even if it didn't turn out to be much of a story.

With the recent move to 'shared' coverage from some of the market's videographers, has this had any impact on a station's decision making process when these kinds of 'distant' stories pop up?

I wondered last night if the shared videographer program was used or even though of concerning last night's coverage of the opening of the new ballpark in Avon. Every station in town had this on their broadcast.



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Akron's recall election is now three weeks away, and I'm still wondering about what kind of turnout we'll see.

Getting folks to sign a petition on their porch is one thing, but getting people to take the time to come to the polls is another.
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I wonder if the reverse isn't also in play.

How many members of the general public will interrupt their Tuesday activities to make that special effort necessary to cast a ballot to try to keep Plusquellic in office?

I did see one previously non-committal voter get motivated enough to go straight to the BOE to cast her absentee ballot because of a piece of literature that hit the mailbox on Monday.

My spouse was going to sit this one out until the Pro-Plusquellic group's new "Akron Citizens Beware - A Radical Element Is Trying To Dispose Of Our Mayor And To Take Over The City".

Being told by the Mayor's supporters that "Radicals" planned to "Dispose of" "Our Mayor" and to "Take Over The City" while our son currently serves overseas with the United States Navy did not set well at all with this "Proud Navy Mom".

Her exact quote was "Unless this flyer is about the Taliban or Al-Queda, the Mayor just lost my vote. What time does the Board of Elections close?"

I just had to grin, especially in light of the fact that this happened on the same day that the Plain Dealer ran its Metro column about its Plusquellic interview with it's ending comment of "Somewhere in Akron, an adviser just cringed."

Anonymous said...

I'm sure this logic works for Wayne-in-Akron's wife, but it doesn't for me. I personally find this group "radical" and they are trying to "take over our city" . . . at least overturn it. Using this phrasology takes nothing away from her brave son who is serving in the name of our country. I, for one, am glad the supporters are getting tough and using strong language to make their point.

As to the comment about the PD, I guess I am just dumb, because I don't get Wayne-in-Akron's point even after reading it several times. Not getting the connection.

Anonymous said...

@Anon...

Why wouldn't a Plusquellic advisor "cringe" when he finds out that a mailer from the Pro-Don group moves someone who wasn't going to vote at all into a position of casting a vote to Recall the Mayor?

Anonymous said...

Wayne-in-Akron . . .

Maybe because your writing did not make your point clear. By the looks of things, seems like you should be starting your own blog any day now.

Or have you already?

Best wishes.

Anonymous said...

@Anon...

I would start a blog, if I knew that 'real life' wouldn't get in the way of being able to post on a regular basis.

I get frustrated when I run into interesting blogs or websites that are infrequently updated, so I don't want to be the source of similar frustration for others.

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