Internship Update: Seek the Peak Recap (Finally)!

Needless to say, it's been a busy week! Hence why I haven't found time to post my long-awaited, much-anticipated recap of the Seek the Peak event on Mount Washington last Saturday. But hopefully this post is worth the wait!

Sarah and I left the station around noon and arrived at the base of the mountain by early afternoon. Almost immediately, we were greeted by the event coordinators and summoned for a pre-event meeting with Eric Fisher of WBZ to review the game plan.

Eric and Sarah spend the majority of the afternoon mingling with attendees and emceeing the fundraiser after-party, while I was tasked with using Sarah's work iPhone to grab as many pictures, videos, interviews, and web teases as possible. Between conversations with hikers and observatory donors, I found myself scaling the Sno-Cat to get crowd shots (like the one below) and weaving between vendors to get video clips of Sarah at the mic. Talk about a lively afternoon!

Sarah and Eric then took the stage during the dinner reception to help with awards and sponsor prizes, so that meant more pictures and videos for social media. I also pre-wrote several posts with important event info for Sarah to share on her accounts, such as fundraising numbers and interesting snippets (including a marriage proposal on the summit!). That way, she could focus on the event while still providing relevant and timely info on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

All in all, it was a great experience that presented a lot of networking opportunities and firsthand lessons in the field. In addition to meeting and getting to know Eric, I was able to connect with numerous Mount Washington Observatory employees, photographers from other media outlets, and on-air meteorologists from The Weather Channel and CNN.

And, of course, it was a social media hotspot! I'm proud of the fact that many of my ideas produced engaging content that got a lot of online attention (event-related posts generated a big spike in likes, favorites, and retweets).

You can check out more of my work from Seek the Peak on Sarah's Facebook and Twitter pages.

Enjoy!

Internship Update: Road Trip to Mount Washington

Today's internship assignment takes me across state lines into the mountains of New Hampshire!

Sarah and I are headed up to Mount Washington for Seek the Peak, an annual hike-a-thon fundraiser that supports the Mount Washington Observatory.

Sarah is emceeing the event, so I'm tagging along to grab some pictures and video for her social media accounts. I'll also be helping her with networking and posting updates to my own social media pages to drum up interest.

The forecast isn't looking ideal at this point, but then again, clouds and showers at the site of some of the world's worst weather seems like a decent deal in my book.

More details to come in a follow-up post after today's event! In the meantime, be sure to check out my Twitter account and the event website for more info.

Happy Saturday!

Internship Update: Holiday Weekend Edition

What's the best way to cap off a great Fourth of July weekend? Writing a much-needed internship update, of course! Since last posting on here, I've been busy sending Sarah content for her accounts and doing some serious online research.

I finished compiling the summer events calendar about a week ago and Sarah and I have since used it to build forecasts and drum up viewer interest on social media.

In terms of work in the field, I've had my phone at the ready every time I've attended a big event, checked out a local attraction, or simply spent an evening at the beach. I usually take a few pictures or shoot some video and send it to Sarah, who then puts it up on Facebook and/or Twitter in an effort to better connect with the community.

I'm constantly looking for interesting and engaging material to pass along. And because I like to spend a lot of time soaking up the ocean sun, kayaking on the river, hiking in the mountains, etc., my blurbs often have direct ties to Sarah's weather reports. Along the way, I've learned to keep the content as current as possible and always include information about location, what's going on, and anything unique that will give the post additional appeal.

You can check out one of my (Sarah's) Twitter pictures here. Many more of these to come throughout the summer!

In addition to my social media contributions, I've spent a lot of time analyzing the newscasts and social media accounts of other TV stations across the country. By doing this, Sarah and I hope to pick out trends dictated by market size, intended audience, web presence, and a number of other factors, as well as potential ideas to use on her WMTW accounts.

I regularly analyze the weather graphics and general broadcast format and try to determine how those pieces relate to social media engagement. I also evaluate the on-air journalists and meteorologists to determine what works, what doesn't work, and what could be adapted to best fit our strategies for social media, web, and on-air content.

