How I Work - Lauren Sivan

Today, FTVLive heads out to the Left Coast to find out how KTTV Reporter/Weather Anchor? Twitter God Lauren Sivan works.

Lauren is one person you MUST be following on social media. She will say stuff that will have you blowing your drink out of your nose and stuff you wish you could say, but know you'll get fired if you do.

We LOVE Lauren Sivan and we thought it would be great to see just how she works:

Twitter Name: @LaurenSivan
Location: LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA 
Current gig: REPORTER/ANCHOR/SOMETIMES WEATHER GAL FOR FOX 11 LOS ANGELES
Current computer: Mac Book Pro
Current mobile device: IPhone 4S (Yes, I'm embarrassed) 
One word that best describes how you work: how about a phrase: "On The Fly"

What are your favorite Apps that you can't live without? Twitter for news updates, fan feedback + a steady stream of complaints about my hair/outfit/delivery etc. Keeps you grounded. INSTAGRAM (@IdiotSivan) has become more useful for news. Particularly the geo-tagging feature. Also great place to post pictures from the scene or behind the scenes. WAZE is essential here in LA to navigate the stand-still traffic. STARBUCKS APP to find the closest location (bathroom) 

What's your workspace like? In the field we work out of filthy trucks. News people are notorious slobs. There's always garbage from the crew before. The early morning shift has given me plenty of practice writing my story, curling my hair and talking to producers simultaneously from the back of that thing. My window-less home away from home. 

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without? Our live trucks don't have wifi so lugging my computer with me is pointless. I do all my research and writing on my iPhone. Only problem is when I'm reading a script off it and someone calls during a live shot (usually mom)  I also love my Beats headphones which sometimes I use instead of an IFB earpiece. Can't live without my mobil flatiron that wraps up tiny enough to stash in my pocket and of course I have multiple phone charges in every bag and vehicle always. 

What Music are you listening to? I listen to mostly talk radio while at work. When I punch out I like alternative or eclectic tunes for the ride home. And of course something to get me pumped up for the gym after work. Right now I've got Mark Ronson's new album on repeat. 

What's your sleep routine like? Non-existant? TRY to get in bed by 7pm but usually it's more like 8. My alarm goes off at 1:30 in the morning when working the early AM reporting shift (we are in at 2:30am) and I've fallen asleep at stop lights on the way in. 

Best Advice you Ever Got? "Keep it simple." Fox News' Rick Leventhal would repeat this to me ad nauseum when I was first starting to report and asked him to look over my work. When you roll up on a complicated story and you've gotta be live in 5 minutes sometimes I'll still jot down the WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE WHY + HOW so I don't get too tripped up in confusing details. Trying to cram too much into a 1:30 report never comes off clean or understandable. 

Also... "It's easier to apologize than get permission"

When you're workingn a story and you're not sure if you're allowed to be there what you're allowed to shoot or who you're allowed to talk to- just go for it. If you get in trouble later you can apologize but you if you ask for permission odds are you won't get it.  One of my mentors, Matt Hammill at WQAD who I met way back at my first RTNDA convention gave me that one. It's always come in handy. 

"WE'LL DO IT LIVE!" - sometimes I re-watch that amazing Bill O'Reilly clip just to get pumped up for a big show. 

No More DirecTV?

Remember when AT&T agreed to buy DirecTV for almost $50-billion? Yeah, we forgot too. It seems the phone company is considering scrapping the DirecTV name.

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson says the name is, "Under review". Translation? We're going to screw up this brand kinda like Taco Bell did when they dropped the chihuahua or Court TV changing to TruTV.

Here at FTVLive World HQ, we'd rather see Randy drop the policy of forcing customers into paying for crappy channels no one wants, just to get ONE you do! If he does that, then who cares what they call the service?

h/t AdAge

NBC Adding Skaters to Super Bowl Coverage

File this under WTF are they thinking? NBC plans to make their Super Bowl coverage "sparkle". The peacock is adding Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski to pre-game coverage. 

The flamboyant duo wjll interview celebrities and walk through tailgate parties. I bet Bob Costas and Dan Patrick can't wait.

Weir showed up wearing a giant white feathered fascinator for NBC's coverage of the Kentucky Derby.

With all the talk about 'balls' for this Super Bowl, maybe they're on to something?

h/t The New York Post

Hmmmmm....This is Interesting

Last night if you watched NBC Nightly News, the second story in the broadcast was about the Measles outbreak that started at Disneyland and how parents that have not vaccinated their children are being urged not to go there.

If you log onto NBC Nightly News website, you see the Disneyland measles story is near the top of the page.

