The news - as told by our viewers

  by Christian Grantham - January 11th, 2008 - 11:14 am| New Media, WKRN | one comment

The Tennessean had a nice blurb on how our WKRN viewers told the story of yesterday’s storm using their cellphone video and pictures. You can see the photos and videos on Nashflix.

As (yet another) round of menacing weather swept through Middle Tennessee Thursday, residents were quick to offer digital pics and videos of flooded driveways and golf ball-size hail.

NashFlix.com, an online aggregator of local multimedia, featured user videos of everything from Dell employees in Nashville gathering in the hall as the intercom boomed “This is not a drill” to a swollen, rushing creek bed in Leiper’s Fork that had been dry 24 hours previously.
[Weird weather videos flood into NashFlix - Tennessean - 01-11-08]

Top 10 most read stories of 2007 on WKRN and WATE

  by Christian Grantham - January 2nd, 2008 - 12:50 pm| New Media | 2 comments

Here’s a look at the top 10 most read stories on WKRN.com for 2007. 80% are entertainment related.

1. Overnight Chase Ends With Suspect In Custody - 2 Apr 2007 8:06 am
2. Playboy Causes Controversy On Vanderbilt’s Campus - 21 Mar 2007 5:15 pm
3. Faith Hill Reprimands Fan At Louisiana Show - 31 Jul 2007 10:55 am
4. Backstreet Boys Recording New Album In Nashville - 22 Jan 2007 9:31 pm
5. Titans Pacman Talks Back - 14 Apr 2006 6:09 pm
6. ‘Oops She Did It Again’ Spears Shaves Her Head - 17 Feb 2007 6:07 pm
7. Tammy Faye To Appear On ‘Larry King Live’ - 19 Jul 2007 3:17 pm
8. Up And Coming Country Singer Killed By Drunk Driver - 18 Mar 2007 11:09 pm
9. Extended Bon Jovi Interview - 18 Mar 2007
10. Woman Involved With THP Suspension Speaks Out - 21 May 2007 9:10 pm

Our sister station in Knoxville, WATE, posted their top 10 most read stories of 2007. 100% are crime related.

1. Porn actress blogs about sex with on-duty THP trooper - May 18, 2007
2. Knoxville father makes boy wear sign as punishment for using drugs -April 18, 2007
3. Four suspects charged with murder in Knoxville double slaying - February 1, 2007
4. 5 Jehovah’s Witness ministers killed in plane crash - September 2, 2007
5. Murder suspect’s wife put on leave from teaching internship - March 12, 2007
6. Four men charged in Knoxville double murder investigation - January 12, 2007
7. Union Co. students caught making porn movie between classes - February 28, 2007
8. Two men in custody in Knoxville double murder investigation  - January 11, 2007
9. Dilapidated warehouses in downtown Knoxville go up in flames - February 7, 2007
10. Suspect shot during LaFollette home invasion - January 11, 2007

WKRN 2007 online traffic growth

  by Christian Grantham - December 27th, 2007 - 1:25 pm| New Media, WKRN | no comments

Thank you for making 2007 a year of growth for WKRN’s online presence. This past year, our online audience grew 58% over 2006. Our blog audience grew 83%, and WKRN.com’s audience grew 45%. 

The New Year will bring more change here at WKRN and more opportunities to provide you compelling content and tools that help make your online experience better.

Viewer generated content on WKRN

  by Christian Grantham - November 29th, 2007 - 6:14 am| New Media, WKRN | one comment

This is one of our first on-air promos for our user generated content site NashFlix.com. The promo introduces a simple step to get viewer generated content to WKRN directly from cell phones. Viewers on the scene of breaking news can now report what they see by capturing pictures or video and sending it from their cell phone to pix@wkrn.com.

Our first on air use of viewer generated content through NashFlix was from a viewer who shared this video of hail. The hail fell at the home of a viewer near Percy Preist Dam in Woodland Pointe a couple of weeks ago. The video came in right before our first newscast that afternoon. You can see how the online content was integrated into our on-air broadcast here.

Examples of content viewers can capture on their cell phones:

• video of severe weather events
• major traffic events
• high school sports
• public meetings
• celebrity sightings
• your thoughts on some of our top stories

McMinnville first TN town to create 3D model in Google Earth

  by Christian Grantham - November 7th, 2007 - 4:43 pm| City Government, Environment, New Media, Tech | no comments

The Google is mapping McMinnville.

