September 24, 2010

Cheshire Home Invasion Trial Front And Center

The Hayes trial has the full attention of Connecticut residents. CT1 Media is bringing it to them on every platform and unlike any other media company in the market. Courant Reporters Alaine Griffin and Helen Ubinas have been tweeting and providing web updates at breakneck pace to bring our online audience a virtual real-time account of the dramatic testimony at the trial. FOX CT Reporters Laurie Perez (who also tweets), Jim Altman and George Colli are also providing strong television coverage. And the addition of video packages to the online presentation has been critical. We also were first – online and News at 4 p.m. – to post and air the compelling surveillance video of Jennifer Petit at the bank as well as the 911 call thanks to the hard work of the web and TV staff.

Read more on the start of the trial on courant.com.





The Truth About Those Political Campaign Ads

CT1 Media has launched a new political series exploring the veracity of campaign ads – Claim Check – on all platforms. Courant Reporter Matt Kauffman’s piece on Linda McMahons’ latest anti-Blumenthal missive was translated into television by FOX CT Anchor Alison Morris.

See it online at courant.com.





Visuals Enhance Stories Across All Platforms

Great multi-platform visual work on several fronts this week: Courant Photographer Michael McAndrews shot stills for the paper, a photo gallery for the web and video for the morning newscast at the unveiling of the new High Rollers bowling alley at Foxwoods. And Courant Photographer Bettina Hansen’s online photo gallery of the “Little Monsters” outside the Lady Gaga concert was extraordinary. Her shots of the concert were used in print and on air as well.

See the photo gallery.

September 10, 2010

Making The Most Of A Good Story
FOX CT Videographer Jenn Bernstein located key characters in one of the more interesting stories to emerge on August 26 – a man charged with encouraging an 8-year-old to unleash a string of curses for a YouTube video. Bernstein made the most of it. She cut a package for the News at 4 p.m., recut it for the News at 10 p.m., filed a story for the web and newspaper and pulled a frame grab to run in the B section of the August 27 edition of The Courant.

Read about it on courant.com.






Story Develops Out Of Tragedy
An unusual story that surfaced early in the day on August 26 turned into a popular online piece and a good TV segment as well. Courant Reporter Christine Dempsey wrote the tragic story of a dementia patient who left a nursing home, fell out of his wheelchair, hit his head and died. The story generated strong traffic online for two days, while FOX CT Reporter Narmeen Choudhury transitioned the story into an interesting TV piece.

See the story on courant.com.






Getting Ready For Earl
FOX CT meteorologists Joe Furey and Garett Argianas provided continuous updates to the web for our large online hurricane audience to keep up with the latest on Earl as it barreled toward the Northeast. Breaking News Editor Steve Busemeyer also pulled together an online photo gallery featuring archival photos of hurricanes Gloria and Bob, which did well for several days on the web.

Check out the photo gallery on courant.com.

Follow the story on courant.com.

September 3, 2010

FOX CT Launches 4 p.m. Newscast

On August 23, FOX CT added a new one-hour newscast to its lineup. The show puts our cross-media capabilities on display with Courant reporters delivering local news, web producers checking in with the latest online stories, comments from readers and viewers via the web and Facebook, entertainment content developed by The Courant’s features staff, a video segment shot by Courant photo staff, and more. The newscast also features a number of innovative video approaches, including a filmstrip-style segment on national news and a calendar segment. Employees from all platforms worked together over the last several months to prepare for the show’s launch.

Read about the launch on courant.com.

See the photo gallery.



A Soldier Dies

Sad news broke on the morning of August 24 when a Glastonbury native was killed in Afghanistan while serving the last couple of weeks of his tour. Excellent coordination and execution came from Connecticut’s Newsroom to get the best information and images out to the public as quickly as possible. FOX CT Assignment Editor Joe Wenzel first posted the confirmed information online. He then worked closely with Courant Breaking News Editor Steve Busemeyer to develop the story for all platforms while Courant Photographer Rich Messina hustled to the Glastonbury Public Library to gather images of the soldier from his high school yearbook, which helped build the online package. FOX CT Reporter Jim Altman and Courant Reporter Shawn Beals teamed up for a powerful interview with the family, getting the text and video up quickly. By 3 p.m., the story had generated 6,000 local visits with the number still climbing.

