Monday, October 31, 2005

KUTR web site updated


Utah radio station for women, KUTR ("Utah's New AM 820) has a new look on its website. My wife does the morning show with Kurt Bestor and this is their fun new picture featured on the site. The site is prettier than the simple "place holder" page it replaces, but IMHO its user interface needs some work.

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Changes at CBS News

Les Moonves is making good on his promise to blow up his news division. Andrew Heyward is out as president of CBS News. He'll be replaced by CBS Sports President Sean McManus. Get ready for the earth to move there.

Reports are Heyward hung on long enough to reach his 55th birthday and cash out with more dough. Suggestions were made earlier in the year that Heyward should have been fired for the network's handling of its reporting on President Bush's National Guard service.

Monday, October 17, 2005

Presenting at Teachnology Expo


I'll be presenting at the BYU Teachnology Expo on November 4. My topic will be a software application I've been developing with the Center for Instructional Design during my Teaching with Technology Fellowship.

The software application is nearing completion. My TV news producing students have been testing the beta version this semester; next semester students in the class will be using version 1. Sometime next year it will be bundled with a television news producing textbook.

Update: Presentation video

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Convergence conference

Capping a busy Homecoming Week, we hosted a conference on journalism convergence this week at BYU. Quint Randle and I gave a presentation on the state of convergence at BYU. One of the first (if not the first) journalism programs in the U.S. to embrace the concept, we've now backed off. The print and broadcast sequences have been separated administratively (although they continue to share some key classes, such as newswriting and journalism research) and, more importantly, the labs are now separate. That, along with the addition of some very good lab supervisors has made all the difference: this past year the BYU broadcast program placed second in the nation in the Hearst competition and a drastic increase in placements.

A highlight of the conference was the podcasting workshop, conducted by Scott Lunt, one of our graduate students. He's also posted an excellent web site with hints instruction for new podcasters. Scott's a public broadcaster who is teaching a radio documentary class for us this semester. He's a very bright guy and we're lucky to have him in our program.

Saturday, October 15, 2005

Newsweek cover story by BYU grad


Elise Christensen Soukup, a 2002 graduate of BYU's journalism program has this week's cover story in Newsweek. "The Mormon Odyssey" details the history and growth of the LDS Church. Elise served an internship with Newsweek in 2002, winning the Internship Student of the Year Award from the Cooperative Education and Internship Association. She was subsequently hired on to work fulltime.

Elise's story is balanced. Apparently she has received criticism from both devout Mormons and anti-Mormons.

In addition to the magazine piece, Elise responded to questions in a live web Q and A. You can read the transcript on MSNBC.com.

Also, Newsweek's podcast had a companion piece, "A Mormon Moment."
The opinions stated here are my own and in no way reflect those of Brigham Young University, its students, faculty, or sponsoring institution.