The Digital Revolution

(note: I did not mention KOLE in this post because the receivers are not for sale yet. If this has changed, let me know because I would like to hear the AM digital signal)

The “future” of radio has debuted in Southeast Texas….Digital Radio.

I’m surprised that KVLU’s launching of a digital signal didn’t get more attention than it did.

Anyone listening with a regular radio will not notice a thing.

Those with a digital receiver (also called an HD receiver ) will hear the CD quality signal AND have the ability to hear two additional audio streams from KVLU.

Eventually all local stations will be doing this.

My take?

Don’t expect better programming.

The “Big Boys” at Clear Channel and Cumulus Broadcasting will most likely have more channels that sound just alike.

The problem is that these big companies streamline so much that it’s not uncommon to have the same person programming more than one station.

Also… I don’t believe for one minute that the “Big Boys” don’t show favorites to the record companies.

Clear Channel has already been busted telling artists “you better book your concert with me or we will not play your music”

Will the extra streams mean more jobs?

Don’t hold your breath there either.

I have written Sen Hutchison, Former Congressmen Lampson and Turner about the near monopoly that Clear Channel and Cumulous have on the radio market in SETX.

Would you believe their response was to say that one of the reasons they allow this is to bring the area “a better variety” and "more choices" of programming!

What were they drinking?

They all used the phrase "a communications revolution” so I'm assuming they are working off of the same talking points.

Come on, give me a break.

The niche markets are gone in Southeast Texas.

I remember when we had a Spanish language station, a Vietnamese station, a 2 Southern Gospel Stations, A Big Band station and other formats that are long-since gone from Southeast Texas.

Now at night I can hear the same D.J. on 96.1 FM and 95.1 FM at the same time.

I can hear the same talk show on 56am and 710 AM at the same time.
Etc, Etc.

It didn’t use to be like that!

God bless the few independents that still exist!

Public Benefit

It seems all of the local news agencies have been falling short in one of the key areas of local news… public benefit.

Headlines this week include Carjacking Murder, Tragic death of a 14 year old girl… etc.

O.K. good B+ for everyone.

I am convinced that people want something they can use, not just a story to tug at the heart.

Where can I get something?…. What is the government going to take from me next?… Can you tell me something that isn’t obvious about the crappy condition of Interstate 10 traffic? Give me something that affects me!

I think the “big guys” in television can learn a lesson from the “small guys” in radio.

KJAS and KOGT are good examples.

Both stations wouldn’t have a prayer except they capitalize on giving listeners information they can use in their daily lives.

They can afford to do this on a more localized level… and actually, they have to.

People in Orange knew that 16th street was going to get torn up weeks before it happened… because KOGT talked about it and gave a time table and the reason for the construction work.

No one else touched the story… it was too “small” for them.

Small? Really? Do you know how many people this affects every day?

I guarantee the thousands of people who drive 16th street are more concerned about the timeframe for this work to be done than they are about a carjacking.

The carjacking is someone else’s problem… 16th street is my problem… etc.

Holiday News

This Monday Jefferson County will hold its "Annual Lighting of the Christmas Tree"

Later in the day commissioners will begin their weekly session with a word of prayer.

I'm glad they still call it a Christmas tree... and they still let commissioners pray.

Just a few miles from the courthouse our children at school will talk about a "holiday" celebration... and as for starting anything with prayer... well... don't ask... don't tell.. someone might get offended.

Will the grinch steal more of Christmas this year?

(Well, we kind of stole the holiday from the Druids, but that's another story for another day)

Every year the left wing extremists equate freedom OF religion to that of freedom FROM religion.

Let’s see.... the same constitution that gives us freedom of religion gives us freedom of the press.

Does this mean freedom FROM the press as well?

Let’s say for the sake of argument "The Examiner" offends me.

Should I be able to ban it from the public school grounds?

(No offense to The Examiner, just using it as an example)

No, this interpretation would do exactly the opposite of what the amendment is designed to do, protect the press.

So why does the left accept the freedom FROM religion argument so easy?

Well, because it serves their purpose.

Kids should be taught about Christianity because it affects them.

Kids should be taught about Islam because it affects them (especially today with radical Muslims doing their crap!)

Let’s see if any stories pop up this year.

