"Bed-intruder song"

A viral video that's gotten a lot of attention lately has caught the eyes of our newsroom and I'll share it with you.

It's called "Bed-intruder song" and while the story began from a very serious topic, it has been transformed into a YouTube sensation and iTunes hit. Some critics argue it perpetuates stereotypes yet others say it shows people standing up for something.

It originated from a news story (actually aired by one of our sister stations) about an attempted rapist. The older brother of a woman who was attacked was interviewed and his on-air interview turned into a pop song by two brothers who "Auto-tune the News." They digitally convert the voices of newsmakers into songs and post them on YouTube.

Read this AP article about what Antoine Dodson, the man at the center of this viral video, is doing with his 15 minutes of fame.

You've got to watch the original news story first.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzNhaLUT520

Then watch the auto-tuned song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMtZfW2z9dw

Training at UMC

Whew! It's been a long time since my last blog post. Sorry about that. I just want to give a little update as to what I've been up to.

I've had the incredible opportunity to receive some extra training in reporting at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

I have to say that learning from the best of the best in the business is both awe-inspiring and intimidating. I've heard from multiple award winning journalists, including a Pultizer prize winner. I've been shown many new tools to help me gather research and data on a number of subjects.

Now that I've learned how and where to look for important stories affecting the Heartland, I just hope I can deliver the caliber of reporting required for such a feat. Check back for an update.

Thank you Polar Plunge donors!

I just want to write a little note thanking anyone who donated to the Special Olympics during the Polar Plunge a little more than a week ago. The Live, Local, Ice Breaking team won the Silver Plunger (2nd place) award for Best Dressed in our reporting outfits. However, the most important thing is that the fundraiser raised $39,565 for the Special Olympics. There were 224 plungers who submersed themselves in 34 degree water with an air temperature of 28 on February 6. Check out the pictures below courtesy Duncan Phenix and Tyler Profilet.

Plunge with me!

In less than a week I plan to do something most people would probably think is completely stupid, but I think it's pretty cool. In fact it's so cool it's freezing! The Polar Plunge at Lake Boutin in Trail of Tears will be full of plungers to raise money for the Special Olympics Saturday, February 6.

I'm hoping to not catch cold, but willing to take the risk. I'm asking you to join me and the rest of the KFVS Polar Plunge team. All money goes to the Special Olympics. This is especially important because the state Special Olympics for Missouri will be in Cape Girardeau in August. The event will bring in 800 athletes and their families.

Just click here to donate. Just select the team member you wish to support from the list and select the “Support Me” link on their individual page. Thank you for your support.

From Biloxi to the Heartland

Since it's the eve of what could turn out to be a major snow event in the Heartland, I'll share some not so snowy pictures.

I just returned from a Digital Media Conference in Biloxi, Mississippi. I met with other Web Managers about the best ways we can deliver news content to you.

The weather was sunny and breezy. It was a big contrast to this cold, snowy weather in the Heartland.

Do you have suggestions for our website that could make it better? I want to know. What information would you like to see? Email me at chendricks@kfvs12.com or leave your comments below.

I was able to dip my fingers in the bay and pick up a few seashells before heading back to the Heartland.

Getting rid of free antenna TV?

I've noticed a public service announcement on the airwaves recently from the National Association of Broadcasters. It's a 30 second spot "informing viewers of discussions in Washington that could limit free, over-the-air broadcast television." This comes after several third-party groups submitted requests to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) calling for the reallocation of broadcast spectrum for new wireless broadband devices.

I've had a couple of people ask me if their free antenna TV is going away. I can say no, right now.

According to an article in Television Broadcasting Magazine, the FCC is backing off on reallocating broadcast spectrum for broadband for now. According to an article by Broadcasting & Cable, a former cable executive working on the broadband team says "the plan currently being prepared for vetting by the FCC commissioners would be voluntary and would not require any broadcaster to sell its spectrum."

Just after the finish of the digital transition over the summer, the FCC started floating around the idea of reallocating spectrum. "FCC staffer Blair Levin first mentioned the idea of taking broadcast spectrum for the national broadband plan, which would likely place it in the hands of wireless telephone service providers. The commission issued a Public Notice Dec. 2 seeking feedback on a reallocation. A coalition representing 226 TV stations responded that the FCC needed to collect more hard data on demand for spectrum."

