rkolsen

So when did CBS This Morning replace the "floating" rear projection screen next to the green room with an identical monitor wall? Also I just noticed they are doing augmented reality bit using the Cronkite map that's in a corner between the existing video wall and the video wall showing the control room multi viewers. They are now using the Cronkite map to show where different stories originated (usually the front page is shown). Previously they would use one of the aforementioned video walls but now they appear to be using a steadicam. As they zoom in showing a city using the steadicam and there would me a box overtop the area on the Cronkite map. Then once they show the location they put a bigger element in front of the location box showing the newspapers front page and finally the article is shown closest to the viewer. You could see the floating graphics move back and forth with the camera operator. It was pretty fluid so I guess it was a rig. Anyone know what is powering both the virtual reality and sensor systems. Hopefully my explanation of augmented reality made sense.

Very smart move. Otherwise I'm sure many would be fired for interrupting live shots and photo bombing camera angles at the Today Show.

Here's the philly.com article: http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20151017_NBC10_and_union_agree_on_new_contract__ending_cameramen_s_strike.html#oVJR4FxOVrawoifU.99

To be honest I only checked the major roadways. I didn't feel like looking up the minor roads to see if it was correct. But chances are if the ticker is wrong about the major roadways/highways they're wrong on the minor roads.

I don't know when this change occurred but Ashley James seems to be a co anchor now for Good Morning Maryland. She previously did in studio reporting but now is listed under the anchors tab of their website. Also you can add WMAR to the outdated traffic ticker list. Weather seems to be on point.

I forgot to mention this but a while before yesterday's 4AM newscast their computer networks went down. From what I understand nearly everything went down and they were able to get a bare bones show on air and most was normal around 4:30 AM when they started peri scoping. I'm not familiar with OverDrive but does it regularly back up the working order in iNews containing the run down, scripts, MOS and other essential data? If the other network issues pertained could they start the broadcast using the backed up running order already in overdrive. Now was yesterday's outage, just a normal outage, an outage due to neglect, an outage due to an inexperienced scab doing the work or a striker trying to mess them up.

I thought Jenna Wolfe was good at anchoring Today and was sad to see her go. However I think once she was demoted and had her first child she may have wanted to take a different role. I only say this because her partner Stefanie Gosk is a correspondent and may not always be there so Jenna may have wanted a more typical 9-5 job.

I just fast forwarded through last nights show and saw no references at the end of each block nor at the end of the show. I did see that they have a new sports program airing at 11:30 Sunday Mornings called "The Nest with (Ravens Kicker) Justin Tucker". The show goes up against an hour of Ravens Produced programming on WBFF with "Ravens Unscripted" and "Ravens Wired". The Ravens programming seems kind of odd because first Justin Tucker does promos for WBAL's APP & Newscasts and then the programming on WBFF seems to go against WBAL's claim of being the "Official Broadcast Home of the Baltimore Ravens". Those programs that air on WBFF are also carried on Comcast Sports Net and in the past on WBAL +. It can't be any worse than clicking a link about a now retired news anchor who now does porn's personal tumblr.

Thanks. I wasn't sure. I've heard some stations have switched to either cell phones calls only or push to talk enabled devices. I don't know the specifics but think of it as a walkie talkie.

Are the strikers following WCAU live trucks out to the shots or are they finding out locations from the radio (assuming WCAU still uses radios)? Have any WWSI live shots been interrupted?

The weather ticker was redesigned with the graphics change but it was similar to the ones they've used in the past during severe weather.

I'm trying to figure out how will these technicians and management will get along once the strike is over. It must be awkward to return to work and resume a relationship with your employer and colleagues that you have been publicly trashing for the past week. Is there any word on those two employees that were hit by station vehicles? I'm at Also wasn't a KTTV employee on strike a few weeks back fired for interrupting a live shot?

So that explains why the traffic ticker looks different from the design of other design at WMAR.

I didn't watch any of their newscasts this afternoon but an employee on strike posted this: [MEDIA=twitter]648974881762078722[/MEDIA] I understand they're using freelancers that may not know how to use an ENG truck but surely they should be able to figure out how to use a Dejero or LiveU.

I wonder how their members feel about crossing the picket line. During the last WGA strike didn't many SAG-AFTRA members refuse to cross the picket line?

Karen Campbell who has been freelancing (she's basically been a full timer but on a freelance contract) for the past year and a half for WBAL has been hired by WBFF. She's good and knows the region and I wondered why they didn't hire her when there was a job opening. http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/wbff-adds-reporter/155935

On Monday Brian Williams handled both President Obamas speech at the UN as well as President Putin's. Jose Diaz-Balart handed the coverage over to Brian around 9:40 ish and then he continued through News Nation with Tamron Hall.

Are any of the on air talent members of SAG-AFTRA or any other union?

One article mentioned that when Comcast came in a new team of negotiators came in from NY. Based on that I'd imagine that it's above the local level. Today the union is saying that two of their members were hit by NBC10 cars late last week in seperate incidents and that they were looking to press charges. NBC 10 was unaware of any of any accidents but were looking into it. I don't want to blame the victims but I find it a bit suspicious - if one person was hit by a car wouldn't both sides try to be extra careful? You know try not blocking a driveway. I'm all in favor of unions and believe in what they stand for however some tactics turn me off.[/url] Also I wonder what it feels like when they go back to work after spending time publicly shaming your employer.

I couldn't find the article about Today Show cut ins. However OverDrive is Ross's equivalent to Grass Valley's Ignite. These systems control all aspects of the show from playing out video files, inserting graphics, changing cameras/sources, moving the robotic cameras, controlling which mics are open and much more. While the show is being made in iNews the director will be building their rundown telling the system when to perform such actions. If the show is well built and coded the director just has to advance to the next sequence.

I don't have a link but NBC said in a business journal that there was some sticking points about the use/installation of OverDrive. But haven't they been running OverDrive for several years now? Seems like their job ads have been mentioning it for a while. Another sticking point was the use of one person running the control room during Today show cut ins. NBC made the point that this is practice at their other stations and at WPVI. I'm pro union and I hope this is resolved quickly.

Thanks for correcting me. I was looking for weather proof camera housings and stumbled across this page and thought it was new. It looks nice and all but I have to agree with you WCCO takes the cake as both look contemporary. Since WCCO was brought up I need a quick clarification of WCCO's studios/facilities. I heard they have a Nicollet Mall studio (which I assume is where their HQ, main studios, weather beacon and rooftop garden are located), a separate plaza / street side studio, and that studio that's really a granite showroom. Am I missing any or is everything right? Edit: I'm on google maps and realized that the Nicollet Mall Studio and the Plaza studio appear to be I'm the same building. The names of different studios threw me off thinking they were in two seperate locations where Nicollet Mall Studio refers to the road it's against and the Plaza refers to outdoor area.

Can't be any worse than WJZ's outback which consists of a few mishmash end plants against the woods. Here's an image:

Apparently KARE's backyard was renovated and after a two months of construction it was revealed on 23 September. It's 1/3 of the size of their previous back yard and features a pond less waterfall, a natural gas grill and fireplace, new pavers that can absorb water to prevent run off and new furniture. The only thing I'd add would be a heated patio so they don't have to shovel the Minnesota snow. http://www.kare11.com/story/life/home-garden/grow-with-kare/2014/07/22/new-kare-11-backyard-features/12994941/

Was watching on Periscope and things seemed hectic in the studio and they just ended the periscope stream due to "circumstances". That and a few people came in protesting. The guy that runs it said hopefully everything will be normal on Monday.