There will be those on the national wire, but what about Southeast Texas.

Will the "Journalists" of the region be neutral or will they "out" themselves as left or right by
the words they choose.

Cross Shooting

I just saw something I think is a funny side effect of not quite thinking ahead… or, just simply getting caught up in the confusion of a perp walk.

Everyone ran a story today about a woman who hired a man to kill her husband.

All the media showed up for the perp walk.

When flipping back and forth between KFDM and KBMT it seemed as if the two stations should have considered trading video with each other.

KBMT’s shot was mostly of the suspect AND of Angel from KFDM.

KFDM”s shot was mostly of the suspect AND of Kevin Steele from KBMT.

Everyone knows you should use a wireless mic and have your camera guy get on the opposite side, but it doesn’t always work out that way.

The “event” was good P.R. for KLVI, Harold Mann was in both station’s shot.

I didn’t catch KBTV, but it would be interesting to know who was in their shot.

I guess I’ll have something to look forward to when the paper comes out on Thursday.

The story that never dies

It appears the “big story” this upcoming week is going to be the Beaumont firefighter pay & manpower dispute.

The battle lines are drawn in the arena of area bloggers.
There seems to be a lot of momentum against the firemen.

I am an outsider looking in on this issue in that I am not a fireman… I don’t live in Beaumont… both of which give me, I believe, the ability to look at this a little more objectively than some folks.

Of all the things we can be pinching pennies, or dollars, on… why does it have to be the fire department.

Yep, they want a huge raise.

Yep, they want more than other city workers.

They are also some of the few city workers who have lives in their hands every day.

Firefighters and cops have to deal with stresses that I can’t even imagine.

There are a lot more people who could do the job of a clerk, a sanitation worker or inspector than there are people who can do the job of firefighter.

Because of this, they should be paid more.

This is the same logic in giving Kyle Hayes such a good salary.

Not many people could do his job.

The firemen have done a real good job at getting their message out.

They bought ads in the paper giving their side of the story… they have come to the station to give their side of the story… we haven’t been able to get the city top dogs to do that.

Playing devils advocate, I wonder if city leadersare under legal restrictions that prevent them from speaking out…. or political pressures that make them want to be mostly silent on the issue.

Who knows?

Bottom line?

Is there no other place the city of Beaumont can cut the budget?

What are the long-range numbers?

Everyone is talking about expansion and an increasing tax base, so is giving the firemen what they want really something that is so difficult?

What will come out of Monday’s meeting that will change minds on either side of the issue?
We’ll see.

A few toughts on the daily stuff

Orange County is holding a public hearing today on the feeder roads of interstate 10.

They are looking at the possibility of changing the traffic flow back to two-way.

All three stations received a copy of the agenda and know that the meeting is happening today.

This is a big deal for folks who have to drive an extra 7 miles just to get turned around and go to the city of Orange.

Let’s see who shows and who doesn’t

I’m not working today so I get to watch rather than play in the news arena.

KFDM and Bill did a good job on the report about salons.

I don’t know if I would have chosen to go as long as they did, but that’s just me.

My logic is, something like the dirty salons does not affect me… or most men… so if you go that long on the story, you are ignoring half your audience for an extended period of time.

This is just my perspective, and I might be wrong.

I’m not an expert in the news field and do not claim to be one.

I am just someone who has been doing this jazz for about 18 years and have come to certain beliefs.

One of those beliefs is that unless the president dies or another 9-1-1 happens, you don’t go more than 2:30 on a story.

Back in the ‘80s I had a news director name George Eon.

He took this to an extreme.

If you went over 20 seconds on a story, he hit the roof!

Of course, that was radio where being short and to the point is more important than in television.

John, I enjoyed your last email.

I’m surprised KDKA would go that rout, but that’s Pennsylvania and I guess they do things differently up there.

A notícia eficaz afeta-nos todos

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Clause!

After checking my DVR and some of the latest newscasts on our area’s broadcast television, I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised!

Just when I thought everyone would drop the ball… several reports.. updates … on the Beaumont double murder… all of which brought the story to the average viewer, rather than leave it as just another tragedy that happens to people on the other side of town.

Yes Virginia! There is a Santa Clause!