Read the story on courant.com.





On The Road…

The Cars.com “On The Road” TV show recently aired its fourth episode. The show, which was shown on FOX CT and WCCT on August 21 and 22 and is produced by the CT1 Media Creative Services Group, featured a trip to a car show, information on how police catch speeders, new car reviews, “Drive Smart Tips” from Jim MacPherson and more. The creative services group promoted the show in print, on air and online. “On The Road” is a great vehicle for local car dealers who want more exposure in the marketplace; CT1 Media account executives continue to sell into the show.

August 20, 2010

Frame Grabs In Print Have Big Impact

Increasing attention is being paid to how and when we shoot frame grabs and it’s paying off in higher-quality images shot by FOX CT videographers. A prime example is FOX CT Videographer Jenn Bernstein’s image of a returning soldier reuniting with his family. The photo ran on page 1 of The Courant on August 7. Then on August 17, a frame grab by FOX CT Photographer Al Chaniewski depicting a fiery Senator Dodd speaking to organized labor also made the front page. On August 20, FOX CT Photographer Freddy Mathis’ portrait of a mom waiting for her son to come home from Iraq ran on page B8. All three are great example of using our talents across platforms.











Connecticut’s Newsroom Handles A Tough Situation With Grace

When word came into the Hub that two FOX CT crew members had been sprayed with insecticide while covering a court appearance, people in the newsroom pulled together to handle the situation. After it was determined that reporter George Colli and photographer Al Chaniewski were safe, the TV and newspaper staff worked closely together on the story. That story, along with Chaniewski’s dramatic video, were quickly posted to the web. A short time later, Colli gave a live standup for the News at 11am and talked about the attack.

Read about the incident on ctnow.com.



Exclusive Look Into HDI

On August 11, Courant Photographer Patrick Raycraft was allowed inside the HDI warehouse the first day workers returned after the shooting to capture the day’s events. Raycraft’s exclusive images –stills and video – offered viewers, readers and online users an inside look at this very emotional day.

Read more on ctnow.com.

August 13, 2010

Manchester Shooting Rampage Dominates Headlines

Hartford Distributors Inc. became the scene of a mass murder last week as a disgruntled employee gunned down eight people during the company’s morning shift change. The hub flew into action hastily providing viewers and online users with as much information as possible as it came into the newsroom. Our breaking news coverage was second to none. We were the first to provide any major details to the public on the shooting and the first to have a reporter and photographer on the scene (Tom Lewis and Al Chaniewski). Lewis’ reports and Chaniewski’s footage were promptly posted to the web and aired on the station. And CT1 Media continued its coverage throughout the day and over the next week in print, on air and online by providing Connecticut and beyond with profiles of the victims, information on the gunman and the latest details of this crime/tragedy as they were uncovered.

Find all of the coverage on courant.com.





CT1 Media Provides Connecticut With Comprehensive Primary Coverage

The primaries on August 10 truly illustrated the power of our cross media efforts. At 7 p.m., we began streaming the results live on courant.com and CTnow.com with help from our friends at CT-N. Connecticut’s Newsroom worked together throughout the evening to provide viewers and online users with the most up-to-date information. And later that evening, the FOX CT News at Ten was the number one choice for Connecticut Primary Election returns as more viewers chose our newscast over any other in the market. Several Courant reporters including Chris Keating and Rinker Buck appeared on FOX CT and CT-N to discuss the candidates, the results and what it all meant for the upcoming election season.

Read all of the Connecticut Primary Election results on courant.com.

August 6, 2010

Connecticut Idol Contest Big Hit With Fans

On July 26, FOX CT held an open call for its Connecticut Idol contest at Mohegan Sun's The Cabaret Theatre. The contest was a cross media marketing success with all three platforms promoting the opportunity for one lucky person to win an audition with an American Idol producer. On air promos, print ads and mentions during the newscast ran encouraging viewers and readers to pre-register or head down to Mohegan for the open call. And, CTnow.com featured a home page promo that linked to a landing page with contest and registration information. On the day of the contest, FOX CT Morning News Anchor Sarah French judged the competition while Reporter Jim Altman covered the story. And later that evening, the FOX CT News at Ten featured the big moment when host Lucia Nazzaro announced the winner, Henry Smith of Ellington. The following day the Hartford Courant used a frame grab to publicize Smith's new title as Connecticut Idol.

