01/31/08: Colorado
Springs, CO -
News Blab reader Erich submitted the
following phone-cam pics of a bad accident he came upon at Vickers and Academy,
yesterday.
"Singer's 7 on KRDO-TV tonight"
From krdo.com
01/31/08: Colorado
Springs, CO - It began when he
reported and anchored for KKTV 11 News. What he did received national
attention. But then, KKTV made their drastic mistake... one that is still
haunting them today. Eric Singer was one of the "Big Three" that were "let
go" from KKTV to help up ratings. They then brought some new meat into the
market. A plan devised... who knows where, by who knows who...??? Well... KKTV's ratings did indeed change, and
have fallen steadily since that time.
Mr. Singer, who now anchors over at KRDO-TV
is once again making local TV history
with his special report that will air tonight and tomorrow... just in time for
the opening day of the new BOOK!
From the KRDO-TV
website: NEWSCHANNEL 13 - 7 years ago, 7 men made one of the most daring
prison breaks of all time, leading to a more than month-long man-hunt. That
man-hunt, which began in south Texas, ended right here in the Colorado Springs
area. At the time of the incident, NEWSCHANNEL 13 anchor Eric Singer had the
rare opportunity to speak with two of the escapees before their capture. Now, 7
years later, he becomes the first member of the media to talk with one of the
Texas 7 since they were taken back into custody.
On Thursday, January 31st, NEWSCHANNEL 13 at 10:00 airs the exclusive interview
with Patrick Murphy, who was caught at the Holiday Inn just off Garden of the
Gods road on January 24, 2001. Eric traveled to the Texas prison Wednesday where
Murphy is on death row and awaiting execution. The three-part series begins
Thursday at 10:00 and continues Friday and Thursday, February 7th at 10:00.
01/30/08: Colorado
Springs, CO - From the KRDO-TV
website: Police Wednesday seized a note from the gravesite of a woman's
husband which could shed light on the murder of her child this week.
The note was found at Evergreen Cemetery
where Simeon Joseph is buried. Joseph--who took his own life at his home last
October--was married to Maria Joseph and was the father of year-old Ashya
Joseph. Maria is accused of killing her daughter and possibly trying to kill her
four other children by setting a fire at the same home Monday night.
NEWS BLAB EXCLUSIVE:
01/29/08 - 6:00 PM: Colorado Springs, CO - Simeon
Joseph died in October of last year, he took his own life; but why?
His wife, Maria Joseph is accused of taking the life of her youngest, and
attempting the same with her other four children; but why?
What
happened inside this family unit to bring about such trauma, such turmoil, and
such terror?
At the
grave of Simeon Joseph, are flowers, and angels, and a simple note written on a
FLOWERAMA card, and in an envelope addressed to Poppy reads; Simeon,
We love you very much and we all miss you. Please wait for us. We will be
together again.
Love Always & Forever
Your Wifey & kids
FamilyRoo
Photos
by News Blab
reprint
only with written permission
"How did local news stations rate
with this morning's Fire/Homicide story?"
01/29/08: Colorado Springs, CO - As a viewer I am interested in news happening
within my community. This morning's house fire and homicide on Galena Ct. turned
out to be the big news story of the day. Not all the local news stations
treated the story equally. Some went all out, while another treated it as
a secondary topic at first, and still another, even though on-scene, was missing
a key element that could have put them on-top with this story.
Here is
how I have rated the 4 news stations on this morning's top story, in order of
viewer informational completeness.
1 -tie) KRDO Ch 13 - LIVE shots early on from
the scene with Stephanie Wurtz. Good information. Not clear if homicide
was mentioned early on...???
1 -tie) KOAA Ch 5/30 - LIVE shots early on, but
a bit later than KRDO. Good team coverage with Andy Koen on-scene and
Rachel Hoffenberg at the hospital. On camera interview with Lt Skip Arms talking
about it being a homicide.
3) KKTV Ch 11 - NO LIVE shots from scene early
on. Taped/VO report once video fed or taken back to studio. Good on-phone
interview with Lt Skip Arms. May have been first to report it was a
possible homicide.
4) KXRM Ch 21 - Terrible early on reporting of
this story. NO LIVE shots, and only a very brief mention of the fire, well
within the newscast. This was after ridiculous opening small talk about some
free music website tease, then weather, then who knows what else. Possible
producer training needed after this major over-look.
