Busy Busy - More To Come!

It's been a while since I last posted and for that I apologize. I've been working on many projects since then, but unfortunately I've been having issues getting the videos to post to share with you guys. I recently got back a bunch of finished files and I will be posting them soon.

In general it's been a pretty intense couple of weeks, if not months. The economy has been brutal to everyone, and media companies are not immune. Take a look at this recent announcement by NBC Universal.

Mega TV is growing however, and that's great news! We recently added new stations in California and Puerto Rico, and that means more demand for the New York perspective. I've been working on about 1-3 packages a week, along with my day to day responsibilities of booking guests for the various shows and managing the office here.

With that said, I know I owe you guys some stories, and they will be posted soon! I've got some great stuff on Holloween, the Election, and other stuff that I'm dying to post.

A Word From the Wize(ned)

Today I went to Spanish Harlem to get reactions from Latinos to last night’s speech by Hillary Rodham Clinton at the Democratic National Convention. While there, I decided to go into a senior's center where it looked like a group of people were gathered. Most of the elders were Puerto Rican, many of them residents in the US mainland for decades. Most are staunch Democrats, and practically all had voted for Hillary during the primary season. This is no surprise since Hillary is New York’s Senator, and most of the residents here have lived in New York for a long time.

The reactions were mixed. I asked them a few questions: Now that Hillary has asked her supporters to vote for Obama, how will you vote come November? Where you disappointed she was not selected for Vice President? Some told me they were true to their party, and would vote for the Democratic nominee. Others said that they were convinced by Hillary to fully support Obama and would work heart and soul on Barack’s campaign, and still others were unconvinced, and while none said they’d vote for McCain (perhaps the Democratic party's biggest fear), one told me she even contemplated “throwing away her vote” on election day.

From the reactions of that small test population however, it seems that Hillary did her job in getting most of those who supported her, including Latinos, to join ranks with the Obama camp to help elect the first African American president in US History.

Perhaps it’s their age, or perhaps it’s the fact that Puerto Ricans have been in the city for a few more generations than other Latino groups in New York or that immigrants from Puerto Rico enjoy instant citizenship status, but it was incredible how absolutely informed and passionate this group of seniors are about US politics. They knew the candidates, what was at stake, and perhaps most of all, they are all regular and frequent voters. This is a stark difference from other neighborhoods I’ve covered, like Washington Heights, where it is hard to find people who’d admit (on camera at least) their political views or people who are passionate about US politics vs. politics from their home country. I was able to get terrific and intelligent interviews for my story. It is always a toss up trying to get reactions from people in the streets. Many times they just don’t know or don’t care about the subject matter. Others will tell me something brilliant but as soon as the camera is turned on, they either run away or forget everything they just said. So it was great being able to get exactly what I needed from such an unlikely source- our senior citizens… Abuela apparently has more to say than we give her credit for ☺

If you can make it there...

I am the bureau manager for Mega TV, a Spanish Broadcasting System affiliate. The headquarters of Mega are in Miami FL, like Univision and Telemundo. Miami is the center of Spanish language programming in the US.

I of course live in the capital of the world New York City, and just a few blocks from me are the studios of ABC, FOX and NBC. The Spanish language affiliates of Univision and Telemundo are actually off in New Jersey. So my little operation is nestled right in the middle of the “big boys.” This poses both benefits and a few challenges for me. Being close to the other studios makes it easier for guests to stop by my studio for interviews and quick live satellite connections with our Miami shows. However, sometimes I’m expected to compete with some of these networks who seem to have unlimited resources and can be everywhere at once. I have a crew of well, one.

But, Mega TV is growing fast. They just expanded to Puerto Rico to local station WSJU Channel 30 and will soon be adding additional cities. I just finished recording “saludos” to Puerto Ricans on the island from their families in New York. Those saludos will be running during the inaugural week of the new channel.

I’m excited about the prospect of Mega TV expanding the New York operation. Right now, most people who see Mega TV in the New York area do so via satellite on channel 405, using the Direct TV Mas package. What’s interesting about New York is that most buildings don’t allow satellite dishes on the sides of buildings, and the cable companies have monopolies on various individual neighborhoods. This is a big difference than Miami, where most viewers can see my work on their local channel 22. There, the channel is 3rd in ratings and the 11 o’clock news is quickly gaining on the better-known competitors in that time slot. My mother in law who lives in Homestead, FL, can see my segments whenever they are on, and has the shows set up on DVR.

