Sunday, May 29, 2005

New Job for Bieke

Well...I'm leaving Northern Michigan. I'm taking a job at WPRI in Providence, Rhode Island. I'll still be directing a morning show. Now it's just a morning show in a bigger market. I'm very excited, and I'll probably be moving in about 2 1/2 weeks. More details to come.

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Video Journalists...Scary!!

I don't know how many of you read Lost Remote (www.lostremote.com), but if you don't, the debate is raging over there about video journalists, the future of photogs, and one-man-bands.

It all has to do with an interview with Lost Remote did with TV consultant Michael Rosenblum who says that two-person crews to report a story will soon pass us by. As the story says, "Why should you listen? Rosenblum coined the "VJ" name and brought one-man-bands to NY1 back in 1992. Since then he's trained VJs at the BBC, Oxygen Media and New York Times Television, just to name a few. And the VJ movement is just getting started. Earlier this month, KRON-TV surprised local TV newsrooms everywhere with the announcement that it will soon transition to VJs."

It's a very interesting read, and the detailed comments (more than 50) from people in and out of the business discussing the ramifications of this approach is riviting. Read it here...

Bieke

Saturday, May 21, 2005

Alzamora Update

How's everyone doing? I now have a new e-mail address. It is malzamora@ktab.tv so drop me a line whenever.

Everything is going ok so far down here in Abilene. By the way, I am doing my first LIVE shot today during the 6:00pm newscast. Wish me luck. Take care everyone.

Mike Alzamora #35

Friday, May 13, 2005

KTKA sold, KSNT next

Lawrence company pays $6.2 million for ABC affiliate
By Michael Hooper
The Capital-Journal


A company affiliated with The Lawrence Journal-World has agreed to purchase KTKA-TV, Channel 49, for $6.2 million, according to an application and purchase agreement accepted Monday by the Federal Communications Commission.

Free State Communications LLC has agreed to buy the television station and building, 2121 S.W. Chelsea, from Northeast Kansas Broadcast Services Inc., Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. Free State Communications lists its address as 609 New Hampshire, Lawrence, which is the address of The Journal-World.
e sale because it was pending. Free State Communications lists Gage as its resident agent, according to the Kansas secretary of state's Web site. The 50-page sale agreement was signed on behalf of Free State Communications by Patrick Knorr, general manager of Sunflower Broadband, the World Co.'s Internet service provider.

Berl Brechner, president of Northeast Kansas Broadcast Services Inc., said the sale is pending a 30-day comment period, with final approval scheduled for this summer.

Meanwhile, Emmis Communications, owner of KSNT-TV, Channel 27, in Topeka, announced Tuesday it has put its television assets up for sale.

Emmis, of Indianapolis, owns 16 television stations, including KSNW-TV NBC 3 in Wichita.

"Our decision to explore strategic alternatives for our television assets comes from our ongoing dedication to lowering our debt and putting us in a better position for growth," said Jeffrey Smulyan, chief executive officer, president and chairman of Emmis.

Earlier this year, Brechner sold radio station KTPK-FM/Topeka for $5.7 million to JMJ Broadcasting Co. KTPK is located in the KTKA-TV building.

Brechner said he was selling the properties for "family and personal reasons."

"It's time for us to make these changes," he said.

Brian Byrnes, vice president with Media Venture Partners, the broker in the deal, said the World Co. was acquiring a good station in a well-equipped building.

"It's a fine station," Byrnes said. "The Brechner family did a great job over the years. The World Co. will do a great job, too.

"It's a terrific facility. It's well equipped. It's got good people, and I know the World Co. has good people. It will be an excellent marriage."

Ann Brill, dean of the journalism school at The University of Kansas, said Dolph C. Simons, chairman of the World Co., has a history of putting money back into properties and making them better. The World's convergence of online, television and print properties has become a model for other media all over the world, she said.

"They've been winning awards and setting trends," she said. "It will be fascinating to watch what they do with this station. It's not going to be business as usual. I expect innovation and overall good for the audience."

KTKA-TV, the ABC affiliate, dropped its local news team about three years ago. The station went on the air in 1983 as KLDH-TV. After Brechner bought the station in 1986, it was given new call letters, KTKA-TV.

KTKA-TV has about 30 employees, according to an article by The Journal-World.

Dolph Simons, grandson of Journal-World founder W.C. Simons, has been editor and publisher of the newspaper since 1962.

The World Co. also owns newspapers in Tonganoxie, Baldwin City, Basehor, Bonner Springs, Eudora, Lansing, Shawnee and DeSoto. A related enterprise created by The World Co., WorldWest LLC, owns newspapers in Payson, Ariz., and Steamboat Springs and Craig, Colo.

The company also owns the cable television franchise for Lawrence and activated service to customers in December 1971. More than 80 percent of Lawrence's households receive cable television on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6. Sunflower also offers cable television service in Douglas County, Eudora, Tonganoxie, Basehor and Piper.

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Sweeps Update

Sweeps..

Sex offenders, sex offenders and more sex offenders... what's new?

but this was the story that had everyone talking... and LAUGHING..

http://www.wkyt.com/Global/story.asp?S=3332484


Kristen Glover

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

More news back on the way to Topeka?

Guess who's back? KTKA is getting back in the news game -- after it was purchased by Dolph Simons and the World Company.

http://www.ljworld.com/section/breaking/story/204318

We're supposed to have local news up and running (again) in Topeka by the fall. Drop me a line - mrigg@6newslawrence.com - if anybody you know needs a job.

Rigg

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Alzamora Update

How's everyone doing? I am happy to inform that I am now the new Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter at KTAB-TV, the CBS affiliate in Abilene, TX. Yes that is the sister station to KRBC, the station Tawnya works for. And yes, we both work in the same building. So it is safe to say that a pair of Jayhawks are taking over this town. I've been here for a solid week and it's really not bad. This past weekend was my first time on air down here and it went ok. I don't have a new e-mail address yet, but my old one malzamora@inn-news.net still works. Keep in touch.

Mike Alzamora

Saturday, May 07, 2005

Sweeps!!!

This was in my inbox today:

Who's doing what for sweeps? If you can't tell because you're afraid you're gonna get scooped, then tell what you've already done!

Congratulations

Hey, I'm just back this week from Kodi Tillery's wedding. Actually, I guess she's not a Tillery any more. But anywho, it was a lovely affair, and I got to enjoy it with J-School buddies Doug Donahoo, Cary Dreher, Dick Nelson, Larry Baden, and for a short time Joy Larson. Congrats to Kodi, and I'll have a few video captures of the ceremony soon.

Bieke