Last week, I checked out several stations from the Seattle broadcast market and found that they have a heavy emphasis on news first and weather later, which is generally the opposite of the markets around here. I have yet to determine what city or stations I'll be researching this week, although I plan to use a market size comparable to that of Portland's #80 ranking for results that are more easily transferrable.

I'll leave it there for now. After a weekend of family, food, and fireworks, I'm ready for a good night's sleep before another full week. Until next time!

Internship Update: Events, Events, & More Events!

The past few days featured a lot of work outside of the station, particularly in front of my computer screen. Admittedly, the title for this post is a bit misleading, because I haven't actually attended a plethora of events... yet. But my work for the week involved a lot of online digging similar to what I do when planning an on-air story and all of it had ties to local events.

My first big internship assignment was to research and create a schedule of events throughout Maine this summer. Sarah and I plan to attend many of the events in-person and share them on her social media accounts via pictures, video, etc., or, at the very least, profile them online as a part of her forecasts.

I combed through a variety of websites about Maine events in an effort to find and include as many noteworthy, appealing, or just plain bizarre festivities as possible. Events that made the cut ranged from town fairs to lobster festivals to free farm days (and everything in between). The end result was a 13-page document filled with ideas for social media content that will have local appeal.

From here, Sarah and I will use the calendar as a reference point, especially when prominent news and weather events are hard to find. Beyond that, viewers like to be able to relate to TV personalities, and connecting with them by showing interest in local events is the perfect opportunity to do just that. And, of course, who doesn't like fair food?! All around, it's an assignment I could get used to this summer!

Summer Internship: Getting Started at WMTW-8

After a month-long hiatus, I'm finally back in the newsroom and couldn't be happier about it! This past week marked the start of my summer internship at WMTW-8, which broadcasts out of the Portland, Maine, market.

As a part of my internship, I'll be doing social media and web work for my longtime mentor, Sarah Long. Sarah is a meteorologist and web coordinator for WMTW who operates professional accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and the station's web pages. My role will involve updating and maintaining her accounts, as well as accompanying her to noteworthy events for the purpose of grabbing social media content.

Sarah and I met at the station this past weekend to discuss the plan for the summer and it quickly became apparent that we both have a lot of big ideas. Over the next week, I'll be researching interesting events and functions throughout southern Maine and putting a calendar together for us to refer back to throughout the summer.

I also met the weekend news/production team while visiting the station and immediately felt like part of the crew. They're a really welcoming group and I felt at home right away, which can be hard to come by at times in the TV news industry. In addition to the social media components of my internship, I'll likely have the opportunity to shadow the weekend anchors and reporters as they research and pursue story ideas. More to come on this later!

All things considered, it was a great first week and, more importantly, nice to find my way back to a live TV studio. And any first day that ends with pizza is certainly a win in my book. Here's to a great summer as the newest intern at WMTW!

LSC talent on display at annual AMS Club fundraiser

Lyndon State’s AMS Club has nearly $275 to work with following last week’s talent show fundraiser, which included a variety of musical acts.

Half of the money raised will cover annual conference fees, while the other half will be put toward the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund, according to club spokesman and event organizer Stephen Decatur.

The newly-formed musical duo of Jacqueline Laviolette and Kyle Gadapee took first place in the annual competition. The pair performed a cover of Beyoncé’s "Listen," with Laviolette signing and Gadapee accompanying her on piano.

Both said they were very pleased with the performance overall and look forward to collaborating again in the future.

They also collected a set of prizes totaling $250, all of which was donated by local businesses.

Newcomer Drew Cathcart finished second after performing a song he wrote just the day before.

“I only messed up once or twice,” Cathcart said while laughing when asked to talk about the quick turnaround.

Third place went to repeat performer Alyssa Rovella for her rendition of "Clean" by Taylor Swift.

Local meteorologists Kerrin Jeromin and Steve Glazier emceed the event, while a panel of five judges evaluated the talent.

Other notable acts included a dance set by Sarah Burnett and a rap performance by Steve Neas and Trevor Richmond.

The show featured 11 acts in total.

Many of them can be seen at other Lyndon State music events and at The Stage in Lyndonville.

Final Project Outline

For our final project, Louis and I will be creating a piece that highlights the upcoming AMS Talent Show. Our idea is to shoot video and take pictures of the event, create a podcast with audio interviews of the winners, and write up a brief accompanying story with additional information about the acts that will be performing.