A national broadband wireless plan is due to Congress by February 17, but FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has requested a one month extension.

When that report does come out, we'll see what it in it. In the meantime, what do you think about reallocating the spectrum for antenna TV? Would you be affected if free antenna TV goes away or are you content with cable or satellite?

Cyber Monday deals and safe shopping tips

After stuffing our faces with turkey and dressing and working off that extra piece of pumpkin pie getting up early for the deals on Black Friday, you may still be searching for that perfect Christmas gift.

Cyber Monday has arrived and retailers are counting on that extra web traffic raise their bottom line, especially after early numbers from Black Friday find shoppers spent less on their purchases this year for Black Friday than last year.

The term was first coined in 2005 after Shop.org, a website by the National Retail Federation, noticed a large spike in online shopping the Monday after Thanksgiving. It's seen by many retailers, shoppers and the media as the official kick-off to the online holiday shopping season. That's when workers would typically use their work's online connection to surf the web for deals. Shop.org offers a nice guide to Cyber Monday shopping.

CyberMonday.com seems to be the "official" Cyber Monday site.

CyberMonday.net also boast some good deals.

Supercybermonday.com is another site with online deals.

Gottadeal.com tracks the Cyber Monday deals.

Mr. Dealfinder.com offers coupon codes for Cyber Monday discounts.

Facebookers and Tweeple--you can become a fan of Mr. Dealfinder on Facebook or follow Mr. Dealfinder on Twitter.

Become a fan of Cyber Monday on Facebook or follow it on Twitter.

Many retailers are tweeting and Facebooking. For example you can follow MySears, toysRUS, Bestbuy, kmartDealsnNews, WalmartSpecials and TargeT on Twitter.

Some retailers are carrying the Cyber Monday deals throughout the week, so keep your eye out for those.

Of course, you'll want to make sure your online purchases are safe. On Guard Online.gov, a website put together by the federal government to help users guard against Internet fraud, offers these tips for online consumers.

• Know who you're dealing with. Confirm the online seller's physical address and phone number in case you have questions or problems.
• Know exactly what you're buying. Read the seller's description of the product closely, especially the fine print.
• Know what it will cost. Factor shipping and handling - along with your needs and budget - into the total cost of the order.
• Pay by credit or charge card, for maximum consumer protections.
• Check out the terms of the deal, like refund policies and delivery dates.
• Print and save records of your online transactions.

Also, look for sites with https in the web address. The 's' in the address means it's a secure site. Look for the little padlock or unbroken key at the bottom of the screen.

Happy shopping, just don't let the boss see you! ;)

The best Black Friday ads, tips and tricks

As I peruse through some of my favorite websites, I'm reminded of the coming Thanksgiving holiday....and then the day after.

While I do usually get up early with thousands of the other crazy folks in search of a good deal on Black Friday, I'm not so sure I'll be waking before the chickens this year. No "deals" have really popped out this year to me. Plus, with just about everything list online, who needs to leave their comfy pajamas when you can sit in front of your computer with a cup of coffee?

Since 77 million Americans are expected to hit the stores Friday, I did a little pre-Black Friday scouting to find some of the deals for this year and have compiled them below.

Warning: make sure you know the fine print and dirty little Black Friday secrets before getting excited about some of the advertised deals. Some stores may only have sales last for a limited time on Black Friday. For example, Sears is offering a Samsung 40-inch 1080p LCD HDTV for $599.99. The catch: only three per store and no rainchecks. And that HDTV, may not be all it's cracked up to be...watch for derivatives.

Another tip, check to see if the store has price matching. Dealnews has a list of stores that will offer price matching on Black Friday.

Dealnews also put together a Black Friday Strategy Guide that offers lots of tips and tricks.

For you techies, there is a FREE, yes I said FREE, download of Fast Video Converter Pro available. I downloaded it and tested it. Can't beat it for the price.

Since your reading this, you probably love discounts. Who doesn't right? So, Coupon Sherpa offers coupons for lots of different products at popular stores. And who doesn't love some discount codes? Currentcodes.com offers discount codes. They have a "full-time staff of trained individuals whose only job is to find new coupon codes and discount codes and verify the accuracy of the existing database."