Visit the contest page on ctnow.com.









Happy Meal Toy Choking Makes Big News

Also on July 26, FOX CT Laurie Perez nailed a great interview with the mom at the center of the McDonald's Happy Meal choking episode. She packaged it as an exclusive for the FOX CT News at Ten and then created a version for the web and paper, which landed on Tuesday's A1 along with a frame grab by FOX CT Photographer Jeff Foss. This is another great example of a story that can be positioned across all platforms.

Read Perez's story on ctnow.com.

July 30, 2010

Storms Slam Connecticut

On July 21, Connecticut was hit by some pretty severe storms. The first cell powered into Litchfield on Wednesday afternoon and the hub went into action. Photographers and reporters were quickly dispatched and their reports posted to the web almost immediately. FOX CT went on air with a live-cut in that lasted three hours. For the remainder of the day, CT1 Media demonstrated great teamwork by keeping a steady flow of news, critical information and images available to our TV viewers and online users. Courant photographers and reporters shot video; viewer photos sent to the station were added to the web; meteorological information was used online and in print – much of it in real time as the storms moved through the state. The work of Connecticut’s Newsroom ensured that those relying on us had the information they needed to stay informed and safe.

Visit courant.com for more on the storms.





Bridgeport Firefighters Perish In The Line Of Duty

The Bridgeport Fire Department suffered a blow on Saturday after the tragic deaths of two comrades. CT1 Media stepped up to provide coordinated coverage across all platforms of this emotional story. Over the weekend, we drove Connecticut residents online with continuous updates to the web. FOX CT reporters in the field helped bolster the content in print and online while those working in house – both print reporters and assignment editors – worked closely to get what we needed quickly and efficiently.

To read more on the Bridgeport firefighters tragedy, visit ctnow.com.





Green Plays In Connecticut Open

Another big story for Connecticut and a great one for CT1 Media as golfer Ken Green appears at the 2010 Connecticut open. The story was shot for all platforms by Courant Photographer Mark Mirko, whose stills of Green (who lost his leg in a car accident that claimed the life of his brother and his girlfriend) ran as the A1 centerpiece on July 26. And Mirko's video interview with Green was featured on the FOX CT News at Ten.

Read more on ctnow.com.

July 23, 2010

Battered Lives Series Wrap-Up

After the murder of our colleague Alice Morrin by her husband last year, the Hartford Courant and FOX CT started a series called “Battered Lives,” focusing on the issue of domestic violence in the state. This past weekend, Connecticut’s Newsroom executed multi-platform coverage wrapping up our year-long investigation into this issue. Courant Reporter Josh Kovner wrote a story for the front page of Sunday’s paper and set up video interviews for all his subjects including a great one with Nancy Tyler. Tyler’s interview was broken out as a separate piece for FOX CT’s News at Ten on Saturday night, while the others were incorporated into a package Sarah French put together that aired Monday night. The pieces all referred to each other, as well as to stories and resources online. The series and its wrap-up are a powerful statement of CT1 Media’s commitment, impact and teamwork.

To read the article, visit courant.com.





Good-Bye George Steinbrenner

On July 13, George “The Boss” Steinbrenner passed away leaving half of Connecticut mourning his passing (the other half is Red Sox land). Courant veteran Sports Writer Dom Amore emerged as the voice of Connecticut’s Newsroom to explain the significance of the Steinbrenner era to Connecticut’s strong cadre of Yankee fans. That morning, Amore phoned into the FOX CT News at 11am for an interview and shortly after, held a live chat on courant.com. He later taped a segment for the FOX CT News at Ten with Sports Anchor Rich Coppola. While doing all of this, Amore wrote a terrific piece with a great deal of local perspective for the July 14 edition of The Courant.

Read more on Steinbrenner and Connecticut's perspective on his death on courant.com.