We’ve all heard that big things come in small packages. Well, in the small town of McMinnville, Tennessee, a group of visionary folks are planning something pretty big: a community-wide effort to develop a 3D model of their town in Google Earth — the first of its kind in the state. The project, dubbed 3D Downtown, is being led by a non-profit organization called Main Street McMinnville and includes volunteers from the State Department of Economic and Community Development, the City Planning office, the Chamber of Commerce, the local College and Technology Center, and a host of local businesses.
[Your town in 3D - Google Lat Long Blog - Nov. 1]

- 10-09-07 - Google Street View: Mapping Nashville

Writers’ strike affects online viewing at WKRN.com

  by Christian Grantham - November 6th, 2007 - 1:22 pm| New Media, Programming, WKRN | no comments

PROGRAMMING NOTE: If you are looking online for some of your favorite prime-time shows airing on WKRN, you could soon see re-runs.  The Writers Guild of America agreement expired October 31, 2007 and covered about 12,000 members of both West and East chapters.

Writers, who say the future of television distribution will be online, are on strike seeking an agreement that includes a fair share of revenue from online distribution of their work. WKRN viewers who miss on-air prime time shows like Desperate Housewives or Grey’s Anatomy can now watch entire episodes on demand with limited interuption at WKRN.com and WKRNNewsExtra.com (player buttons on the right sidebar).

Here is how the break down looks for some ABC shows:

• Desperate Housewives - 4 episodes (through first of December)
• Grey’s Anatomy - 5 episodes
• Dirty Sexy Money and Brothers and Sisters - at least 11 episodes

Friends of Joshua Cole share their sympathies on MySpace

  by Christian Grantham - October 30th, 2007 - 12:06 pm| Crime, New Media, Obituary | no comments

Friends of the late Joshua Cole are posting their sympathies on his MySpace. Police say 21-year-old Jason Bobo and 18-year-old Crystle Rutherford shot and killed 18-year-old Joshua Cole and 33-year-old Chris Caris at Bellacino’s restaurant on Friday night. Both suspects are in custody.

• I love you Josh! I can’t believe this. I don’t want to believe it. You have a lot of people sad babe. I’ll see you again… Rest In Peace.
  [Jessie [[R.I.P. Joshua Cole {already missin you}]] - Oct 27 2007 6:00 AM]
     
• I know that you’ll never get to read this, but i’m going to tell you anyways that i’m sorry and I miss you.
  [R.I.P. Josh Cole- [Im starting to hate the world] - October 27 2007 5:29 AM]
     
• i miss my wake up text in the morning =[ i love you.
  [hayls. [R.I.P. JSC],,  - October 28 2007 9:30 AM]
     
• JOSH…I LOVE U SOOOO MUCH N U WILL ALWAYS AND FOREVER BE IN MY HEART I HAD JUS TOLD GENNY THAT NITE WEN WE WERE LEAVIN THAT I WAS REALLY GLAD ME N U STARTED BEIN FRIENDS BECAUSE AT FIRST I WAS SHY N DIDNT TALK TO U..BUT THA SHORT TIME I SPENT WITH U WAS GREAT , I JUS WANA LET U KNOW THAT WEN I CAME TO WORK N SEEN I WAS WORKIN WITH U …IT MADE ME HAPPY….I HOPE U AND CHRIS R WATCHIN DOWN ON OUR FAMILY AT BELLACINOS SO THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN….I LOVE U JOSH
  [R.I.P. CHRIS N JOSH I LOVE U GUYS  - October 28 2007 12:06 PM]

More on this story:

- 10-30-07 - Two Face Charges In Bellacino’s Murders
- 10-29-07 - Two Other Suspects Captured In Double Murder Case
- 10-29-07 - Suspect In Pizzeria Slayings Apprehended
- 10-29-07 - Community Continues To Mourn In Wake Of Brutal Murders
- 10-29-07 - Police Make Arrest In Bellacino’s Double Murder
- 10-29-07 - Former Pizza Worker Sought In Double Murder
- 10-28-07 - Restaurant Steps Up Saftey Measures After Murders
- 10-27-07 - Friends Mourn Slain Pizza Shop Employees
- 10-27-07 - Suspects Sought In Restaurant Robbery
- 10-27-07 - Bellacino’s Manager, Employee Fatally Shot In Robbery

BREAKING: Pro-war blogger to run for state House

  by Christian Grantham - October 30th, 2007 - 9:24 am| BREAKING, New Media, Politics, State Government | no comments

News 2’s Adam Kleinheider has a breaking story on a potential candidate for retiring state Representative John Hood’s (D-Murfreesboro) seat.

