February 8th, 2009 
joel Keep the conversation coming! Deep Background is your space for all things Erie media, so take a moment and weigh in with your thoughts and opinions.
Meanwhile, we’ve been getting a lot of story ideas through email. I’m available privately at joel@nataliemedia.com or on twitter @pressandtower.
Look forward to hearing from you and don’t forget, embrace the chaos!
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I have to comment on how tasteless I found the ETN’s coverage of missing Millcreek man Aaron Nolan. He’s missing and could possible be dead, his family’s worried sick, and the Times choses to run a piece that basically airs all his dirty laundry.
I also noticed today they ran a piece about the sudden resignation of David Bagnoni. Nothing wrong with the piece, except that WSEE had already scooped them on it 4 days earlier on their Friday 11:00 newscast. Why would it take them so long to pick up this story, about the head of security of the airport? At the same time, you don’t hear his dirty laundry aired in the story (and he has some), but a young man who’s a veteran and not in the public eye can be completely trashed and made to look like a worthless drug addict. Sad.
I guess I just don’t understand some of the decision making that goes on at 12th and Sassafrass.
Anyone hear anything about Nexstar adding MyNetworkTV as a sub-channel of WFXP?
Mike: I’d have to respectfully disagree. I read the ETN coverage of the Aaron Nolan situation too, and it seemed like a responsible piece of journalism which chronicled a vet who was having a tough time fighting off some demons — but who seemed to be gaining ground on them. An important story at that, given how many other souls and families there are unfortunately in similar circumstances.
I didn’t think it judgmental or exploitive. Not particularly pleasant to contemplate, of course, but then happy endings are always preferable.
I can imagine some of the accompanying Topix comments may have been well….. to be charitable, let’s just use the term cruel. I didn’t read the comments but in this case previous performance sadly probably does guarantee future results. However, their propriety and appropriateness would be a separate discussion in itself —- and I think you were referring to the articles themselves.
My 2 cents, anyhow. May Mr. Nolan R.I.P. and his family be comforted.
Of possible interest to P&T readers —-
Today’s (2/10/09) Wall Street Journal had an interesting and fairly substantive article on the front page entitled “Local TV Stations Face a Fuzzy Future”.
Here is a link which worked when I tried it, but not sure for how long that will be the case:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123422910357065971.html
Anyhow, well worth a look online or in hard-copy form at the Public Library, etc.
The online version also has an interactive graphic (click on the tab at the top of the webpage) showing year-over-year total revenue for local stations as well as # of viewers for the 4 networks.
The FCC released a list of which stations will be going digital pre-2/17 and on 2/17.
Apparently in Erie only WFXP and WICU will delay their conversion. Here’s the story from the Washington Post. Note the sidebar box with links to the FCC chart. The Erie stations are on pages 13 & 14.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/10/AR2009021002473.html?wprss=rss_technology&sid=ST2009021002493&s_pos=
Actually, Tim Dunst of WJET / WFXP said that Jet will not convert until April at the earliest. An antenna has to be installed for Jet’s full powered digital signal.
GO ERIE.COM THIS MORNING HAD 3 POSTS OUT OF 21( IN LOCAL NEWS) DATED TODAY THE 14TH. GUESS THEY TAKE THE WEEKEND OFF.SAD ,VERY SAD