Jazz Fest Rocks Hartford

The 19th Annual Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz was held from July 16-18 in Bushnell Park, drawing over 50,000 jazz fans to the city. CT1 Media was out in full force. It was a weekend of amazing music, eclectic vendors and delicious food. The Hartford Courant and FOX CT were sponsors of this great event and helped deliver a unique product experience to client P.C. Richard & Son. But it was The CT’s Jazz Fest team that took our “We Heart CT” commitment to the next level by covering the event with six :60 cut-ins throughout the day on Saturday, promoting the festival and all of its activities. In addition to the cut-ins, the Creative Services Group executed an aggressive multi-platform marketing campaign designed to get more people out to New England’s largest free jazz festival with print and online ads (courant.com, ctnow.com and ct.com), AdMail and on air spots. The FOX CT Morning News featured live hits at 5am, 6am, 7am and 8am from Bushnell Park on the first day of the festival as organizers and musicians prepared for the big weekend. Courant Reporter Chris Keating covered the festival with an online story on Sunday that transitioned to an A1 article in Monday’s paper. And, a web driver was designed for post festival to push users to ct.com to check out the photo gallery.

Read all about Jazz Fest.

See the landing page on ct.com.

July 16, 2010

Lebron Picks Miami While Hanging Out In…Greenwich?

On July 8, Lebron James came to Greenwich for a one-hour special on ESPN announcing his next move in the NBA – a much-anticipated announcement. The images from Greenwich were paired online by stories from the scene written by FOX CT Reporter Jeff Valin, who was reporting live for the morning newscast. Courant Sports Editor Jeff Otterbein worked with Valin to get a strong report up on courant.com. With optimism that Lebron might be coming to New York, the story did well online throughout the day. The big story also ran on the front page of the Sports section in The Courant when ultimately, James broke the hearts of New Yorkers and Clevelanders when he declared he would join the Miami Heat next season.

To read about Lebron James, visit courant.com.





Data Is A Draw

Ever wonder what the salaries are for certain jobs in Connecticut? On July 8, Hartford Courant Business Editor Dan Haar and Assistant State Editor Steve Busemeyer collected data to accompany a front-page story on the salaries of Connecticut residents and turned it into a searchable database on courant.com. The article drove people to the web, making great online numbers for several days.

Read the story or visit the database on courant.com.



Teamwork on Hartford Story

The shooting of a Hartford police officer on Friday night brought out our best teamwork. Courant Reporter Dave Owens and FOX CT Photographer John Krebs worked the story long after the paper had gone to print and the last newscast was off the air. By sticking with the story into the middle of the night, Owens and Krebs created the most complete coverage in the market. At 2:47 a.m., Owens updated the story with the capture of the suspect while Krebs submitted a gallery’s worth of images at 2:55 a.m. On Saturday morning it was the lead story on both courant.com and CTnow.com and as of 8 a.m. no other media outlet in the market had posted anything.

Read about the shooting on courant.com.

July 9, 2010

CT1 Media Reports Fuel The Adverse Events Law

July 1 was a another great day for Connecticut’s Newsroom as Governor Rell signed a bill making it harder for hospitals to keep medical mistakes secret – a direct result of reporting by The Courant’s Matt Kauffman and Dave Altimari. FOX CT Photographer Sharon Burke caught the signing on video, which was then used across all three platforms including a story on the FOX CT News at Ten and a frame grab in the newspaper the following day.

Read about the new laws that went into effect on July 1 in Connecticut on courant.com.





Camp Courant Telethon Raises $73k

On July 1, FOX CT and the Hartford Courant presented the 1st Annual Camp Courant Telethon live on FOX CT from 7-8pm. The telethon was heavily promoted through a cross-media marketing campaign that included ads in print and online (courant.com and ctnow.com) and on-air promos. In addition to the marketing blitz, news helped get the word out about the telethon. Numerous mentions were made during all of the newscasts (the telethon was Thursday evening). Also, packages produced for the telethon were aired from Monday through Thursday as a preview. The Courant published an article about Camp Courant, its history, and current financial situation. The newspaper also included a Quick Takes blurb to encourage readers to donate and to remind them to tune in to FOX CT for the telethon. It was a true success raising $73k for the camp’s operations.

Read about Camp Courant on courant.com.











“Too Shea” On TV

Courant Columnist Jim Shea made his TV debut on the FOX CT News at Ten on July 1 in a segment that captures his particular brand of humor – the humor that has made him very popular with Courant readers. FOX CT Assistant News Director Amy Fabozzi is credited with figuring out how to effectively translate Shea’s printed words into a new TV segment. Move over Andy Rooney…

Read Jim's blog on courant.com.