We have a ways to go here in New York, but if we make it, there is a large population of Latinos looking for more choices for their news and programming. The English language networks have taken advantage of the programming vacuum by offering their own Latino programming and they are finding success. But watch out world, when Mega TV goes local in NY, you’ll be seeing a bit more of me. Then maybe I can prove to my parents that I’m actually on TV…;-)

On Both Sides of The Camera

So Tuesday was a weird day. I was coming up the exit stairway on the 53rd street and 7th ave subway station on my way to work when in a moment, my eyes began to sting, my throat began to burn and then constrict. I looked around and saw other people having the same reaction to what we quickly realized was some type of toxic fume coming out of the subway. At one point I could no longer keep my eyes open, the fumes stung so badly. I held my breath and with the other passengers, quickly scurried up the remaining stairs toward the street for some fresh air.

When I reached the surface, there were fire trucks and police cars everywhere. Firefighters in gas masks were running into the station. There was lots of confusion and a bit of panic as people’s minds raced- Subway fire? Toxic Spill? Terrorist Attack? Thoughts of the Japanese subway sarin attack of 1995 and September 11th were on everyone’s minds. The first thing people did as they exited the subway and were able to breath again, was pull out cellphones to call loved ones. I did the same.

The police on site asked me to stay and wait for medics who were on their way to check those who experienced the fumes. Soon I was waiting my turn near the back of an ambulance for them to check my pressure and breathing. Then an interesting thing happened. I found myself surrounded by news cameras with eager local reporters asking for details of what happened. I recognized a few, from NY local channels NBC 4 and Fox 5, ABC 7. I knew what they were looking for because I’d be looking for it too- a quick, clear description from a witness about what he/she saw, felt and thought. So I helped them out and told them what I experienced.

Over my mini shock and the weird feeling of being the subject of news as opposed to reporting it, I called my own cameraman to the scene to get B-roll (background video) for use in our news program later that day. I walked around and interviewed the fire chief, people on the scene, and other witnesses.

That afternoon, I sat in front of our studio camera connected live to the Miami broadcast. Interestingly enough, I found it difficult to flip from reporting the event to describing how I experienced it. There is a level of disconnect that a reporter has that allows him/her to narrate the events of the day, and add emphasis and importance in a way that will connect with viewers. However, when one experiences something first hand, it changes the narration because different things become emphasized. At one point I had to take a 5 second breather as I searched for the right word to use during the live Q&A.

Everything is ok of course. It turns out the fumes were caused by a burnt escalator motor, and no one was injured. Later that day, I received emails from friends who saw me being interviewed on the different channels. So ironically, today I went from subway commuter, to witness, to reporter, all before breakfast….

One Awkward Question Leads to Another

Last week I worked on a story involving a pretty unique way to combat the spread of HIV and other STDs. It is called the STFREE license which is, literally, a card whose holders have committed to regular STD testing and allows them to divulge the results of these tests to potential sex partners via a simple phone call. The information on the card includes a phone number and a personal, confidential ID number created by the holder. When the potential partner dials the phone number and enters the ID, a recording tells them the last time the holder was tested and the results of this test. The program does not guarantee that the cardholder is disease free, but its goal is to encourage regular testing and promote sexual responsibility.

At first glance, one may be dubious. I imagine the conversations may get awkward. “Hey babe, how about my place…here’s my STD Free Card, go check it out…” Or worse, in the heat of passion, one of the paramours pulls away saying, “Wait…I haven’t checked your STD Card yet…” But in reality, if one is considering a new sexual partner, the “have you been tested” conversation should be had, and the card could actually make the introduction and verification of that conversation a lot less awkward than say “Are you sure you’re tested? Are you lying to me?” Talk about a buzz killer!

The founder of the program, Eli Dancy, is a great guy and told me that he has over 15,000 cardholders participating in his program globally. Great start! But I wondered what it would take for that number to grow dramatically. The card is of course voluntary, and is only of real value to those who want to prove they are disease free. I suspect if the test comes back positive, the person would stop providing the card. Hopefully, they would also stop their risky behavior.

But, under what circumstances would it become compulsory to have a card? At first I couldn’t see one, but Eli did tell me that he is working with the adult film industry to provide cards to their “talent.” This struck me as the perfect place to begin. Whatever your opinion of those in the sex industry, they know that healthy talent is vital, and being in this type of program would make perfect sense. But, how about dating/escort services? Or singles clubs? Requiring these cards may help these establishments protect their patrons while maintaining their privacy. Hmm... All in all, I think the card is an interesting idea.

As I pondered all the possible uses for this card, the time came to send my story and video to the folks in Miami. The "safe sex license" of course, inspired great conversation within my team. One of the editors pointed out that the card has a magnetic strip on the back. I hadn’t noticed this and since it is a call-in service, the feature seems unnecessary, which lead him to ask, “So, where are you supposed to swipe that thing?”

Breaking News: Miss Universe Goes to the Bathroom

This week, Dayana Mendoza visited our studio. She is Miss Venezuela and the winner of the 2008 Miss Universe Pageant. As luck would have it, the Miss Universe office is right up the block from where I work, so Dayana was able to stop by to chat and do a live interview via satellite with our Miami people.

