‘Building a Culture of Dialogue’

I spent four very interesting hours Saturday with all three Central Oregon district attorneys, defense lawyers, public defenders, police, several of us media types – all talking off the record.

But it’s VERY ironic that I write up some of the themes of that talk after probably the most overt, posted lawsuit threat in our many months of online article comment postings.

‘Building a Culture of Dialogue’ was the topic of the gathering, arranged by the Oregon Bar Press Broadcasters Council.

Folks gave up a big part of their Saturday for a free bag lunch and a chance to not just talk, but listen to each other as we discussed a few ‘ripped from the headlines’ scenarios that have dealt with the issue of a free press and how that role can cause issues for those seeking to assure a fair trial.

The justice system has changed little over the decades, as technological and cultural shifts have changed, greatly, what a prospective juror might hear or read, and from who or where. Imagine if bloggers, for example, or anonymous article postings existed back when our justice system was created. It’s not a perfect system, but how can it evolve and cope with those issues?

That wasn’t the topic of Saturday’s session, really. But things like that did come up – imagine, for example, a DA sending an e-mail declining to confirm or deny a juicy rumor, but inadvertently – one must presume inadvertently – including some damning information below the e-mail, or in an attachment.

Can the reporter then report that information? Use it to ask questions/gather more info? Confront the DA, threaten to use it unless he/she provides some on-the-record info on an ongoing investigation?

Reporters have gone to jail for refusing to disclose their sources. Local media don’t print info from anonymous sources, unless they can get an on-the-record corrobration.

I’ve learned to live with and have a strong defense against the whole notion that the media only reports things “because it sells papers” (or TV commercials). I know we report what is considered news, and yes, we have to make a profit to survive.

But I am just as uneasy as many a defense lawyer about how days, weeks, months, sometimes even years of reports about a heinous crime can make their job incredibly difficult, even with all the “alleged” and “innocent until proven guilty” provisos that we include, for our own legal protection as much as anything else.

Finding actual justice after the “court of public opinion” has made up its collective mind is only getting harder in an age when Website can give you a person’s criminal history in an instant, and where increasingly, opinions are shared as thinly-veiled, so-called “facts.”

Small town or large, reporters and editors are often friends, of a sort, with their sources, with people who make news, and with people in the justice system. Wearing the right hat at the right time, and knowing how to do one’s job and not rupture those relationships is one of the struggles reporters and editors face all the time. I’ve said before, “I don’t mind making an official mad for the right reason” is a glib quip that tries to put a light face on it.

But of course, when a source tells us something juicy, we have to “consider the source,” literally – how do they stand to gain, if the tip is true and the info comes to light?

We will never convince some – make that many – people that we strive to get the facts right and that we really wouldn’t run over our own grandmother for a juicy story. One thing I try to do in our article-comment system is explain – sure, defend, too, but mainly explain – how we human-being reporters and photographers and our bosses do what we do, and why.

Because if news is a conversation, we all have to listen as much as we talk. It’s that easy – and that hard.

OK, I’m seriously addicted to Newsvine

For some reason, Newsvine didn’t grab me when I tried it last October, after its acquisition by MSNBC.

But now. Wow. I’m a posting, arguing, discussing, debating fool. Is it just as enlightening, yet aggravating as KTVZ.COM’s own article comments? Yep. But with a much wider circle of folks, who “seed” the site with articles from all over on every topic imaginable.

And then… you discuss. It’s that simple. They have wonderful tools to help track multiple article discussion threads. You get your own “column” page where all the comments you’ve posted, articles you’ve seeded etc. are collected.

And it’s a social network – like the comments someone made? Make them a friend, follow what they have to say around the site on other issues!

As I said, I’m hooked. Oy. It tops MSNBC’s article-comment forums, and USA Today’s, and … nah, it doesn’t top ours. But I’d love to use that way of blossoming the comments we do run!

It turns reading the news into a social experience like none other. I love it!

It’s like I read in one of my books recently – somebody took issue with the maxim that “Content is king.”

“Conversation is king,” they said. “Content is just something to talk about.”

Yeppers!;-)

Godspeed, Big Easy

I moved to New Orleans when I was 9, lived there for close to a year – the year of Hurricane Betsy, in 1965.

