Blogging and Internet News and the Threats They Pose to Traditional Journalism

According to Dan Gilmore, the author of We the Media, the three main challenges personal publishing (blogging) and Internet news pose to traditional journalism are 1) they are becoming the newspaper of the Internet; 2) they keep stories fresh in the public’s mind longer; and 3) in this “new” form of media, anyone can be a writer.
In the days before the Internet, the main ways to get news were from the newspaper and TV. While Internet news presents a challenge to both forms of media, it poses a bigger threat to newspapers. When a story breaks, you can usually find something about it on any number of news sites within minutes. You can’t do that with newspapers. To find out about a story from a traditional newspaper, you have to wait until the next edition comes out (usually the next morning). With the Internet, you have the story right there, when it happens, and it is constantly being updated with the latest information. As for the challenge Internet news presents to TV news, picture this: you are in your office, sitting at your desk and you want to know what the latest news is. Chances are you are nowhere near a TV. So you turn to the Internet as a news source. This is only one way the Internet is challenging traditional media.
Another threat the Internet and personal publishing poses is that they keep stories fresh in reader’s minds. When a newscast is over or a newspaper has been read and recycled, those stories are gone from the reader’s/viewer’s immediate memory. With the Internet and blogs, stories tend to stay up longer and even when they are replaced by new stories, you can always check the site’s archive and retrieve it. So, unlike TV news and newspapers, there is an easy way to gain access to virtually any story published or posted within the span of anywhere from a couple of years to just hours.
The third challenge Internet news and personal publishing pose to traditional journalism is the fact that they make just about everyone a writer. This challenge is mainly posed by blogs, as most professional news sites still have actually journalists. You don’t have to be a journalist to have a blog, however. Blogs bring the ideas, stories and opinions of the average person to the masses, much like newspapers and TV does with actual paid journalists. Anyone who happens to witness an event can log onto their computer and write about it. News and feature writing is not just for professional journalists anymore.
As you can see, the Internet and personal publishing pose three really big challenges to traditional forms of media. However as times change, it is possible (and probably mandatory) that traditional media will change to keep up with newer forms of media.

Advice from the Experts: Jeremy Kappell and Ken Schulz WHAS 11 Meteorologists



Now that you know when severe weather season is, you should know what to do when severe weather hits.

Your first warning, according to WHAS-11 Chief Meteorologist Ken Schulz is the forecast on the news. Meteorologists generally have an idea that severe weather is possible a couple days in advance, so when you hear about there even being a threat of severe weather in the next couple of days, keep your ears open for more info.

When a Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado WATCH is issued it means conditions are favorable for severe weather and you should be alert. WHAS keeps a small graphic in the bottom corner of the screen showing which counties are under a watch and periodically break into shows to keep the public up on what’s going on.

If a WARNING is issued, it means that a severe or tornadic storm is in your area, so you need to take shelter immediately. In the event of a severe thunderstorm, make sure you are away from windows, turn off (or preferably, unplug) your computer and stay off the phone and out of the bath or shower. Keep watching the weather to be aware of changes in the weather conditions.

If a TORNADO WARNING is issued, take shelter immediately. Go to an interior room with no windows or a basement (which is preferable). Keep a flashlight and battery powered radio or weather band radio handy to listen for weather updates. DO NOT STAY IN A MOBILE HOME! Approximately 40% of tornado related fatalities occur in trailers.

Now you have expert tips and advice on what to do when severe weather strikes. Please read these posts carefully and put these tips and advice to good use when severe weather enters the Louisville area once again.

Advice from the Experts: WHAS-TV Meteorologists Jeremy Kappell and Ken Schulz Part 1




Spring is here and that means thunderstorms. While most are harmless and can actually be relaxing, some storms can turn violent with little or no warning. Do you know what to do?

Before I get into what you should do in case of a severe thunderstorm or tornado, here’s more about storm season in Louisville:

Peak storm season is late March through early June, but there is also a second peak in October and November, but it really doesn’t even compare with the spring season. But don’t let your guard down in the remaining months; Louisville gets severe storms any time of the year.