The plan is for Louis to record video and take pictures, while I will be writing the accompanying article and conducting the audio interviews for the podcast. We will both be working together to combine all of the components into one finished product.

Early signs of winter intriguing for Vt. snow enthusiasts

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Communities throughout northern Vermont are celebrating the unofficial start of winter following last week’s hefty pre-Thanksgiving snowstorm. 

The system, which dumped nearly a foot of snow across the region, added natural powder to area ski slopes and will serve as a base snowpack for snowmobile and cross-country ski trails. 

Jay Peak reports that about 10 trails and four lifts are open as of this week, with more to come as manmade snowmaking continues in response to falling temperatures. 

Q Burke Mountain remains closed but plans to be ready for business by December 13, according to Ski Vermont’s website. 

Away from the slopes, Lyndon State’s on-campus snowmobile club is excited to see the flakes flying once again. 

Club President Anthony Macari is a big fan of the winter season because snowmobiling is his pastime.  

“It means the start of more fun, more recreation, and just getting out into the environment and being able to explore areas of this region that we don’t get to see just driving in a car or even hiking a mountain,” he explained. 

Macari says that the snowmobile club recently built a trail that will connect directly to Lyndon State’s campus. The trail is between one and two miles long and will give college riders access to a network of trails throughout Vermont. 

“The trail should be in place for this season, so that’s great news for anyone who wants to snowmobile around this area,” Macari said. “I think it might actually help the Lyndonville economy too. More people riding in the area is certainly a good thing.” 

However, the news for snow lovers isn’t all good as the winter solstice approaches. 

According to an annual report from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, the region may not see the frigid temperatures of years past this season.   

The south-central and southeastern parts of the country will likely see below-average temperatures, while the western U.S. and New England are projected to have above-average temperatures, according to a summary of the U.S. Winter Outlook. 

Despite the unfavorable forecast, Macari remains hopeful that the snow and cold will come. After all, it’s only the first week of December. 

“It’s just the start of more fun for me,” he said. 

Anyone interested in joining the snowmobile club can contact Macari via email at anthony.macari@lyndonstate.edu. 

Video Project Proposal

For our online video project, Louis and I plan to create a piece featuring different reactions to winter in Vermont. Our goal is to include several brief sound bites that represent various viewpoints, ranging from excited to disgusted.

In addition to the interview clips, we plan to use firsthand video of someone skiing, as well as other shots of the recent snow and cold weather.

We both think that this will make for an engaging segment because its relevant, applicable, and interesting to both locals and those who aren't familiar with the severity of a northern New England winter. The eclectic mix of responses will also add depth to the piece.

As far as roles are concerned, Louis will be shooting most of the video, while I plan to write the accompanying story. We will both be conducting interviews and compiling sound bites for this project.

Newspaper Video Assignment

After doing a bit of research focused on newspapers that have ventured into the realm of online video, I decided to check on the Chicago Tribune's photography and video platform. I immediately noticed that the video page, while very professional and eye-catching, was buried deep within the paper's website. I had to navigate to the bottom of the homepage sidebar and then scroll down the accompanying webpage before I reached the Tribune's video gallery.

Once there, I browsed the site and watched several clips, all of which included firsthand information and tried to tell a journalistic story. However, the Tribune's videos started and ended much more abruptly than typical news segments and often didn't follow the format of a TV news package. Instead, they featured collections of interviews, b-roll and natural sound, and even time lapses and other unique elements. The Tribune's videos also varied significantly in length, with some lasting only a few minutes and others running much longer.

Ultimately, I think the Chicago Tribune's video gallery is a neat feature that complimented some of the publication's "harder" written journalism pieces. However, it is quite difficult to navigate and many of the videos don't have enough context to an outsider like myself to have much journalistic relevance. I certainly wouldn't rely solely on this particular video gallery for my news of the day. It has a professional tone, but the content isn't substantial enough to hold my interest for a prolonged period of time. In my opinion, the Tribune's video gallery is a less engaging version of iReport. It's similar in style and approach, but lacks the content to pull a reader away from a written web story.