A1 Frame Grabs Used On A1 To Help Tell The Story

The July 2 hearing on the controversial dismissal of the East Hampton police chief was captured on video by FOX CT Veejay Jenn Bernstein for a News at Ten package. A frame grab from Bernstein’s footage was used the next day in an A1 story that ran in The Courant about the police chief’s firing. Also on A1 that day was a frame grab shot by FOX CT Photographer Sharon Burke at a story about local soccer fans watching Brazil’s shocking loss in the World Cup. This is a great example of how our integrated newsroom comes together to tell the stories to our audiences on all our platforms.

Read about East Hampton's police chief on courant.com.

Find out more about World Cup coverage on courant.com.

June 28, 2010

Travelers Championship Coverage Illustrates How "Just One Team" Can Do It All

The Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands was held last week and CT1 Media covered it like no other media organization in the market. Courant Sports writer Tom Yantz appeared on the Morning News while Columnist Jeff Jacobs appeared on the late news and both their videos were placed on the web. FOX CT Reporter Jim Altman’s package on the Celebrity Pro-Am was repositioned for the newspaper and a story on early-bird maintenance was used in print, online, and on TV. We blogged from the course with various live updates, held two live chats and took questions from fans through Facebook. And each day in print, we had a box on the cover that had print/web/TV promos, such as FOX CT Meteorologist Rachel Franks’ weather, teasers for the Morning News broadcast live on the course and News at Ten highlights, web highlights including an interactive course map, and what readers could expect inside the paper. Our game plan is a great example of maximizing all of our platforms to ensure audiences were up-to-date on everything Travelers.

For complete coverage including video, photo galleries and stories, visit courant.com.






ct.com Goes Live

On June 21, the WTXX-TV website was rebranded and relaunched as ct.com (for The CT). The website offers users more blogs, photo galleries, celebrity news, relationship advice, fashion, entertainment information and locally produced video from “Seen on the Scene” and “As Seen on The CT” (that also run on air). The new blogs include:

Chet Gets Around – the stations’ mascot, Chet, gives users a pictorial tour of the events he attends on behalf of The CT.

Mall Walkers – The CT’s local fashionista talks about the good, bad and ugly fashion trends demonstrated by CT-ers.

Your Mom Says – a local hipster mom talks about everything your mom never told you and offers advice, recipes, etc.

Ct.com is also an aggregator for Time Wasters: Safe for Work sites, Not Safe for Work sites, classic games, flash games, and viral videos. And beginning July 14, The CT will have new call letters – WCCT-TV – that correspond with the website and station’s new branding. A complete marketing campaign including TV spots, and print and online ads will kick off in the next couple of weeks promoting the new site and call letters.

Check out the new ct.com.





The Storm That Blew Through Bridgeport

A severe thunderstorm – possibly a tornado -- ripped through Bridgeport and CT1 Media had it covered. The hub sprung into action with TV/print editors and reporters running down tips and trading information as quickly as possible to determine the extent and precise location of the damage, road closures, etc. We went live on FOX CT with a cut-in the afternoon and got a full package up online as reporters and photographers were dispatched to cover the story. Over the next couple of days, we kept the story robust and fresh on both courant.com and ctnow.com with video and still frame grabs shot by FOX CT videographers. Our strong storm coverage drove traffic to our sites for days following the initial impact.

To see our extensive coverage, visit courant.com.





Themed Courant Mastheads Continue Into Summer

We continue to produce themed mastheads for the Hartford Courant, courant.com and ctnow.com that add a little kick to the newspaper and websites' normal appearance. In the past couple of weeks, we’ve featured Father’s Day, first day of summer, Travelers Championship and 4th of July themes.

June 25, 2010

CT1 Media Delivers Unparalleled Coverage On Conviction Of Hartford Mayor

June 18 was a big news day as Hartford’s mayor was convicted on five of six counts. CT1 Media’s news staff was quick to the web, to text alerts and to air when word came down around 10:30 a.m. Friday that a verdict was imminent. Our speed and depth kept the web in front throughout the day on the story. On-air, FOX CT coverage included a live 11 a.m. cut-in from the courthouse that featured appearances by Assignment Czar Andrew Julien and Courant city hall Reporter Jenna Carlesso. Later that evening, timelines and other supplemental information developed by Courant staff were used in the News at Ten and at 11 p.m. on FOX CT. Breaking stories like this emphasize the value of being able to deliver news on multiple platforms – from airing the verdict live on TV as it was being read to the depth and perspective Courant writers were able to offer readers the following day in an A1 story.