Now go to ABC World New Tonight's website, you can't find the story anywhere on their front page.

Gee? Do you think because Disney owns ABC it has anything to do with it.

Naw....this is an important story, the corporate bosses wouldn't make put public safety before profits....would they?

Just saying.... 

Former Sacramento Anchor in Court Today

Former KTXL Anchor Sabrina Rodriguez has a date with the judge this morning.

Rodriguez has a hearing in her shoplifting case along with her ex-boyfriend that may resolve the legal case against her.

A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on three felony charges against the 31-year-old Emmy-award winning broadcast journalist, who resigned from her job at the station in August after the charges were filed.

She has been out of custody on $10,000 bail since the filing of the charges, which allege that she was involved in a shoplifting scheme with her ex-fiance, Nicholas Gray. Gray, 31, has been held at the Sacramento County Jail without bail since his July 31 arrest on shoplifting, drug and other charges.

Gray is scheduled to appear in the same courtroom today for a hearing in his case, which includes allegations that he boasted of shoplifting up to $200,000 in clothing in a two-month span.

Gray also faces charges of drug possession and manufacture, as well as causing a blaze and explosion at the couple’s south Sacramento home that allegedly was sparked by his efforts to manufacture hash oil from marijuana.

Rodriguez split from Gray shortly after the case was filed. She "resigned" from the station to, " take time to clear her good name."

H/T Sacramento Bee

Pushed Out in Chicago

After 21 years at the station, WLS (Chicago) told afternoon and fill-in meteorologist Mike Caplan, his services were no longer needed. 

The station recently hired Cheryl Scott from WMAQ and they needed to free up space, Caplan caught the bullet.

With six meteorologists being used by  the station (five full-time and one per diem) -- by far the most of any Chicago television station -- it wasn't a question if one of the current meteorologists would be released, but rather when. Most felt the odd man out would be either Mike Caplan or Phil Schwarz.

Caplan was the odd meteorologist out. 

Originally hired to be the ABC 7 morning meteorologist, Caplan moved to weekend weather anchor the following year. In 2004, he was promoted up to afternoon weather anchor, seen on the station's 4:00pm newscasts and serving as top fill-in for other times in the day.

H/T Chicagoland Radio and Media

My Favorite Day of the Year

Today is my Christmas, NAB, CES and AVN Expo all wrapped up in one. I'm headed for Orlando and the PGA Show.

Miles and miles of booths set up and it's all about golf. I LOVE this day. 

And although I will be getting my golf fix on all day, FTVLive will continue to roll on, thanks to the FTVLive Intern. 

Here's hoping that you guys all have a great weekend!

Take it away Mr. Intern.

Thanks, Boss. I'll make sure to walk Rory and keep him out of the cat food.

Reporter: "DC Is Not Part Of USA"

We're scratching our heads over comments made by WTTG Chief Investigative reporter Emily Miller.

Speaking at a gun rally (we're not even going to touch that one), Miller told the crowd that they were lucky living in Virginia, "which is part of the United States", but she is from DC, "which is not part of the country".  You can watch the video here

We'd like to ask Emily if she could do an investigative piece on Florida and let us know if FTVLive World HQ is actually in the United States?

Tom Brady Is Where?

Sometimes it's fun to troll social media to find TV gold. WOAI Sports anchor David Chancellor was doing a story about a couple of idiots who got football 'fan' tattoos. One of the geniuses had Tom Brady tattooed inside his mouth. Anchor hottie Evy Ramos summed it all up. Roll the video:

People do some crazy things in life, which often lead to golden moments in TV news. After a couple of people got obnoxious tattoos, this TV anchor made one comment that kept it real.

Hey Evy, Gisele Bundchen is on line 2.

"Better" Goes Bye-Bye

Meredith's attempt at syndication, is over. After eight seasons, The Better show is being canceled.

The official statement says it was due to a lack of clearances. We're willing to bet it was also due to a lack of ratings.

Meredith says their local stations will continue to produce programming under the Better banner. Let's take bets now on how that will do?

h/t TV Newscheck

The David Gregory Arrest Warrant

You may remember when David Gregory, still the Moderator of Meet The Press at the time held up llegal high-capacity ammo magazine on the air.

He used the magazine to make a point after the Sandy Hook School shootings. 

It was back in December 2012 and Gregory was never charged with the crime although it was talked about for quite some time in the media. 

Mediaite has a copy of an affidavit supporting a warrant for Gregory's arrest by the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.

Although, the warrant was never served and Gregory was never arrested, we now know how close it was to happening. 