The blogosphere will remember Lance Frizzell as the often combatively pro-war militarily blogger “Lance in Iraq.” Frizzell served in Northern Iraq for years as a 1st LT Medical Platoon Leader in the 278th Regimental Combat Team and maintained the vibrant and often updated blog from Iraq while his National Guard unit was stationed overseas and where he received the Bronze Star for meritorious service.
[Sources: Frizzell To Explore House Run - Volunteer Voters - 10-30-07]

ALERT: classified ad offering baby Brenda for free may be scam

  by Christian Grantham - October 25th, 2007 - 9:48 am| Family, New Media, Public Safety | 2 comments

On the surface, a posting on a popular website by a man calling himself Franc seems heartbreaking. The man claims to offer his baby girl named Brenda to anyone who can offer her a loving home for an unbelievable price: FREE. Franc claimed to be located in Nashville, but hours after we posted the story we quickly found the post on the same website under different cities besides Nashville: Charleston, SC -  Greensboro, NC - Asheville, NC - Oklahoma City - Raleigh, NC - Milwaukee, WI - Mobile, AL.

After replying to the request, the following response came this morning. Here it is exactly as it appeared. Note the bad grammar and obvious cut-and-paste job. This same response is being reported by local mothers here.

Good day,
Thanks for the mail and I also appreciate your
showing interest in our little girl Brenda Maneh.
We are seeking a  good and loving family  that
can offer a home for them with lots of love and
care.She is 1 year old and has not has any medical or
health problems.If you will not mind,I may want
to know a little about you and your  family,because i
think its right to know the family
taking in our kid and have to be sure she can be well
taken care of.
Where are you located
Are you a religious person?
Will you honestly fill out a home study Survey form when I
email one to you?Honestly we are seeking a family to
take in Brenda So many people are seeking to offer
homes for her,but still i have to be confident of who
i am giving my little girl to and not let mean people
have her.I hope you are not upseted by all the
questions and can understand with me on this.Thanks
for everything and I will appreciate everything you
have got to offer for Brenda.
I will be hoping to hear from you again.
Regards.
Franc

UPDATE 8:40p.m. - Here is the second response, this time with several photos and more details (phone number is removed):

Good day,
Its always nice to read from you once again,but I have been very busy with work and even when I get home,its already late and  I have to look after Brenda before I
can take a rest.I got her a Nanny to look after her,I am not sure i want my daughter brought up by a baby sitter.I am happy  to know about your family to. To let you know about me,we are originally from, South
Africa,but relocated to British Cameroon and I work for the Plan International Organization.Brenda is our first kid and her mother died in a car accident some
months ago.I am aware we will have to get through a couple of legal papers to  push this to go through,and if its worth giving her the best,i dont mind going
through all that.I chosed the US because of the opportunities that will be opened to her growing up over there,the Education  and the social Insurances and health care she will enjoy while growing up over there.If you really will take my girl and give her such a good home and a decent upbringing,I will never
forget your family in my prayers.You can call me on XXXXXXXXXXXXX,if you are interested in having a chat with us,from there  we can now be certain on how to
work out the legal papers needed.Hope to hear from you
again soon.Below are some of her pictures.
Have a nice day
Regards.
Franc

Nashville father gives away baby girl online for free?

  by Christian Grantham - October 24th, 2007 - 10:17 am| Family, New Media | 7 comments

A post on Postaroo.com by a man claiming to live in Nashville seeks to give away his baby girl Brenda for free “to your loving home.”

As of this post, only 44 people have viewed the offer. The original was posted under location Nashville on 10-10-07.

Price:  Free
Location: Nashville, TN

My Name if Franc, I am seeking prospective foster parents for my little baby girl named Brenda.I have been a single parent ever since I lost my wife to an accident.Please if interested,do contact me for informations on the adoption procedures.nfranc11@yahoo.com

PLEASE IF YOU HAVE NOT THOUGHT OF ADOPTING BEFORE DONNOT CONTACT ME,ONLY SERIOUS COUPLES STABLE AND RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS WILL I RESPOND TO.
[Postaroo - Add Brenda To Your Loving Family - 10-10-07]

UPDATE 11:31a.m. - This posting also appears on 10-07-07 on Postaroo under Charleston, SC and  Greensboro, NC on the same day.

UPDATE 11:41a.m. - Also posted around same time on Postaroo under Asheville, NC - Oklahoma City - Raleigh, NC - Milwaukee, WI - Mobile, AL