CNN iReport Review

Upon signing up for an account on CNN iReport, I decided to check out the website to see what it has to offer. For the most part, I was impressed by the format and structure of this rather unique multimedia storytelling platform.

I found it especially intriguing that all of the content, information, and stories featured on iReport are generated by citizen journalists from CNN's audience. In my opinion, the idea of encouraging everyday people to cover newsworthy events that were previously restricted to traditional media outlets is both organic and cutting edge. It allows viewers to feel as if they have a voice and makes them a part of a newsgathering process that has faced mounting criticism in recent years. And, most importantly, it epitomizes the cultural blending of traditional news and citizen journalism that continues to impact, change, and redirect the journalism industry as a whole.

I think that iReport is a brilliant idea in terms of increased viewership and a higher quality of journalism on the part of CNN. Many of the producer-approved clips that I watched while touring the site were both engaging and informative, such as the firsthand footage of last week's NASA rocket explosion. I also liked the fact that each story was distinctly different from a content and stylistic standpoint. From raw video to commentary to written articles, I came across a number of stories that covered everything from street harassment in New York City to the financial impact of lava flow in Hawaii.

My one criticism of iReport, and other similar websites, is the high volume of clutter that one has to sort through in order to find "the gold." Any media platform that caters to amateur input will undoubtedly yield its fair share of amateur results, which can make it difficult for users to distinguish between meaningful citizen journalism and fluff pieces that don't carry a lot of substance. Of course, this is nearly impossible to avoid in the realm of journalism through the eyes of the everyday person and is ultimately a part of the process. For what it's worth, CNN is diligent in managing the clutter through the efforts of producers who review the submissions and verify them for accuracy and clarity.

LSC immersion semester off to successful start

The first outdoor immersion program ever offered at Lyndon State is off to a successful start, according to participants from the Mountain Recreation Management Department.

The program, typically referred to as an immersion semester, was launched by Professor Ben Mirkin at the beginning of the school year.

Its goal is to provide interested students with firsthand outdoor education in the form of trip planning and lengthy wilderness expeditions.

This fall, students took three hiking trips and a canoeing trip, all of which lasted between three and 10 days. Locations included northern Maine and the Long Trail in western Vermont.

Sophomore Matt Cowley is one of about a dozen mountain recreation students participating in the school’s first immersion semester.

He says the curriculum is designed to teach students how to confidently lead groups on wilderness excursions while addressing any issues that arise along the way.

“I don’t know if I want to stick with mountain recreation too much,” Cowley explained. “But the leadership and group dynamic skills I’ve learned are transferrable to anything. I think that’s really valuable.”

The group didn’t waste any time getting started, as the first expedition began just two days after students returned from summer vacation.

In addition to outdoor training, immersion participants are required to plan logistics, gear, and food for each trip.

The focus of the program has since shifted from off-site expeditions to classroom activities because of inclement fall weather conditions. Students are now taking a wilderness first responder training course and a geology class that will satisfy a general education requirement.

Despite the unconventional structure of the program, Cowley insists that it is academically rigorous.

“It was a lot of work,” he said when asked about the expedition portion. “It wasn’t easy at all, but that’s not really a bad thing.”

Cowley believes that the program is here to stay at Lyndon State. In fact, department officials hope to make the immersion semester a regular part of the mountain recreation curriculum because of its early success.

For Cowley, the work has been challenging, but ultimately worthwhile.

“I’m proud that I was able to do it. I’m happy to be here.”

Audio Slideshow Synopsis

For our audio slideshow project, Louis and I plan to focus on the new immersion program that the Mountain Recreation Management Department launched earlier this fall. The program runs for an entire semester and boasts a curriculum focused solely on firsthand outdoor education and experience. As a result, students in the immersion program frequently plan for and embark on canoeing, hiking, and climbing expeditions that span one to two weeks. They also receive extensive training in the areas of outdoor emergency care, group dynamics, and nature preservation.

Tyler Weller is a sophomore mountain rec major and a member of the first-ever immersion class at Lyndon State. Louis and I plan to interview Tyler to get his take on the program and learn more about the curriculum. We think that Tyler's stories and information will make for a very engaging audio piece.