The morning show is breaking in a new producer, and so far the outlook is good.

There was a huge apartment fire this morning in Bridge City.

I called several firefighters and everyone said “ya’ll better go“… so we did.

One woman was sent to the hospital, a lot of folks were left without a place to live, and there was a real danger to both life and property.

I’m glad I was in the newsroom when the call came in.

I was able to warn our new girl not to give details on the dispatch radio because some “journalists” would “report” the facts they swipe from our two-way radio conversation

What do you know; we were the only folks to show at the apartment fire.

Coincidence?

Perhaps the other guys felt an Orange County fire isn’t that important?

That’s possible because I watched the 5:30 hits of both stations and didn’t see or hear a peep about the story.

Who knows?

Gary at KOGT says the company that hosts the KOGT web page is having problems and he hasn’t been able to upload new info to the web page since the weekend.

That’s a real problem for a LOT of folks in Orange.

The locally-owned radio stations are a real resource for so many communities… and an extra set of eyes for so many news folks stuck in Beaumont.

I hope his ISP is able to resolve the problem soon.

It’s almost three and the kids are about to get out of school.

Time to take off my armchair quarterback hat and be a dad again.

Você é mom direito!
As crianças são um presente do deus!

Looking Beyond the Flash

The big story from this past weekend is Beaumont’s double homicide.

Two boys, Artura Borreto, 13, and Victor Garcia, 15 are dead and the shooter facing two murder charges.

Everyone jumped on this, and then the story dropped faster than Bill Clinton’s pants in a room full of loose women.

The problem is, in my opinion, that most everyone went for the easy headline, two dead kids.

The cops say these kids were gang-banger wannabees.

This is the story.

Why, here in Podunk Texas, do kids…. they were punks but they were still kids… why do they strive to be thugs?

These kids didn’t have a gun the night they were killed… but they messed with a man who did.. And now they are gone even before they were old enough to drive a car.

This isn’t Houston.

This certainly is NOT Los Angeles.

What are we doing to teach our kids that you play with fire you get your fingers burned?

The prevention programs I’ve seen are so Pollyanna… well, they make Fr. Flannigan and Boystown seem like the hood by comparison.

Think this is only a problem of poor black kids who have bought into the “white man gonna keep you down” mentality?

Think back a few months.

Jaime Kumm from Bridge City was sentenced to life for shooting and killing a drug dealer.

Did you notice I said “Bridge City”…. you know, home of white, middle upper class “good” kids.

When will some of the local media-types learn to connect the dots… and show how a problem isn’t “somebody else’s problem”… it’s my problem.

I almost hate to suggest this to some, because, if you think about it… so many would accept my words as the pathway to sensationalism.

On the up-side of the news today..

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Today became the first African American man to have a monument in the National Mall.

All I can say is.. Finally!

I wish the so-called civil rights leaders of today would study the words of Dr. King.

Judge men.. Punish men… reward men… hate or love men….according to their character, not their exterior or their position in society.

Such a simple lesson that so many still need to learn!

Fireman Pay, A Burning Issue

How much is a life worth?

How much is it worth to have top-notch life savers?

It seems everyone in the Beaumont news community is coming out against the firefighters and their rather large pay increase.

Why?

Look at all the stuff we spend money on without a care… and when it comes to giving more money to the people who put their lives on the line, we complain.

Both Cops and Firemen deserve to be paid… and paid well!

I find it hard to believe Beaumont cannot achieve this without raising taxes.

Does Beaumont really need as many parks it supports?

Does Beaumont really need to give raises to the city manager and the city attorney?

Does Beaumont really need a new city hall? (I believe it’s in the works)

Sure, it would be nice, but does Beaumont NEED it?

I’m not saying the city manager is doing a bad job; on the contrary, he’s doing a great job.

He is already getting paid very very well for doing a great job.

I admit I’m not an accountant; I don’t have access to the books.

I do have a lifetime worth of experiences that tell me - call it a gut feeling - that there are places the city could cut budget … if needed… to give the firemen their pay increase.

We have billions of dollars worth of expansions going on all over the county… and in the city.

This has got to mean an increase in income - tax dollars - to the city.

Perhaps the city leaders are being a bit too conservative on this one.