If you have a particular item you're scouting for, you can enter in the product at Price Protectr. It will watch for deals from 150 stores to see if there's a better price for a certain period of time and if so sends you an email if the price drops.

PriceGrabber.com, Shopping.com, and Bizrate.com offer price comparison options for products. Slickdeals.net and Fatwallet.com also search for good deals.

Gizmodo put together a nice list of electronics.

For everything else check out the websites below.

• Blackfriday.info brands itself as the "official site for all Black Friday ads." You can find ads from several of the popular stores like Wal-Mart, Target, Sears, Kohl's, Kmart, etc.
• Dealnews has a nice comprehensive list.
• Gottadeal.com also boasts a list of Black Friday ads.
• Bfads.net has daily updates.
• Black-friday.net also seems pretty user friendly in searching for ads.
• BlackFriday.fm is another site with ads, complete with webisodes.
• Dealtaker.com offers a nice roundup of ads.
• Blackfridayonline.com is another site with lots of ads.
• Tgiblackfriday.com

For you really hardcore Black Friday shoppers, you can download apps. Toys 'r Us has an iPhone app that allows you to make electronic lists, check inventory, and read product reviews. Yahoo has an iPhone app for price comparisons. Ebay has an iPhone app as well to keep track of bids. Many of the other sites listed above offer their own iPhone apps.

Online retailers like Amazon.com, Buy.com, and Overstock.com also have Black Friday ads.

By the way, Black Friday was not traditionally the busiest shopping day of the season. Learn some nuts and bolts of the traditional kickoff to the holiday shopping season.

So there you have it. If you're as systematic as I like to be on Black Friday, you have your plan of attack--er--shopping agenda ready to go and mapped out. Hopefully, the above list of links and tips helps you in your Black Friday endeavors.

Have a happy Thanksgiving and successful Black Friday.

Next--Cyber Monday!

Check it out!---Behind the Scenes

I'm adding a new Behind the Scenes segment from Heartland News every weekday. Check out the schedule below. Check back for a new segment as they're added.

Oct. 29 - Weather
Oct. 30 - Sports
Nov. 2 - Anchor
Nov. 3 - Reporter
Nov. 4 - Photographer
Nov. 5 - Producer
Nov. 6 - Anchors do wear pants!
Nov. 9 - Live Shots
Nov. 10 - Production
Nov. 11 - Editing
Nov. 12 - Master Control
Nov. 13 - Jeff Cunningham's tie collection
Nov. 16 - Assignment Manager
Nov. 17 - How we cover news
Nov. 18 - Web
Nov. 19 - Engineering
Nov. 20 - Favorite parts about the job
Nov. 23 - Beauty tips
Nov. 24 - Bloopers

Behind the scenes at KFVS12

I'm working on a Behind the Scenes segment for KFVS12 and I want your input!

Lots of people work throughout the day to bring you live, local, late-breaking news from across the Heartland. Most of the people working on our newscasts are behind the cameras. So, I'll introduce you to some of them and what they do to bring you the best news coverage in the Heartland!

What type of behind the scenes things would you like to see? Want to know about the green screen we use for weather, the control room, edit bays, satellite truck? What questions do you have about how we put a newscast together, shoot and edit video, do a live shot? What have you always been curious about? Leave a comment and let me know!

Carrier pigeons to the rescue for America's broadband problem?

Broadband has been the center of a lot of talk in lately in Washington. After $7.2 billion in stimulus money was set aside to develop a national broadband plan, the FCC asked for input on how to define broadband. So, how fast do you think broadband should be?

The United States is definitely lagging in broadband speed compared to other countries. While different groups have come out with different figueres, the overall message is the same: the U.S. lags in broadband speed. According to Speedtest.net, Korea takes the top seat with a download speed of 21.42 Mb/s, while the U.S. lags behind at a turtle-ish (yes I made up that word) pace of 6.89 Mb/s in 28th place. For upload speeds, Lithuania takes the cake at 8.9 Mb/s and good ole USA comes in a distant 30th place at 1.54 Mb/s. Come on America! We've got the Aland Islands in the middle of the Baltic Sea beating our socks off in broadband speed. I just had to look it up because I've never even heard of the Aland Islands before.