Wild times. We spent a wind-howling night in a second-floor apartment, then returned to our mobile home, which had floated during the storm, apparently, and came down almost on its blocks. My stepmother was scared to open the door – bone dry, only the air conditioner underneath was ruined.

I remember no power, Sterno for cooking, vienna sausages to eat. Ugh. (That was also the year my stepmother had to go to a notary public to swear out an affidavit that I and my two older brothers – having just moved from Philadelphia – were white. Segregation time and all that.

Anyway, I only lived there for one Mardi Gras, remember looking through the windows at the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on Bourbon Street, and… well, I sure hope things go well in the next 12 to 24 hours.

You might remember I’ve been pining for WorldNow to add forum/photo album features to our Website. Well, Hurricane Gustav has prompted creation of a nationwide message board, available to all their stations, and while it isn’t the busiest place in the world, I’ve weighed in, and I do like the look, and hope we can create my dreamed-of High Desert Forum some time, using that software.

Like babysitting the article comments isn’t fun enough, at times;-) But it WAS the top-viewed item at KTVZ.COM in August, topping any individual news story. Some people are offended by what some posters say, but … it is a thriving community and I’m fascinated by it. Many nice folks there, too. Please join in!

Reality can be ugly

A lady named ‘Michelle’ just posted to an article on KTVZ.COM: “It is really disgusting that the family of the person in this vehicle is forced to look at this. I wish the media had an ounce of courtesy, you can give the news with out these type of pictures!!”

Ah, Michelle, life – and death – can be really ‘digusting’ at times. But maybe, just MAYBE, a large photo of a violent crash will make someone stop and think before they put pedal to the metal and try to pass someone on a busy two-lane highway.

We’ll never know. But we can hope.

Video, vexing and victorious: Olympics, CNN

Weren’t those Olympic opening ceremonies amazing? I sure thought so – YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary). Got to watch on my sister-in-law Diane’s new flat/wide-screen TV and … that surely helped make them truly awesome, to use a much-overused term of the day.

And there’s a comfortable familiarity to the way our network, NBC, covers the games – the great John Williams music, Bob Costas at ease talking to President Bush or Bela Karolyi, etc.

Before I dive into the unfortunate part of this message, let me point to a nice new addition to our Website – CNN videos, a frequently updated selection available right below the video player, in what’s known as a ‘widget’ – something added to our and our sister stations’ Websites. Click one, and the screen darkens a bit and the pop-up viewer plays the piece in wide-screen format (something we intend to move to for our own online videos in coming months, by the way).

The best thing about the CNN video addition – at least, to my work-addled eyes – is that much like our wide variety of AP news, it’s automated, which means it’s fresh and up to date, 24 hours a day, days and nights and weekends. If we can get the same thing at some point from MSNBC, then the only manual posting I’ll need to do will be our local video content. Yay!

But, alas, things aren’t going quite so swimmingly for Central Oregonians wanting to watch live streaming video or other “enhanced” video coverage of the Beijing Olympics.

I’m going to try to word this carefully here, because I know just enough to be dangerous, but basically it boils down to the fact that NBC wants to partner (read: contract) with local “TV providers,” on providing not just all that extra online video – 2,000 hours worth at the Olympics – but also on-air via the cable systems, with Video on Demand, special Olympics channels, etc. And they want to extend those contracts through the 2012 Olympics.

But there’s this big umbrella cable-operators organization that wants to instead negotiate a deal for everyone. So while NBC-Universal has been trying to work out deals with individual cable operators, some want to wait for the big package, national agreement. And those, alas, at this time include our very own BendBroadband.

I learned that the eve of the Olympics, as I wrote my Friday piece, fired up the fancy Microsoft Silverlight-powered NBC Olympics player, and hit… a message, asking for my ZIP code and which “TV provider” I have. I said BendBroadband, and it said, “We’re sorry,” and explained basically what I just explained above.

I got, um, a bit upset. Fired off some notes, both to NBC folks I know and on Websites like Lost Remote, asking what the heck was going on? I heard today – on a Sunday! – from an NBC-Universal VP who explained what I’ve said and agreed it wouldn’t hurt for folks to make their cable provider aware of their… dissatisfaction with paying for that great speedy cable-modem service, and then being unable to view one of the most unprecedented offerings of Web content ever seen, because of a contract squabble.

He said they are continuing to negotiate, and hope to get the issue resolved beore the Olympics ends.

