Tuesday, April 27, 2004

Another iNews country heard from

The station I worked at over the summer in Dallas uses iNews. I liked it a lot partly because there is a feature that acts almost like an instant messaging program. I had quite some fun with that especially during a boring Saturday afternoon. As long as the person has a username in the system you can send them an IM and a "ding" notifies them that they have a message. If they're not logged on, not to worry, it will stay saved until the next time they are on. Anyway it's good program and everyone at the station liked it as well, for more reasons than mentioned above.

Jason Matisof

Editor's Note: Ah, I can see the potential of annoying your coworkers. I like this program already.

Monday, April 26, 2004

iNews answer

MB: I saw Avid iNews at NAB. It is pretty impressive. Seems to be catching on in a lot of newsrooms.

Dick

Saturday, April 17, 2004

Hey I got a question for all you TV techies out there. I want to put together a resume tape but don't really know where to start. Obviously I want to highlight my directing skills without boring the person looking at the tape by showing an entire newscast. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'd really appreciate it! Either post it on here or send me an e-mail, jmat22@ku.edu

Thanks ya'll - Jason Matisoff

Thursday, April 15, 2004

Vegas, Baby

Anybody going to RTNDA/NAB? I will be there. I'm even moderating a panel on convergence (9 am Wednesday) and will do my best to act like I actually know something about it.

Dick Nelson

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

Producers Take Note!

Hey fellow J-Hawks, greetings from sunny Florida. I have a job heads up. We're in desperate need of producers here at WINK TV in Fort Myers. We're looking for a 5 p.m. and an associate producer. The 5 p.m. is a great show, some local some national news. The AP job is mainly editing, but a great way to get your foot in the door. Pay isn't all that great, but you can't beat the location. If you'd like more information, send me an email at mkat19@yahoo.com. Our EP is also a KU grad and is dying to get another Jayhawk on staff. Hope everyone is doing well!

Molly Dallon

Avid Question

Hey,

Anybody using Avid Newscutter and/or Avid iNews in their newsroom? My station is thinking about getting it, and I just wanted some third party opinions that I could call my own.

Bieke

Monday, April 12, 2004

Pope Update!!!

For all you fellow KSNTers, a final word on Kevin Pope. I ran into him this weekend here in lawrence. He didn't leave for another position, instead he's currently "in between jobs." So for all of you wondering about the Pontif, he's unemployed and wandering the streets of Lawrence. Hide the children and lock the doors!

Eric Boedeker

Thursday, April 08, 2004

Heads Up

Sherwood passed this along. If you're worried about it, you might want to double check the website below.

Early on April 2, 2004, technical staff at the University of Kansas, Lawrence campus, discovered that a pharmacy server in Student Health Services at Watkins Memorial Health Center was targeted by an individual or individuals attempting to obtain unauthorized access. The University contacted the FBI and KU Public Safety about this computer crime and an investigation is underway. The affected server contained data from pharmacy operations between July 1,1994 and January 26, 2004. It is not clear which data, if any may have been accessed. The affected server is no longer in operation. Information in files contained on the affected server varied by patient. Files, if accessed, contained the following types of data:

Patient Demographic Information: KU ID number and/or Social Security number; name; address; phone; birth date; and other pertinent information such as drug allergies. Patient Medication information such as items dispensed, patient instructions, cost and prescriber's name and address. Insurance information provided to process claims such as name and insurance identification number.

The unauthorized access of this information could result in possible identity theft. We urge you to address this possibility by consulting the information on the following web site:

www.ku.edu/identity

Information on this website will be periodically updated. If you have remaining questions after reading this letter and reviewing the website, you may contact the University by emailing KUassists@ku.edu or by calling a toll free number 1-877-529-4295. Local callers may use 864-9147. The phone line will be staffed Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. CDT.

We regret this situation and any difficulty it may cause you.