UPDATE: 01/30/08: A
News Blab reader wrote to tell me they heard KRDO News Radio 1240AM/105.5FM
break the homicide portion of the story at 5:30 AM, yesterday via a LIVE radio
interview with Lt Skip Arms. I confirmed this with KRDO News Radio.
"News Director leaving KRDO-TV"
01/29/08: Colorado Springs, CO - From Rick Gevers website: DAVE ROSE is
stepping down as ND for this News-Press & Gazette owned ABC affiliate after
almost 12 years as ND (he'd also been an ND there earlier in his career).
Dave says family pressures due to the health of his parents are the reason.
Here is
the job announcement:
NEWS DIRECTOR, KRDO-TV,
Colorado Springs, CO
KRDO, NewsChannel 13, the ABC affiliate in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado,
is looking for a News Director. KRDO is owned and operated by the News-Press &
Gazette Company and strives to the best and most reliable provider of local
information communication and entertainment services.
Required Qualifications: Applicants must have a degree in Journalism,
Broadcasting or related field, a minimum of five years experience in broadcast
news, excellent time management skills, effective communication skills, an
ability to work in a high stress, fast paced environment with multiple daily
deadlines, good organizational skills, and excellent news judgment. Candidates
must have previous News Director or management experience.
When applying for this position, please note your referral source and send
resumes to:
News Channel 13
Attn: Human Resources
399 S. 8th Street
Colorado Springs, CO. 80905
Telephone (719) 632-1515
Fax (719) 444-8601
Email: personnel@krdotv.com
Successful candidate must pass a drug test and background check. News Channel 13
is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Posting Closes: 3/1/08 or when position is filled.
"Changes at KKTV 11 News"
01/28/08: Colorado Springs, CO - Sounds like Davie, Donny, Brian, and
Betty are moving to 4PM. They announced that their 4:30 PM newscast will
now be a 4:00 PM newscast, starting next week.
Also a
News Blab reader sent me a "Got a tip?" form saying a KKTV van was seen being
trailer-ed south on I-25 near Briargate today, and looked like it had been in a
roll-over accident. I hope it wasn't the same van that rolled a while
back.
Anyone got
the 411 on the van roll-over?
"Parents.. teach your kids about thin ice!"
01/28/08: Colorado Springs, CO - This past weekend was a busy one for the
Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) responding to area lakes because kids
were adventuring onto areas of thin ice. In some cases, small children
fell through the ice, and luckily for them... lived to tell about it.
Prospect
Lake was the scene for a number of these "ice rescue" responses. In the
photos below, Station 1 firefighters were called after a report of small
children falling through the ice.
Parents.... you best get with your kids and emphasize the dangers involved when
wandering onto a lake of ice.
Photos by News Blab
"Hey KKTV, your brethren don't agree"
01/28/08: Colorado Springs, CO - I've received numerous "Got a tip?"
comments, last night and today that... basically want to tell KKTVers, that one
story does not make you the power leader. The proof is in sustained news
action, which it appears they don't feel you can perform with any satisfaction.
One suggestion was, "...maybe a news blue pill may help...".
And
another such comment noted, ..."So KKTV is now trying to become a real
station., are they not #3, or very close to it? I know at my station, we
were not lazy, we work each day to give the best news we can. ... The real test
is less than a week when the Book begins. We shall see, who SHINES..."
Even
though that news blue pill may be hard to swallow, KKTV... a tablespoon
of honey along with a glass of water, may help with the bitterness within.
"What, KKTV a REAL news station?"
01/27/08: Colorado Springs, CO - Every once-in-a-while I get reminded;
reminded that I'm not always right. Hey... I'm only human, even though
some in the media think I'm sub-human, every once-in-a-while. Anyway... I
received the following "Got a tip?" comment today.
"How about those
EXCLUSIVES with Jeremy Vasquez two days in a row on KKTV. Heard everyone at the
other stations were talking about it but couldn't get off their lazy butts to
pursue the story. Hmmmm. Real news stations get REAL stories"... and I'm guessing it came from a
KKTVer. He or she is referring to a couple of things I wrote recently; one
an e-mail I sent to all four news stations, with a little quote about good
reporters versus bad reporters.
Okay...
yes, KKTV did do two stories about Jeremy Vasquez,
the boy who was shot in the
head by a teenage gunman, and survived, after his friend died from being shot by
that gunman. Nice work KKTV.