I sure hope so. In the meantime, I’m not sure that fibbing about your “TV provider” works – I have gingerly tried, and given up. There’s still lots of NBCOlympics.com material to enjoy, including some video, if a bit… delayed. But the four-screen window of live events, etc. has to wait for the negotiators to negotiate.

(By the way, we’re not alone in this mess – I was told today the uncovered areas include about 3 MILLION customers, and MediaWeek has reported on Cablevision folks in the Northeast stuck in the same boat we are.)

Just wanted you to know it’s not KTVZ’s doing or fault, any more than the 15-hour delay to prime time of certain marquee sports coverage (and the Opening/Closing Ceremonies, etc.) I can understand NBC driving folks to the TV, even in these Net-enabled times, because… hey, they spent quite a bundle on the TV rights, and then charged quite a bundle for the commercials, so… like I always say, “Information wants to be free, but I want a raise.”

But to promote these 2,000 hours of online streaming video, and then throw a caveat/asterisk/roadblock in like this is, well, more than a bit bothersome.

I won’t put BendBroadband’s link/phone number here, but chances are, you know them already. Maybe you can help convince their powers that be that we want and deserve that live streaming video, and we do promise to watch the TV too. I believe the two are complementary, not robbing each other of viewers.

UPDATE: I should have known, my pal Jake over at UtterlyBoring wrote about the Olympics video issue back on Thursday and suggested the work-around of using another ZIP code and provider to see the stuff. Why we should have to fib to see the added video, sigh…

Play ball! (Bend makes the playoffs)

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again – I’m no sports nut. BUT it was fun, if a bit chilly, to attend, um, the first half of Saturday night’s Bend Elks game, hosting the Wenatchee AppleSox (love that name)!

We just were getting too chilled – where did Central Oregon’s summer go? (I know, it’ll be back soon) – to stay to the end, but as a slice of old-time, small-town, kids-and-hot dogs and fun time, it can’t be beat.

A young man who made the news recently was one of those throwing out a pitch this night – Cole Ortega, whose severed arm was reattached by a Portland surgeon. Was great to see him out and about.

The Elks led for a while, but alas, they were defeated Saturday night – but they’d already made the playoffs.

I’m sure we’ll be back to the ballpark some time – on a warmer night, to be sure – and they hope to pack the stands at Vince Genna Stadium for Tuesday night’s start of a best-of-three Western Colleagiate Baseball League playoff series against Corvallis, the first playoffs for the Elks.

Two Internet tools – or is one really a weapon?

Remember the old college theme-paper directive: “Compare and contrast”?

The Net is full of interesting comparisons and contrasts. Take two Websites, one neat one I’ve known about for months, the other new to me – and quite worrisome.

First there’s www.caringbridge.org. It’s a place where the critically ill or those caring for them or about them can create free Websites to keep everyone far and wide up to date on their conditions. Take, for example, the page created for Bend concrete finisher J.R. Litehiser, citically burned in a SE Portland house explosion in late July. I’ve never met the man, and signed up for purely professional reasons (as we told people about his injuries weeks ago), but getting the daily updates, reading of his daily struggles, his will to survive and the support of his loving wife come through loud and clear.

What a neat service – and totally free. Something we can point out to some of those who call us at the station, asking (or pleading with) us to do a story on someone with a rare disease, etc. Granted, our on-air audience is different, but this is another way to reach out to folks (and let them know of fund-raising efforts as well), and not have to wait for the media to do its thing.

Now, the yin to my yang. A New York Times article today pointed me to www.criminalsearches.com – a fairly self-explanatory name for a Website that lets you plug in ANYONE’s name, and come back with their bare-bones criminal history. (It really helps if you know their birthdate, especially if the name is very common at all.)

So imagine all the uses, or abuses, beyond the likely ones by prospective employers, parents checking on their children’s teachers, etc. – it boggles the mind. A freaky parlor game, for one. And it’s clear the records linger there for more than a decade, at least.

Its easy to say criminal records should be public records – but what if they’re wrong, for example? I can only imagine the hassle of trying to get a court clerk somewhere to correct a long-ago record.

But it also allows you see what’s on file about you – and isn’t that a good thing? I sure can see both sides of this argument – small businesses that in the past couldn’t afford to spend much time/$ looking into a job applicant now can do so easily – and if they find something of concern, track it back to the court of record.