Carol Seager

Crushed Dove

So there's not really been much news from us lately. I'm sure we're all just at the grind at work. So I'll share a story from the LJ World today. It's Chuck Woodling's of a memorable day in his life a year ago. It was also very memorable for Doug and I, and the story, I think, captures everyone's recollections of a incredibly interesting day. Here ya go:

Wooding: Al Bohl's driveway: a year later
By Chuck Woodling, Sports Editor


Contemporary days of infamy usually start with Dec. 7, 1941, include Nov. 22, 1963 and conclude with Sept. 11, 2001.

I'll never forget April 8, 2003, either, although that date contained no catastrophic events.

Nevertheless, it was the most bizarre day in the history of Kansas University athletics.

At 3 p.m. on that day -- less than 48 hours after KU had played Syracuse in the NCAA men's basketball championship game in New Orleans -- Chancellor Robert Hemenway announced to a packed media session that athletic director Al Bohl was "leaving his position effective immediately."

In other words, Bohl had become the first Kansas University athletic director ever to be fired. Not that the handwriting wasn't on the wall. Bohl had clearly lost the confidence of coaches, athletic department administrators and boosters during his 20-month tenure.

Many thought Bohl should have been handed his walking papers earlier, and Hemenway admitted he delayed the firing so as not to distract from the Jayhawks' march through the NCAA Tournament.

Media attending Hemenway's announcement in Hadl Auditorium figured to receive a perfunctory written statement from Bohl handed out by the sports information office.

No way. Bohl wanted to give his side of the story in person. Since KU would not make a venue available, Bohl decided to do it in the driveway of his home on Wimbledon Drive adjacent to Alvamar Country Club.

And so, a handful of television satellite trucks and numerous media turned Bohl's residential street into a media mecca, no doubt startling Bohl's neighbors and passers-by.

At that stage, the atmosphere was uncommon at best, strange at worst. Then Bohl passed out copies of a statement he had generated on his home computer. Moments later, Bohl read the statement with TV cameras rolling and tape recorders whirring.

This was, for now and forever, to be known as the "Crushed Dove" speech.

Bohl accused KU basketball coach Roy Williams of hatred and vindictiveness, adding that Williams held Bohl in his hand like a dove.

"He had the choice," Bohl stated, "to either crush me with his power of influence, or let me fly with my visions for a better total program. He chose to crush me."

Ohmigoodness, I remember thinking at the time. Did I really hear what I just heard?

Anyone with any connection with the KU athletic department knew Williams was just one of many who had cast stones. Bohl's dismissal had not been a one-man show. It had been a team effort.

As proof, Williams bolted for North Carolina five days later, effectively ending speculation he would come back for a 16th season on Mount Oread if Bohl were discharged.

Had Williams stayed -- and to this day I believe he listened too much to his heart and not enough to his head -- I've often wondered how Williams would have interacted with Lew Perkins, the man who replaced Bohl. I can't envision there would be any conflicts, but it does appear Williams feels more comfortable working for men who hired him.

Williams worked amicably for 14 years under Bob Frederick, the Kansas AD who hired him in 1988, and now he's working for North Carolina AD Dick Baddour, the man who lured him -- with Dean Smith's help -- back to Tobacco Road.

What's done is done. Both Williams and Bohl are gone. Williams landed on his feet, but Bohl has dropped out of sight. He's living in St. Augustine, Fla., where his wife Sherry is teaching first grade in a public elementary school. I couldn't reach him because he and his wife are vacationing.

Anyway, it was a year ago this week that the face of Kansas University athletics began to change.

Bohl's polarization of KU athletics convinced Hemenway he needed to take a giant step to boost Kansas into major-player status in today's high-powered, cutthroat world of million-dollar bowl and television contracts.

In making Perkins the highest-paid university athletic director in the country ($400,000 salary, with an undisclosed annuity worth at least that much and probably more), Hemenway served notice he believes the only way to compete in contemporary NCAA Division One athletics is to spend money.

Whether the chancellor is right or wrong will be determined in the marketplace of athletic success or failure.