SpeedMatters has slightly different numbers, ranking the average download speed nationwide as 5.1 Mb/s, up only slightly from last year's 4.2 Mb/s. The report by Communications Workers of America ranks the U.S. as 15th behind other industrialized nations.

Anyway, small baby steps have been taken to help disseminate broadband throughout the country. In fact, more than a dozen local companies in the Heartland have applied for federal stimulus money to help disperse broadband.

If funding is made available and the plans go through, it should help with the large discrepency in broadband speeds across the country. According to an article in USA Today, "Delaware, for example, averages 9.9 megabits per second. That's almost double the national average and triple the speed of Idaho (2.6 mbps), Arkansas (3.1) and Alaska (2.3). Data are based on feedback from more than 413,000 Internet users who took an online test between May 2008 and May 2009, CWA [Communications Workers of America] says."

The federal government is working on a national broadband map of who can get it and how fast it is. A rough estimate cited in an AP tech article states about 2/3rds of U.S. homes have access to broadband. Although, it probably won't be ready in time to influence the first round of stimulus money funding and possibly not even ready for when the FCC must put out it's national broadband plan by February 2010.

I'll try to stay updated in the national plan to deploy broadband.

In the meantime, if you are ever frustrated with your connection speed here's something that might perk you up....

A SOUTH African information technology company has proved it was faster for them to transmit data with a carrier pigeon than to send it using the country's leading internet service provider. Ironically, this article was forwarded on by one of our IT Specialists here at the station.

Jackson, MO to email monthly newsletter to residents

The city leaders of Jackson, Missouri are hoping a new, monthly digital newsletter will help the city better communicate with residents.

The Jackson Town Crier will be emailed to subscribers and will contain schedules and schedule changes for board meetings and other city services, city projects, conservation tips, and safety tips and PSA's from the police and fire departments, according to a press release sent by Joan Evans, the city's information techonology manager.

Anyone interested in receiving the new newsletter can email subscribe@jacksonmo.org with "NEWS" in the subject line.

Ameren goes mobile with outage info

It's a mobile day and age and electric company Ameren is getting in on the action. The company recently launched a new mobile site with outage information. It's pretty helpful, especially when you're out of electricity and can't get on the computer.

I checked it out on my Blackberry and I like the simple page. It's divided into outage pages for Missouri and Illinois like the main site. Now you can find out outage data by county or zip code. It even has a page to enter your information if you're out of power.

The mobile address is ameren.mobi.

Extended interview with Tyler Hansbrough

It's been a few weeks since my last post. I'm a little late with this, but a couple weeks ago I had the chance to talk with Poplar Bluff native, NCAA basketball star, and NBA first round draft pick Tyler Hansbrough. He came back to his hometown for a visit and brought along his former and current basketball coaches: Roy Williams with the University of North Carolina and Jim O'Brien with the Indiana Pacers.

I got the chance to interview all three. Click on this link to see the full interviews.

Giddyup at the rodeo!

Sometimes I think I have the best job in the world. Wednesday, I had one of those days. I covered the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo. I like going to the rodeo as a spectator anyway, so getting to cover the event for work was even more fun!

While we were there my photographer, Rochelle Steffen, and I had some fun. We interviewed the real star of the rodeo.

While he was pretty quiet, so much so that he wouldn't tell me his name, I dubbed him "Fluffy."

However, I think he got a little offended after I started calling "Here Kitty, Kitty!" Hey, that's what Rick Young the rodeo clown does when he talks to the "real stars."

Anyway, just to show I really have no shame watch the video below and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Adobe releases security patch for Flash video, Acrobat Reader

I had recently blogged about a security threat with the current versions of Flash video and Acrobat Reader from Adobe. This means anyone watching affected Flash videos or pdf files could be putting their computer at risk to hackers. Adobe has now released a patch users can download to help close the security hole. Visit this link to download the patch.
http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb09-10.html

Blogging from the road

I've had my Blackberry for several months now, but this is the first time I've used it to create a blog post. As I'm typing right now, I'm riding in the back of a van.
With the ever evolving advancements of technology, I think back that 10 years ago I would have never thought I could surf the web, listen to music, or even watch videos on a cell phone. I'm excited what the next 10 years might bring.
So here's to technology, the adventures ahead, and my first post from my phone!