So what do you think – Big Brother run amok, or “find a need and fill it” free enterprise at its best?

That darn Internet – every time you find a great new tool, you also find a worrisome new weapon. Only nature, I suppose.

How to say the things unsaid

So we keep hearing from people insisting that we, the press, MUST tell them why a local man, somewhat prominent, died.

We have heard, UNofficially, that It was suicide. Whatever the cause, unless we were to get a police release on the matter, we wouldn’t report it – and quite possibly, even if we did get official word, we still wouldn’t.

 We as a rule don’t report suicides, unless they are of an elected official, someone very prominent, or happen in a very public place or fashion (such as triggering a widespread search, etc.)

Some understand totally. Others are frustrated that we don’t report every tragic private thing that happens, even if it would pain a family grievously to no positive purpose. Will we try to find a way to tackle the topic of suicide, or of depression (easier), in these tough times? Yes. But not by dragging anyone in pain into the spotlight. Some believe that’s they “have a right” to know everything and anything, and we have a “duty” to tell them. Bull.

It’s like the ones who whine – yes, I use that word purposely – and call our deletion of their comments on the Website – the ones with unsubstantiated criminal allegations, unfounded rumors or foul language – “censorship,” and a denial of their “free speech” rights.

Double-bull. There are SO many places on the Web – craigslist rants and raves, for one – where anyone can say anything, under cloak of anonymity, to get their jollies. Go there. Please. Let us try to have a civil conversation about issues that matter, not flames and “you’re stupid!” and 5th-grade temper tantrums.

Please.

Oh, and about suicide – one of the few “Leave it to Barney” pieces I’ve written and been unable to do happened to include this fact – my mother jumped off a building and killed herself when I was 9 years old. (I seem to recall I was doing the piece after a story that cited statistics to show there are FAR more suicides than homicides in Oregon, and yet, we hear little about them, because … it is the ultimate taboo.)

Over years of online and face-to-face chats, I know that my revelation about my mother is the ultimate conversation stopper, because suicide is THE ultimate taboo. Better to talk of evil child abuse than suicide – who to get angry at? The loved one, colleague, etc. is gone, usually leaving only pain and “why?”s behind.

My usual pick-me-up after dropping that bomb is to say, “So I could be a LOT more screwed up than I am.” The laughter dissolves the awkward silence, and life goes on.

Other things that don’t fit into the little LITB on-air segment include the fact that, when I and my two older brothers moved to New Orleans from Philadelphia, after our mother’s suicide, to live with our dad and stepmother, she had to go to a notary public and swear out an affidavit that we were white.

Remember, this was 1965, in Louisana, no doubt going through the desegregation roiling tide. But still… we were, and are, about as “white” as they come. Not so long ago, either.

So please, come read our news articles, and then post comments with interesting points about the important issues they raise and your views about them. Help us drown out the noise with some strong signals. I’d appreciate it, and I think we’ll all be better for it. Otherwise, this experiment just may end one day.

Thanks.

117K page-view day!

Busiest I think in KTVZ.COM history!

Nope, not that tragic plane crash with the dramatic photos that perhaps I should have “locked up” with the kind sender, or something. And no, not a wildfire or other dramatic development.

It was the 5-day-old story of the Redmond woman with a 140-pound tumor. Picked up by MSNBC, AOL, etc. And CNN’s pickup of the story who believes the guy who found her lost dog, sold it on craigslist.

Viral Web, it’s a great thing. Catching the virus isn’t easy, but when you do….;-)

“If your budget’s in a dark hole, press 2”

Just had an interesting, keypad-based phone survey from Rasmussen Reports.

All about spending this month, last month, next month, is my personal finance situation getting better/worse. (With the missus out of work for almost two YEARS now, gulp, can’t get much worse.)

I used to think we could “talk up” the economy to counter the talking down by the Big Bad Media (heh);-) But between the gas-price crisis and the housing crunch, I guess we really do need the “moral equivalency of war,” as someone put it years ago. But unlike the Iraq/Afghan War, we all have to share in the consequences and coming up with solutions.

Can the ridiculously partisan finger-pointers on Capitol Hill get their act together? Can government really solve any of this?

Want a place to talk about this? Try my embryonic, nobody-talking-yet High Desert Forum, at http://highdesertforum.yuku.com. It’s a way, I hope, to talk beyond the local news articles of the day. Please join me!