Read all about the Perez conviction on courant.com.






Cars.com Goes Cross Platform

The Cars.com On The Road TV show recently aired its third episode of the year. The show, which is shown on FOX CT and WTXX and is produced by the CT1 Media Creative Services Group, features great information on everything cars including new car reviews from Cars.com and a “Drive Smart with Jim” segment about getting the best mileage from your car this summer. This time around, we tried something new and went hostless, but did feature MacPherson in his own segment(Jim MacPherson reviews cars and writes a column in the weekly Wheels section of the Courant. He is the previous On The Road host). During one of his segments, he held up a recent copy of Wheels to drive viewers back to the print section. The show’s producers also visited a local car show and took a spin around a racetrack with professional drivers at the Jaguar R Academy in New York. On The Road was promoted in print, on air and online. It is a great vehicle for local car dealers who want more exposure in the marketplace; CT Media account executives continue to sell into the show. The next installment of Cars.com On the Road is tentatively set to air on August 21 and 22 and then again on August 28and 29. Stay tuned for more details.

Check out past episodes on courant.com.







Korky Vann’s Deal Of The Day…

On June 21, Courant Columnist Korky Vann’s Deal of the Day was launched on multiple platforms. We continue to offer readers, viewers and online users more news and information they can use in their everyday lives. Deal of the Day helps them find free stuff and just plain old good deals around Connecticut. Vann, who is known as the Savvy Shopper and appears regularly on the FOX CT Morning News, started “Deal of the Day” on her courant.com blog. It was an instant hit. This week, “Deal” went cross platform, appearing online, in print and on TV Monday through Friday in the Morning News. And to make it easier for our audiences, Deal of the Day is sent as a text alert for those on the go.

See the Deal of the Day on courant.com.



CT1 Media Covers Important Community News – Local School Closings

School closings are, unfortunately, a sign of the times. A recent wave of school closings to save money prompted an effort to develop a trend story on CT1 Media’s multiple platforms. While FOX CT video journalist Jenn Bernstein focused on one district forced to close two schools, Courant writer Grace Merritt compiled stats and other information. Additionally, Courant Photographer Bettina Hansen, who shot stills for the paper, also shot extra video to supplement Bernstein’s work. The result: a strong A1 story in Sunday’s Courant, a package on Friday’s News at Ten and a natural-sound package sidebar on the emotional impact of a community losing a school.

Read more about this story on courant.com.

June 18, 2010

Story On Local Artist Takes On Cross Media Life…

We all know the arts have healing powers. On June 12, Courant Reporter Jenna Carlesso’s interesting article that appeared on A1 about a mural artist in Hartford who hopes her art will deter crime was nicely transformed into a cross media story. Courant photographer Bettina Hansen edited her video and stills into an engaging natural sound package that ran June 11 on the News at Ten. This was a very successful experiment that not only made print material work on TV, but also showed how broadcast content can be distinctively produced as an original and compelling story.

Read more about on this story at courant.com





Zip Tour Goes Cross Platform…

The Daytrippers segments seem to be a natural fit for the newspaper’s Living section and are turning into great cross media stories. A Daytrippers package shot for TV by FOX CT’s Jim Altman and Mike Piskorski about the Zip Line At Empower Leadership Sports and Adventure Center in Middletown was reworked into a print and stills package that ran June 12 on the Courant’s Living cover. Piskorski and The Courant’s John Woike worked closely together to select frames that helped tell the story in print about this unique tree-top course.

Check out the story on ctnow.com





Altimari Investigation On Bus Crash Continues…

Courant Reporter Dave Altimari continued his investigation into the school bus crash that happened earlier this year, killing a local teenager. Altimari broke the story about state police applying for an arrest warrant that charged a 16-year-old from Glastonbury in the accident. The story led the News at Ten on June 10 as an exclusive from Connecticut’s newsroom and then appeared the following morning on the front page of The Courant. It also generated great numbers on courant.com and pointed users to the database on school bus inspection reports. This is a great example of how details uncovered in an investigation play out well on a multiplatform level.

Read all about this story on courant.com