Security threat for Adobe Acrobat Reader, Flash

Adobe posted a security warning for anyone using Adobe on their computer.

Hackers can exploit a flaw in the latest versions of the Flash video player and Acrobat Reader.
Adobe posted a warning last week of what they call a "critical vunerability" that could cause a crash and potentially allow an attacker to take control of your computer.

That's for anyone using the Flash Player (v9.0.159.0 and v10.0.22.87) for Windows, Macintosh and Linux operating systems and Adobe Reader and Acrobat v9.1.2 for Windows, Macintosh and UNIX.

This means playing flash videos or opening up a PDF file that's corrupted could put your computer at risk.

Adobe says it's working on a patch that should be available Thursday, July 30th for the Flash player and Friday, July 31st for Adobe Reader.

In the meantime, make sure your antivirus software is up to date. Don't click on videos or pdf files that come from an untrusted site.

Check Adobe's security bulletins to download the patch when it's available.

Adobe Product Security Incident Response Team blog

And that's the way it is...

The passing of CBS anchorman and journalist Walter Cronkite got me to thinking--thinking about my profession and the enduring legacy this remarkable man left.

I got the chance to hear Cronkite speak while I was in college. While I really don't remember much of what he said, I do remember thinking that his wit and mind was so sharp I could hardly believe I was listening to a man in his late 80s. I also remember thinking, "I wish this man was my grandpa." I could listen to Mr. Cronkite tell stories for hours on end. After all, he was the master storyteller wasn't he?

I just watched the special CBS aired remembering Cronkite. It touched on his most talked about moments in history...the first to break the news of President Kennedy's death, man on the moon, Martin Luther King Jr.'s death, getting the President of Egypt and the Prime Minister of Israel to meet, and of course his comments that turned the tide of the Vietnam War. His presence through these events made Cronkite "the most trusted man in America."

I'm proud to share my Missouri roots with this man, but honored to even attempt to follow in his footsteps as a journalist. No one will ever be able to fill his shoes or even lace a shoelace, for he was a giant.

In an interview for the Newseum, Cronkite was asked about his greatest regret. Besides not expanding the 30 minute CBS Evening News to an hour during primetime, he said, "What do I regret? Well, I regret that in our attempt to establish some standards, we didn't make them stick. We couldn't find a way to pass them on to another generation."

Well, Mr. Cronkite you did set a standard. You set a standard in the way you approached news every day--to get the story, "fast, accurate, and unbiased." And if needed, tell the people what they need to hear, not necessarily what they want to hear.

To learn more about Walter Cronkite, check out the links below courtesy SPJ.

The Museum of Broadcast Communications: Cronkite's Bio
YouTube: Walter Cronkite Interviews and Reports
Walter Cronkite's NPR Essays
Arizona State University: Resources for Covering CronkiteASU's journalism school is named for Cronkite. Site features video clips, photo galleries and contact numbers for sources.
CBS News: Walter Cronkite's DeathIncludes video, photo essays and more.
Google News: Walter Cronkite's Death
Blogs About Walter Cronkite's Death
Walter Cronkite Quotes
Poynter: Newspaper Front Pages of Cronkite's Death
Poynter: What Walter Cronkite Did for Journalism
Chicago Sun-Times: Robert Feder on Cronkite's Death

Celebrating Cronkite while igoring what he did

Photo Courtesy: CBS

Controlling your online life after death

I recently read about an interesting type service for techies or anyone really. Have you ever thought of what would happen to your online accounts if you die? Who would access them and how? There're a couple services called Legacy Locker and AssetLock that promise online life after death. Kinda weird? That's what I thought until I read a little more about it.

Users of Legacy Locker can set up who gets access to their information after they pass away, complete with "legacy letters" to loved ones.

According to an article on CNN.com..."If someone contacts Legacy Locker to report a client's death, the service will send the customer four e-mails in 48 hours. If there's no response, Legacy Locker will then contact the people the client listed as verifiers in the event of his or her death. Even then, the service would not release digital assets without examining a copy of the customer's death certificate, Toeman said."

While we're on the subject, Find A Grave lets users "find the graves of ancestors, create virtual memorials, add 'virtual flowers' and a note to a loved one's grave, etc."

I haven't signed up for the service, I can see how it would be beneficial to those wanting to share their online life with only certain people after they pass away.