Butt... I
mean, but... another
"Got a tip?" comment I received, from I'm guessing, a KKTVer, was not a good
tip. Actually it was like experiencing a Deja Vu moment. Someone
wrote and asked why I was outside your building yesterday, taking pictures?
Ahhh... I seem to remember a while back when I got a call on my cell phone
from your assistant ND, asking the same thing, but he thought I was there as he
was calling me. Truth was, I was sitting in my comfy recliner when I
answered his call, and I hadn't been anywhere near KKTV.
Same thing
goes for yesterday. Whoever thought they saw me must have been smokin' the
"good stuff". Don't you guys have drug testing over there???
Note:
Here's a tip... I don't Waste my time by showing up near your building anymore.
And that's 'W'aste, with a capital "W". Now get out there and get some
hard news for this viewer, darn it all to paranoid popsicles!
"History Channel may be blowing smoke with
"UFO Hunters" series name"
A joint News Blab / UFOHunters.net
EXCLUSIVE:
01/27/08: Entertainment News - It
appears that the History Channel may be blowing smoke, claiming the UFO Hunters
series name is their original idea. According to the website of the company
filming the UFO based series for the History Channel, the original name was
going to be "UFO Road Trip", which may have been changed to UFO Hunters after
the SciFi Channel announced a series with that name in July of last year. Just
because the History Channel filed for trademark registration of the mark "UFO
HUNTERS" in October of last year, six days before the film company filming for
SciFi, doesn't mean they had the series name idea first.
A quick check of the Motion Picture Production, Inc. website clearly shows what
the name of the History Channel series was going to be, and it wasn't UFO
Hunters. The website is still referring to it as "UFO Road Trip", which is a 13
part series being filmed to be shown on the History Channel, and the History
Channel is sending out promos and press releases saying their "UFO Hunters" is
going to be a new 13 part series. What are the odds of that...???
On www.ufohunters.net is a screenshot of
the Motion Picture Production, Inc. website, referring to the "other" name.
"Video of yesterday's officer assault,
aftermath"
01/26/08: Colorado Springs, CO - News Blab
EXCLUSIVE
- As I wrote yesterday, a wanted
fugitive assaulted a CSPD officer after that officer attempted to stop the
criminal, according to the CSPD blotter entry, for shoplifting at a local
store. Turns out, two officers sustained injuries in the encounter. The fugitive
criminal was taken to the hospital, cuffed, as seen in the photo and video. The
CSPD blotter also listed his extensive criminal record.
Here are a few still shots from
the raw video I shot, which is also located below.
EXCLUSIVE News Blab photos & video:
Photos & video by News Blab
"CSPD Officer assault brings Code 3 response!"
Photo by News Blab
01/25/08: Colorado Springs, CO - News Blab
EXCLUSIVE
- As jurors in the murder trial of CSPD
Detective Jared Jensen are preparing to visit the scene of the crime, on the
other side of town another CSPD police officer was busy fighting off a wanted
fugitive who has a lengthy arrest record. That CSPD officer was assaulted by the
criminal after a traffic stop was made in the Sears parking lot on Southgate
Rd., this afternoon.
The
officer could be heard telling the fugitive to place his hands on the car, and
moments later he was calling for help asking for a code three response.
Luckily,
other officers were already on the way after hearing the previous radio traffic.
Trained police officers know when there is trouble, even if only a second or two
of radio traffic can be heard. And in Colorado Springs, we have some of
the best Police Officers in the Country!
A good
number of officers arrived on-scene to assist. The criminal, being tasered
during the struggle, was taken to the hospital in cuffs. And at least one
officer sustained injuries.
More EXCLUSIVE pictures and video, Saturday on News
Blab...
"Hey.. you forgot my link!"
01/25/08: Colorado Springs, CO - I was doing a bit of web browsing
today and ran across the website of the "Colorado Springs Press Association".
On their media links page they have failed to display a link for News Blab.
Why do you think that is...???
From their site:
The Colorado Springs Press Association provides a
forum for the education, ethics and cooperation needed to enhance the profession
of journalism and increase awareness and understanding of the profession in the
Pikes Peak region.
We are working journalists, joined by members of the community, all of whom are
committed to the protection and promotion of a free press.
01/25/08: Colorado Springs, CO - You know it's a slow news day
when your local paper reports about their own website going down for a six hour
period. The Gaz site reportedly went down on Wednesday evening, staying
off-line until 11 PM. Did anyone notice???