Dayana is beautiful as well as articulate, and as the new Miss Universe, has a pretty crazy 12 months ahead of her. But just in case you think it's all work, check out the list of perks she enjoys during her year reign .

Jealous yet?? Well, you would think that someone who's about to receive a year's supply of everything she could possibly desire, and who can call herself the most beautiful woman in THE UNIVERSE might be a bit full of herself, or as we like to say in Spanish, "un poquito come mier..." At least that's what I expected as I made myself up in the bathroom minutes before she arrived, making sure every strand of hair was in place and the mascara was flawless. One of my work colleagues actually ran out to change her clothes and shoes. Heck, if you are going to be in the same room as Ms. Universe, you can't look like the cleaning lady.

But to my surprise, Dayana was nothing like my preconceived notions. She was in fact extremely warm and approachable, and I found myself forgetting that she is even a celebrity. There are few people in the spotlight that can maintain this type of personality, and it was refreshing to see that, so far, Dayana has been able to "keep it real." Perhaps, it shouldn't have surprised me. Another Miss Universe I've met and interviewed, Denise Quinones (2001), is also very down to earth. So, if I ever run into a third, I guess I won't let the crown intimidate me. It seems that these women are just nice people who really do want world peace.

As if to make that point clear, when I asked Dayana what she wanted the public to know about her, she replied "I want them to know that we are regular people. That we eat, sleep, get sick, and go to the bathroom just like everyone else." She then told me that she had pink eye, hence her indoor sunglasses.

So there you have it! Cracker-jack reporting at it's best. I have uncovered a long standing secret behind one of the most celebrated pageants on earth- even the winners sometimes need a bathroom break.

;-)

R.I.P. Alex Jimenez

I had the somber responsibility on July 11th of covering a story close to my family. 25 year old Alex Jimenez was a soldier serving in Iraq last year when his brigade was ambushed by insurgents. Alex was kidnapped along with two other soldiers and even though the body of one was found a few days after the attack, Alex remained MIA until Army reps delivered the news that his body had been found and identified earlier in the week. Alex's family lived next door to my aunt and uncle for many years so they are good friends, and would always be present at their family gatherings.

I became aware that there was an update on Alex, ironically enough, through Facebook as one of my cousins had updated her status reflecting the bad news. This was before any of the other news agencies or wires had received an alert as to what was happening. I called my family members and soon found out the sad details. Some of my cousins and my aunt and uncle were consoling Alex's mom, Maria Duran, during this tragic period.

As a reporter, it is my job to cover this event, but as someone with a personal connection to the story, I felt that I had the duty to make sure that the coverage was tasteful, that Alex was reflected as the hero he truly is, and that the focus of the story was not simply of a mother crying for her son, but of the sacrifices our families make when our children fight for our country.

There were some frustrating moments while I was waiting at the news conference for Maria Duran to make her statement. I saw some reporters attempting to sneak "exclusives" with the mother by trying to intercept her on her way in. I also saw some jostling and pushing among the camera crews for the best angle, etc. While I did have direct access to Mrs. Duran, I chose not to exploit my connections for an exclusive, and to allow a mother to, albeit with every major news network parked outside her door, grieve for her son.

I also found out later that Mrs. Duran arrived late to the press conference, not because she was running errands or at church, but because her employer did not let her take the day off on the day she was to go before dozens of cameras to speak to the country about her loss. She works as a home attendant and while it is extremely important that someone cover her clients, I couldn't understand how her employer did not make the extra effort in this situation. This only added to the tragedy of the moment and also reflects the true reality of the difficulties many Latino families face in adjusting to life after they've lost loved ones in these wars.

My deepest condolences go out to the family of Alex Jimenez, and my utmost gratitude and appreciation for the service he gave to this country. It is easy to forget as we enjoy the freedoms we have at home, that they come from young men and women like Alex, willing to give their lives for an ideal of freedom and democracy.

Protecting My Guests - An interrupted interview w/ Piedad Cordoba

Sometimes it seems I have many roles at Mega TV. On July 1st, one of those was personal security.

Piedad Cordoba, a leftist Senator of the Colombian government, was being interviewed in my studio. She's pretty controversial, but a good "get" for Maria Elvira Live, our political talk show on Mega TV. I often set these interviews up via fiber optic connection with the studios in Miami, as New York is a major hub for many international politicos.

Well, today the morning show DJs of El Vacilon on 97.9 FM caught wind of who was in my studio and shared it with their audience. They received a flood of calls from New Yorkers regarding the guest, and decided they wanted to include her on their show.

In true Vacilon style, they sent Papi Chulo, one of their on air personalities, across the hallway to my studio - in nothing but his underwear - to interrupt my interview to invite Ms Cordoba to their studio.

Suffice to say what happened next can only happen on La Mega! Take a look:

http://elvacilon.lamusica.com/ElPapichulointerrumpeunaen.html