Louisville gets its fair share of storms during the spring and it may seem like we get a lot of severe weather, but only about one in ten is severe, and fewer than that produce tornados.

That’s the technical breakdown of severe weather in Louisville, keep reading for safety tips and other useful and interesting information.

Summer Fun Louisville Style: Louisville Free Public Library

The Louisville Free Public Library is gearing up for its annual summer program: Read 10 and Win! LFPL has had this program for many years. Kids from pre-school through middle school can pick up their reading folders starting May 20. They then read 10 books, write them down in their folder and bring it to the library of their choice. When they turn in the folder, they will receive their prizes. Past prizes have included a drawstring backpack with coupons to local restaurants and attractions, hackey sacks, stickers, etc. The Main Branch, located at 301 York Street in downtown is having their summer reading kick-off Saturday, May 20 from 10-2. Bon Air Regional Library, located at 2816 Del Rio Place, off of Bardstown Road, is having their kick-off Wednesday, May 31 from 1-3:30. Both events will feature games, crafts and fun for the whole family! Click on the LFPL link for more info.

Summer Fun Louisville Style: the Louisville Bats




Spring has finally arrived in Louisville and brings with it warm weather, beautiful flowers and baseball.

The Louisville Bats opened the 2006 season on the road against the Ottawa Lynx. They won their home opener, also against the Lynx, on April 15 6-2. The Bats will play 72 games at Louisville Slugger Field, with regular season play ending on Labor Day. All throughout the season, the Bats will offer lots of fun and interesting promotions.

Every Friday is Ford Fantastic Fireworks night. Following every Friday night home game is a beautiful display of fireworks. Also on the agenda are comedian Myron Noodleman (a really nerdy version of Jerry Lewis, if it’s possible for Jerry Lewis to be nerdier), the San Diego Chicken, Jake the Diamond Dog, Kids Run the Bases after every Sunday game, and Skyy Dogs USA. These are the recurring promotions, so don’t fear if you can’t make it on a particular night; you can always catch these acts the next time around.

As for one-time-only promotions, there are plenty for kids and adults. A few of the highlights are baseball hat, helmet, mini bat and baseball card giveaways. There are also promotions like Military Appreciation Day, Boy Scout night and Louisville Metro Council night. There will also be opportunities to go onto the field to get pictures and autographs with your favorite players. Check the website for details.

All home games begin at 7:15 Monday through Friday and 6:15 on Saturday. The times for Sunday games skip around this year, so check the schedule for game times. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or directly from Louisville Slugger Field.

Summer Fun Louisville Style: the Louisville Zoo



The weather is warming up and the days are getting longer. That can only mean one thing: summer is just around the corner.

The last day of school for Jefferson County Public Schools is May 25 and Louisville Archdiocese schools get out May 26 for grade schools and May 31 for the high schools. If you don’t want your kids wasting their summer in front of the TV or computer, consider all the events and camps taking place around Louisville during May, June, July and August.

The Louisville Zoo offers summer camps and classes for kids 2-15. For the little ones, they offer Two by Twos and Two by Threes for two and three year olds and a parent or grandparent. These programs offer an interactive look at the world around them. For four and five year olds the Zoo offers Zooper Kids, a four day session with crafts, interactive learning and tours of the Zoo being just a few of the highlights. For the older set (ages 9-12 and 12-15) the Zoo offers the Safari Day Camp and Teen Safari. Visit the Zoo’s website for prices, dates and registration.

Severe Storm Awareness

If you live in Louisville, you know what spring and summer storms are like (especially if you lived through the 1974 tornado!). This spring has seen more than it’s fair share of severe storms and tornadoes, and it’s only April 18. Every year it seems like the local TV meteorologists and news people keep re-telling the same severe weather advice: move to an interior room or the basement, don’t stay in a mobile home, blah, blah, blah. Well, listen up! These tips are valuable and can really save your life if things go bad. I will be interviewing WHAS-11 TV meteorologist Jeremy Kappell to get his thoughts, ideas and tips for severe weather safety and will re-post this story, so keep reading!

