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.