Southeast Texas Billboards

It amazes me how so many people in this area spend thousands of dollars on billboards to get their message out, but do it soooo wrong.

Here’s an example: (not the photo, it's not from around here)

On I-10 West, just outside of Beaumont, the union has a billboard trashing Gerdau Ameristeel for the company’s anti-labor practices.

The message is probably right, but I’m afraid they wasted their money on the billboard because of what it says.

There is a large picture of a crocodile and big font letters that say What a Croc.
I asked a few folks about the billboard and if they ever saw it.

Most said no until I said it’s the one with the Crocodile that says “What a Croc”

All three said they thought it was an advertisement for Gator Country!

The problem is, a billboard message MUST BE SHORT AND TO THE POINT.

Sadly, about half of the billboards in our area have this problem.

Even some owned by Clear Channel are poorly designed.

I would expect someone in the communications business to be able to communicate.. Especially a giant like Clear Channel.

There is one billboard for Big Dog radio that you have to really look at and read to get the idea it’s for a radio station and not a kennel.

My guess is that the billboard companies in this area are afraid of loosing business by telling their clients what they NEED rather than just selling them what every they want to buy.

Taxing My Nerves

I just got the tax bill for my rent houses today.

The county has got to be crazy!

I have one on 19th street that has been for sale for over 3 years….the asking price? 35 K

How much does the county say it’s worth?….49K?

How can anyone pass up such a bargain? The house market is hot, so what could I be doing that would make me so unlucky as to go so long without a buyer?

Certainly the county couldn’t be OVERESTIMATING THE VALUE of the house so it can charge more tax on the property???!!!

What can a property owner do?

I complained to the tax office at the end of the last year and they gave me all the reasons why my house is worth 14 thousand dollars more than its selling price.

Even the governor campaigned on doing something about inflated tax rates, but now that he’s won do you think ole Perry will come through? I doubt it.

Republican… Democrat… It’s all the same once they get in office.

Somebody prove me wrong… I want to be wrong on this one.

I’ve got 6 kids to feed and I would rather they get my very hard earned money than the county.
I believe the Bible says render unto Cesar what is Cesar’s.

The problem is our Cesar is given the right to imagine you have something and tax you for it.
Where is this 49 thousand dollar house I own? I’m still waiting to find it!

Random thoughts about education

Tomorrow is high school football night.

The cheers from the stadiums will spill into the surrounding neighborhoods.

The sound of the band, smell of the concession stands…everything that is a part of the Friday night tradition will happen as it has for years and years.

The hundreds of thousands of dollars that we will spend on this activity without a single thought is incredible.

Our public schools are failing, and every time some public figure comes up with an answer it always comes down to more funding.

Come on.. We waste so much on things that have nothing to do with education.

Do you really need a state of the art stadium with air conditioned press boxes and the very latest in training equipment to play a game of football?

I wish that football was the only waste in our schools.

Every time the Democrats come up with a plan to “improve” our schools, it always amounts to pumping more cash into the districts.

No, lets quit wasting the money and keep the funding the same.

The Dems say we need to pay our teachers more.

Well, that’s good, except they don’t’ ask for more accountability to go along with that money.

Dems openly mock plans like no child left behind, but offer no alternative.

If test scores are failing… if the kids cannot spell, speak with proper grammar… if they kids have not learned the importance of showing up to work on time and other life skills, then the schools that failed them need to be held accountable.

Actually, it pisses me off when I catch a teacher misspelling a word or using bad grammar.
My spelling sucks… my grammar is bad…and I…even I… can catch these types of errors on notes my kids bring home from school.

Football is fine… it’s a good diversion… but why are we spending more on a Friday night game than we do on fixing a failing educational institution.

Lets NOT pay failing teachers more money… lets get more teachers on the job that are willing to spend time with kids and TEACH.

Why is it my oldest daughter… who was home schooled until she was 10 is so far ahead of all of those other kids who went through public school all their school days?

My wife is not a specially trained education expert. She is a woman who wants her kids to learn, so she spent her efforts on teaching.

I wish we could afford to keep my daughter and all of our kids at home for home schooling, but this is not practical these days.

I don't think they get it

I don’t think most of the electronic media folks in Southeast Texas get it.