Bargain Shopping and Thrift Stores: The Basics Part 2



Walgreens and CVS are also great places to stock up on things like bottled water, Kleenex, cold and allergy medicine and other such items. Each item is under $10. Reminder: Kentucky law limits the amount of medicine you can buy with the ingredient pseudoephedrine, which is in many cold and allergy medicines (like Benadryl). The limit is in place in an attempt to curb the state's growing problem with meth (pseudophedrine is a primary ingredient). Right now the limit is 9 milligrams (about two boxes) per person in a 30-day period. How do they keep track? All medicine containing pseudoephedrine is kept behind the pharmacy counter and you must show identification to purchase it. But don’t let that stop you. The procedure is fairly quick, but if there is a line at the pharmacy counter, you may have to wait a bit.

Drugstores are also good places to make in-between grocery stops. They offer food items like milk, bread and cereal for very reasonable prices. An added bonus: check the Sunday paper for coupons. Walgreens and CVS usually have full page or multi page spreads with coupons for various items.

Here are some tips and reminders for shopping at drugstores:
• Check the Sunday paper for coupons; saving $1 or .50 cents here and there
really adds up.
• If a store offers a free discount card, apply! CVS offers a customer
savings card that can save on almost all purchases.
• Visit the drugstore for mid-week grocery needs.
• Basic necessities like soap, shampoo and deodorant are generally cheaper
at drugstores.

Happy Shopping!

Bargain Shopping and Thrift Stores: Furniture Part 2

Besides furniture, an apartmant or house needs appliances. The best place in Louisville to get quality appliances at good prices is Bargain Supply Company on E. Jefferson Street in downtown. Bargain Supply offers brand name scratch and dent appliances at prices below what you'd find at places like Sears. Don't let the term "scratch and dent" put you off. Most of the scratches and dents are small or on parts that don't show. Some of the items had things like loose handles, but that can be easily fixed. Such items can be purchased at hardware stores, and can be attached with a screwdriver.

The finishing touch to any home is the decor. Stores like TJ Maxx, Target and The Louisville Antique Mall offer a wide range of items to decorate your home. For basics like curtains, lamps, tablecloths, kitchen utensils and things of that nature, Target and TJ Maxx offer the best selection and the best price. For pieces that add interest to a room or tie it all together, the Antique Mall is the place to go. But like the furniture, you have to look closely for quality items at good prices.

There are a few things to remember when bargain shopping: hit stores at the end of the season (right after Christmas, end of winter, summer, etc.) for incredible sale prices. Riley advises, "Go [to Goodwill] after Christmas. That's when people get rid of their good stuff." Don't be put off by scratch and dent items; most are hardly noticeable or can be easily fixed; don't be discouraged if you have to dig for the really good stuff. It's worth it in the end.

Happy Shopping!

Spring is Here!

It's finally spring, so get out and enjoy this beautiful weather before that good old Ohio Valley heat and humidity sets in for the summer. Here is a list of events happening around Louisville in April and May. So get out there and enjoy!

Kentucky Derby Festival: begins Saturday, April 22 with Thunder Over Louisville at Waterfront Park. Fireworks and military air show. Various events to follow in the coming weeks. Check KDF website for details (link provided at right).

Louisville Bats Baseball: their season starts in Ottawa on April 6, but home games start Friday, April 14 7:15pm vs Ottawa.

Iroquois Amphitheater: Musical Theater Louisville has several performances lined up for May. Visit www.iroquoisamphitheater.com for shows, dates and times.

Miscellaneous: Actor's Theatre, the Louisville Ballet, and the Kentucky center all have shows scheduled for April and May. Check the websites for shows, dates and tickets.