For the project itself, Louis will be conducting the interview with Tyler and I will be writing the accompanying article with input from another student in the program. Louis and I both plan to take pictures of Tyler prepping for his classes/trips, hiking outside, getting his gear together, etc. We also have some pictures from earlier expeditions that we may add to the slideshow with credit to enhance the overall story.

In-Class Fish Audio Slideshow

Photo Gallery and Slideshow Critique

Photo Gallery - http://www.upi.com/News_Photos/2013/2013-The-Year-in-US-News/8069/14/
Audio Slideshow - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8518479.stm
Non-Audio Slideshow - http://www.nature.org/photos-and-video/naturallight/natural-light-october-2011.xml

I chose to look at three photo galleries/slideshows that covered distinctly different topics. The photo gallery was a visual recap of the biggest U.S. news events of 2013, while the slideshow with audio provided a firsthand account of life as a British solider fighting in Afghanistan, and the slideshow with no audio covered an array of stunning natural landscape shots from around the world.

Despite the various information presented by each visual medium, I thought that all three served as engaging storytelling methods. All of them grabbed my attention and held it for the entirety of the story. Admittedly, I was more focused on the audio slideshow than the others because of the combination of spoken word and visual features. It was ultimately easier to follow because there were auditory cues accompanying the pictures, which were quite interesting regardless.

The audio also helped set the tone of the piece, thus making it more real and impactful for the audience. If nothing else, I noticed that the sound enhanced the story such that the pictures made more sense because of the information being presented with them.

In each case, I found that the photos added depth to the piece far beyond that of the written word alone. Perhaps it serves to the prove that a picture, if presented well, truly is worth a thousand words.

LSC officials bolstering academic programs amid enrollment decline

Lyndon State College is committed to growing its academic programs despite falling enrollment numbers this year, according to President Joe Bertolino.

The announcement came during Bertolino’s State of the College Address on Thursday, October 2.

Hundreds of faculty, staff members, and students attended the speech, which took on a more somber tone than those of years past.

This year’s incoming class totaled about 400 new and transfer students, which was 90 to 100 students less than initially expected after three years of steady enrollment, Bertolino noted.

As a result, the college had to scramble to cover a $1.5 million budget deficit through unfilled job vacancies, cuts to project funds, and the use of limited in-house reserves. Bertolino was quick to recognize the seriousness of the college’s current financial situation.

“While I continue to remain optimistic and enthusiastic and positive, these emotions are tempered by the reality of our situation,” Bertolino said.

However, he confirmed that his administration is working to improve a unique academic curriculum that has recently become Lyndon State’s selling point.

“Realistically, what will draw students to LSC and keep them here, in my opinion, is our existing combination of liberal arts and professional studies programs,” Bertolino said.

Priority degree programs will likely include atmospheric sciences, electronic journalism arts, exercise science, mountain recreation management, and music and performing arts.

Those are the five largest majors at Lyndon State and all of them have at least 90 students, according to an October 2013 report from the Vermont State College System.

Four of those degree programs also boast higher out-of-state student enrollment than in-state enrollment, although the Exercise Science Department continues to attract more Vermont residents.

While the administration does not want to be directly involved in academic curriculum decisions, Bertolino noted that the college needs to reevaluate the entire process to eliminate as much red tape as possible.

“The application of knowledge and preparing students for what is happening in the world is what students and families expect from a degree,” he explained.

In recent months, several task forces have been created to address Lyndon State’s ongoing enrollment and budget issues. Those committees will be reporting back to the president and his administration throughout the school year.

Data Visualization Story Critique

What You Need to Know About the Ebola Outbreak (New York Times): http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/07/31/world/africa/ebola-virus-outbreak-qa.html

Given the nature of this assignment, I immediately started searching for articles and stories about the Ebola outbreak in Africa, as I figured that many of those pieces would include data about the ongoing epidemic. Once I found this one, I decided to use it because I think it perfectly represents a news write-up that effectively uses data visualization to enhance and help tell a story.

I really like the fact that this story includes several types of data visualization, ranging from maps to graphs to charts. The data was eye-catching, easy to read, and complimented the story well from start to finish. I also found the data to be incredibly interesting, which aided in my overall understanding of the article. In my opinion, one of the highlights of the data set was a graph in which scientists outlined the best- and worst-case scenarios for the outbreak by the numbers. In all honesty, I couldn't find many faults with this data visualization project, as it seemed to be accurate and well-designed throughout.