Here's a copy of the warrant that was never served:

This is CNN....

We offer this up with no comment:

CNN, Don Lemon and Morgan Spurlock talked and danced with a robot. No, seriously. Spurlock was on promoting his CNN show Inside Man, and he happened to have a "build-your-own-robot" named. Tonight on CNN, Don Lemon and Morgan Spurlock talked and danced with a robot. No, seriously.

Scripps Reorganizes Leadership with Journal Merger

Scripps is shuffling around some suits at the top of the food chain as it prepares to close on their merger with Journal Communications.

Here is the internal memo, obtained by FTVLive that went out to the staff from Brian Lawlor, Senior VP of Television for Scripps:

To: TV employees
From: Brian Lawlor
Date: Jan. 21
Subject: TV division organizational announcements

In the next several months we expect to close on the merger with Journal Communications broadcast operations, which will make Scripps the fifth-largest independent TV company in America. We will operate 34 TV stations in 24 of America’s best media markets. In addition, we will also add 34 radio stations in eight radio markets to our company’s portfolio. 

As our broadcast footprint more than doubles, we have spent several months discussing the best way to run our stations with the goals of growing our broadcast and digital audiences while maximizing the revenue created in each market. We have completed the model for our organizational structure and have several key appointments to announce.

First, I am pleased to announce that Debbie Turner has accepted the newly created position of vice president, TV operations. Debbie now leads the TV operations at Journal Communications. Her deep industry knowledge and her understanding of the stations that will soon be a part of Scripps will be a great asset for us. Debbie will report to me.

Steve Wexler has been named vice president, radio, reporting to me. Steve now leads the radio group for Journal Communications.

To support our 24 local TV markets, we will have four divisional general managers to provide direct oversight to our GMs at these local stations. These four divisional GMs will report to Debbie Turner. Michael O'Brien will expand his role as a divisional GM to multiple stations while still overseeing our division's sales strategy. Steve Wasserman, Jeff Block and Ed Fernandez will also continue to serve as divisional GMs.

To support our sales leadership in our 24 TV markets, we will introduce two senior directors of sales, who will report to Michael O’Brien. These positions will collaborate with the local markets to help them achieve overall revenue growth.

Finally, Sean McLaughlin, vice president, news, will also add a fourth senior director of news strategy, joining Lana Durban, Cameryn Beck and Bill Siegel.

Across the company today, many departments – including ones that support our division -- are making announcements about how they are structured. Later this afternoon, take a look at Rich’s video on WorkLife for more information.

We’ll share more updates as we approach a close date on the deal with Journal Communications. If you have questions about any of these, please reach out to your manager.

Brian

Police Arrest Dead Naked Man.... Wait!.... What?!

It's bad enough when you end up dying on your neighbors lawn.

It's worse when you were bucked naked when you died.

Even worse, being arrested after you died. 

How I Work - Shannon Ogden

We stay in FTVLive's backyard for this edition of How I Work.

WTLV (Jacksonville) Anchor Shannon Ogdon anchors the main newscasts at Gannett's Duop in Jacksonville. He tells us how he works and shows us that if he ever gets sacked, it won't take long to clean out his desk.

Here's How he Works:

Twitter Name: @ShannonOgden1 (clever huh?)
Location:  Jacksonville, FL 
Current gig: Evening news anchor at First Coast News - Gannett’s NBC/ABC duop

Current computer: Home: 27-inch Mac 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5.  Work:  Umm.. it’s black with schmutz on the screen and crashes a lot.  I think it’s made by Dell or Fisher-Price.  

Current mobile device: iPhone 4S

One word that best describes how you work:  Harderthanthatguy

What are your favorite Apps that you can't live without?  Bands in Town, Dictionary, First Coast News Mobile, Guitar Tuner

What's your workspace like?  Spartan with a bag of grits (gift from a friend)

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?  Guitar.

What Music are you listening to?  New Ryan Adams record, Jason Isbell, Wilco, My Little Ponies soundtrack

What's your sleep routine like?  Seven hours of sound sleep if it was a good show.  Not much if a bad one.

Best Advice you Ever Got?  Bob Costas told me to always be reading. Read everything.  Fill every empty moment with reading something.  And wait 30 minutes after eating to swim.  That one was from my mom.  Not Bob Costas.

Taking a Bite Out Of Reporters

Haven't seen this old stand by stand up in a few years.

How many times do you think TV Reporter's have done this over the past 40 years.

You can now add, WXXV (Gulfport, Miss) Reporter Ryan Mahan to the list:

Post by WXXV 25.