People want news they can use in their personal life.. Or that benefit’s the viewer… they want to know “what’s in it for me”

Here’s an example

There was a fire at Gerdau Ameristeel this week.

We covered the story with video of the fire and explained how the fire was made worse because of the limited number of fire hydrants in the area.

This is something that affects the public.

There was no danger to the public, so why focus on the fire?

KFDM didn’t cover the fire at all that morning (or at least not in the news block I saw while flipping through the channels)

KBTV sensationalized the fire… tried to make it seem like a huge industrial fire that threatened the region.

In reality, there was nothing explosive on site… no poison fumes…etc.

I believe the enquirer type reporting gives you a reputation, and this has always hurt channel 4.

There is no public benefit from sensationalism.

They even went live from the fire.

Come on.

I believe KBMT handled this story the best out of all three because it was not overplayed… and we focused on something that benefited the community.

Witch Hunt

I just read a story in The Examiner about a Silsbee Middle Student who was bullied… had urine thrown on him… and when he retaliated verbally, the school responded by sending him to a school for criminal kids.

Come on Hardin County, what the hell are you thinking?
Words are words.

Not every child is a Columbine kid.

Yes, it only takes one kid to lead to a tragedy.

But this kid did not have access to a gun.

If you saw his picture, you would get the idea he wouldn't even know what end of the gun to point to make it work!

When I was in school I was always smaller than the others.
I know what it's like to run into the football-player type that believes everyone else should bow
down to him in a godlike manner.

I too, didn't take crap from them and as a result was unpopular.

The problem isn't the young man who refuses to take shit from bullies, the problem is the bully.

I'm only glad that I only received detention for kicking a guy in the nuts.

This kid gets a criminal record

That's nuts!

The cops are on a witch hunt so they can proove they're doing something to protect children.
Sad thing is they are doing little to protect kids, and are spending their efforts on P.R. arrests

Anybody in a Suit Listening?

Hello… this is Orange County… is anybody listening?

If you turn on the news today you hear Ron Walker, Rhonda Dugas, and all sorts of stuff about the happenings in Jefferson County this election season.

As anybody seen on freaking story about Orange or Hardin County?

Hello… Mr. news decision maker… we have ratings books too!

Judge Thibodeaux (County Judge here in Orange in case you didn’t know) is up against a lesser known Republican… much like the loudly touted race in Jefferson County.

We’re fortunate NOT to have a Rhonda type crazy candidate running for county clerk in Orange.

The sad thing is… if you ask any of the folks on the street about the candidates, you will probably get a blank stare.

Do you think the Orange Leader would actually do a hard-news story about politics?
Hey KFDM… Yo KBMT… And how bout the lap dog KBTV, where are you guys?

Straining at the forest to see the trees

Two stories out of Orange County today…One that everyone covered… and one that nobody covered.

The story that all three stations had… a fatal fire in Vidor…really doesn’t affect anyone other than the old man who died and his family.

The story that nobody had…Whites Chevron closing… affects a lot of people.

Think about it.

A gas station that has been open for 30 years, and one that is owned by the Sheriff and his wife, is a landmark.

It’s closing due to hurricane damage affects a lot of people and also changes the familiar.

The fire, although tragic, is something most of the viewers will not even remember tomorrow.

My take.

All three news agencies missed a chance to make a connection with their audience.

The simple, the every day, the life-affecting stories are the ones people want.
The rest (big fires, fatal accidents, etc) is just background noise.

Cokinos

There has been a lot of whining in the media (KFDM, Enterprise, ETC) about Andrew Cokinos.
Some of the political types are calling for him to step down.

My take is not that he should step down, but his seat shouldn’t exist in the first place.

The argument is that he is sick and old and has missed more city council meetings than he has attended.

So what?

His seat is an At Large seat.

Everyone is still getting their representation.

The older folks tell me his seat is all about keeping the white folks in charge.

The idea being that just after a black person was voted to the city council, the white folks got nervous.

Since the city is mostly white, they came up with two at large seats to assure that the white folks kept in charge.

If this is true, his seat should have been phased out a long time ago.

As for Andrew… let the old guy keep his seat until he keels over or until the city does the right thing and lets each ward have their own councilperson and nothing more.