I certainly think that the data visualization within this article helped tell the story better than other means of multimedia journalism, as it was a story focused primarily on the facts and statistics of the Ebola outbreak. Such information can be cumbersome to work with in an audio/video/print environment simply because it's so dense, but data visualization made it very easy for the reader to follow along. The article was also more aesthetically pleasing because of the data visualization, which is critically important in terms of online newswriting.

Mondi and T-Caddy Podcast

For 3 years now the voices of Tyler Cadorette and Mike Raimondi have been hitting the airwaves of 91.5 WWLR in Lyndonville, Vermont.

Two years ago they decided to join forces between their two individual sports talk shows and combine into what we now know as Mondi and T-Caddy.

Mike grew up in a sports family. Even as a young kid, Mike has memories of watching Patriots games with his family. On top of that Mike grew up playing baseball, and still plays for the Lyndon State Hornets to this day.

Tyler didn’t really get into sports until later on in his childhood. Around middle school he began watching the Red Sox and Patriots. At the same time he began to get into television and radio at his local school which has eventually led him to become a part of Lyndon State’s Electronic Journalism program.

The show today has become very popular in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, and has even won a Horney Award for “Best Talk Show.” They specialize in baseball and football, but also have segments on hockey, and bring on guest star Dylan Robichaud to talk about basketball.

Both Tyler and Mike admit that they do favor Boston sports teams, but try to limit their bias as much as possible on the show for the benefit of their listeners.

Beyond the airwaves, Mondi and T-Caddy has a Facebook page where they post recent sports news, and communicate with their listeners. This adds an extra element to their show because they are able to add the opinions of the listeners into the show and respond to them on the air.

If you are interested in the show, check out their Facebook page, or tune into 91.5 WWLR on Monday nights from 8-10. ​

Podcast Proposal

For our podcast, Louis (check out his blog here) and I have decided to record a brief sports rundown that will compliment the topics discussed on Mondi and T-Caddy, which is the weekly sports talk radio show that I produce and host with Mike Raimondi on WWLR 91.5.

The show covers news and notes from around the NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA. The podcast will follow a similar format to that of the radio show, as Mike and I will be introducing and discussing a number of current sports issues and offering our opinions, reactions, and analysis.

The topics included within the podcast will be allotted less time than those of the normal two-hour show, as we want to create a snapshot of the program that still fits within the five to ten minute parameters of the assignment.

In addition to the podcast itself, we will be writing an accompanying article that focuses on the creation and evolution of Mondi and T-Caddy since Mike and I launched the show two years ago. The piece will include information about the idea to start the show, its current format, goals for the future, and other interesting or noteworthy tidbits.

I think our podcast will be engaging because it will be fast-paced, energetic, and informative, much like a typical edition of the show. It also caters to a passionate niche audience. The accompanying article, in turn, will "pull back the curtain" and reveal the inner workings of a start-up college radio show, which I think listeners/readers will find equally appealing.

Blog Design Decisions

My approach in designing my blog was fairly simple: Make it engaging and eye-catching so that it appeals to even the most disinterested online viewers.

I figured the easiest way to do that was to include a lot of bright colors, bold headlines, and captivating pictures. For that reason, I decided to use large yellow font for my blog title and description. I also included a few pictures along the side of the page to further enhance the look and grab the attention of potential readers. I like both pictures because they're high quality and compliment the overall theme of the blog.

I made sure to include a search bar at the top of the page to allow for easy access to different content that I post, such as tags and other key words. Along the left side of the page, I have a blog archive section for similar reasons. I also put a news ticker with headlines and updates from BBC, CNN, and MSNBC. It seemed like a very applicable gadget given the fact that my blog frequently refers to my work in the journalism sector.

At the bottom of my blog, I included an 'About Me' section so that readers can learn more about my personal and professional ventures. Lastly, I included a section in which readers can follow the blog via email or subscribe to posts and comments. I consider this an important part of any professional blog, as it helps with public outreach and maintaining a noticeable online presence.