Working the Web

Last night was my second week delving into the web world of komu.com. When I arrived the other web editors and I first discussed what had been completed on the afternoon shift and what still needed to be done after the 6 pm newscast concluded. Cotweet was up and running so it was our job to quote the reporters who had been updating their twitter feeds from the field, so their facts and updates show up directly on the KOMU twitter page. After the 6 pm newscast was over, I made sure we had images and web extras from each reporter and that their web story was at least started or preferably completed.

The next big thing on the agenda was preparing for President Obama's State of the Union address. One of our political beat reporters was running a live blog from home for komu.com about the speech. We made sure a web story was made and put at the top of the ranking list so it would be available along with the live blog, as the first story on the website. Avid was set to record and capture and after a 69 minute speech, it was complete so we could put it on the web. One of the challenges about the speech for our software was its longevity so it look a lot more space and time than our normal stories to upload. However after some patient waiting, we were still able to capture the 10 pm show and make sure the video from those stories was posted on the web as well.

My main job was to make sure all of the stories from the 5, 6, and 10 pm shows had images. The process of getting images from reporters takes many steps but goes quickly after a few tries. Most of the images from the dayside reporters were done, but some were not as clear or exciting as I wanted so I pulled some of the memory cards from the cameras used by these reporters and captured new images. The process begins with inserting the memory card of video and capturing a still image from that video. Then I save and open it in photoshop, crop it to the correct resolution for the website and save it again. After opening the web story in our content management system, we create an asset for the image by adding a title, captions and keywords to make it more searchable on the website. Once the cropped image is attached to the asset it is placed with the story and approved. Once approved and saved, the story is ranked and appears on the front page of our website with the images. I completed images for the 5, 6 and 10 pm shows and also made sure the 10 pm reporters had written their web stories and provided us with web extras.

As I said it is a long but pretty simple process and I am becoming more confident with the programs and software every shift! Soon I will begin to learn flash, flickr, Adobe Illustrator and other ways to spice up the stories with slideshows and interactive graphics. I cant wait!

Thanks for tuning in!

Links to stories I posted/produced

Suicide Prevention

Toyota Recall

Free and reduced lunch program in elementary schools

First Nation Report

Here is my first nation report from tonight's 5 pm newscast-enjoy!

MU System Email Follow-up

Today, I was in studio for a follow-up report about my story last week. After an email sent to MU system employees on Martin Luther King Day, some worried about possible pay and benefit cuts. The survey will ask employees to rank which benefits are most valuable to them. However, after a meeting with the University of Missouri-Rolla faculty senate, the VP of Human Resources confirmed that there will not be an increase in retirement contributions. Even though retirement funds took a loss last summer, recovery now reassures employees that at least retirement benefits will not change. The benefits survey is not yet available.

Here is my in-studio report at the top of the show and the wrap-up at the end of the show.

Link to my story

Introducing...

This final semester of college is an exciting yet challenging time. With new classes, learning all there is to know about the web, becoming well-connected and part of the social media world, as well as continuing my job as a reporter and anchor, it is always good to take time to stop and reflect on what is important to me and what makes me happy.

My four years at Mizzou have definitely taught me many things, among them one of the most important is to cherish the presence and support of family and friends. Being all the way from Arizona made my time at home precious these four years, and going back home to Phoenix is something I am definitely considering upon graduation. With the friendships and lasting memories I have formed here at school, Mizzou has definitely become my home away from home.

As a way for you to learn more about me, my thoughts, my hobbies and what has shaped me into the woman I am today, I would like to officially bring "Quote of the Week" to my blog.

This will give me a chance to share some of my favorite quotes, stories and thoughts as I continue to share my journalism and web experience.

Enjoy and as always...brighten up with Bonnie!

This first quote that you can see in the graphic at the top, "Dare to Dream, Dare to Fly, Dare to be the Ever Chosen One to Touch the Sky," is a good way for me to start off the semester. My adventures these next few months will have a huge impact on the start of my career and adult life. I am delving into a new realm of the journalism and communications world with my web journey. I will be learning new programs, multimedia systems, and innovative ways to stay connected with my peers, my community. I will also be focusing on my job search. With that comes new responsibility, a new place and the opportunity for new relationships and networks to blossom. Soaring through these next few months with a positive outlook of what is ahead will be the best way to navigate through these new adventures.

Becoming a Web Editor

Last Wednesday, my new dot com shift at KOMU began. This was the first time I was able to sit down at the news desk and have the responsibility of making sure the web site was updated, stories were posted, pictures and video were clear, cotweet was quoting our reporters from the field...and the list of duties goes on. Overwhelming at first, as the hours ticked by I started to become more familiar with our Content Management System (CMS), Avid Active Content Manager or ACM. This is the system KOMU uses to post everything that is found on our website www.komu.com.

I was able to learn how to create stories for the reporters to write their copy in as well as edit their story video and move it from avid to ACM after it airing on the 10 pm show. We use clip browser and then photoshop to capture still images and size them correctly for the website. I created a story, posted the images and video, added keywords to make it searchable, and ranked the story so it showed up correctly on the website all in my first shift! This was a very exciting accomplishment.

Even though being a web editor is new territory for me, since I am accustomed to being on the reporting or anchoring side of the news room, so far I am really enjoying the new web world of the news. Not only will I become proficient with the software and ways to spruce up content and visuals on the website this semester, I will also have a high focus of becoming extremely involved in the social media world. Communication, news and the world of web changes on a daily basis. My goal this semester is to ride with that change and learn as much as I can so I am confident and ready for what is ahead in career.

Link to the story I posted/produced for the web

Survey Worries MU Employees

On Tuesday January 18th, I started my dayside live shot shifts for the 5 and 6 pm shows. An email was sent out Monday January, 18th, a holiday, to all MU employees telling them about an upcoming survey about their pay and benefits. Since it was a holiday, none of the employees from the Vice President's office who sent it were available to comment or explain. Uncertainty spread like wildfire around campus since the survey is going to ask about which benefits and pay employees value the most. Due to the fact that they would be asked to rank the benefits and pay, many became skeptical and worried that is was a warning for cuts in the near future. Last summer the retirement benefits program was cut and a survey like this could anticipate more to come.

Since my shift was on a Tuesday and people were back to their normal working day, I was able to speak with the Vice President of Benefits for the UM system and address employee concerns. She answered my questions about the cuts with an assurance that this is simply to provide input from employees and nothing will be taken away from their pay of benefits plans. She also explained that sending the email on a holiday was not intentional or for any specific reason.

At the 5 pm I was in studio and the 6 pm, I was live in front of University Hall, the office of the UM system.

Link to my story

Happy 2010!

Welcome back! Second semester of my senior year is finally underway...I am nervous but excited for what is to come after graduation.

Back in Columbia means back at KOMU 8 News, anchoring, live reporting and even a new shift this semester. I am working our website www.komu.com

Stay tuned for updates on my live reports, anchor shifts, dot com adventures and soon to come my very own website www.bonniejoythomas.com! : )

Here is my First Nation report from Monday January 18th.