FTVLive - Bringing Friends Together

The one thing that has been great about starting this website, is the people that I have met and or interacted with because of FTVLive.com.

After working in TV News for 20+ years and working in 13 different cities, I got to meet a lot of people along the way. But, because of FTVLive, I have had the opportunity to meet hundreds of new people as well.

There are some people that I have talked to or emailed with for over a decade and yet I have never met them face to face. I feel like I know them, but I have never met them. 

Here is a quick list of my top 5 people (in no particular order) that I have met in real life all because of FTVLive:

1. Dan Devlin
2. Rick Ramage
3. Lauren Sivan
4. Peggy Phillip
5. Peter Goldberg

Here is a list of 10 people that I have exchanged emails with and or talked to but have never met in person (but would like to). I will keep the name of two network Presidents (and a few others) off the list, because they might not want it known that we corresponded over the years.

Again in no particular order.

1. Robert Feder
2. Brian Stelter
3. John Kosinki
4. Greta Van Susternen 
5. Irena Briganti
6. Kristine Johnson
7. Keith Olbermann 
8. Mike Seacrest
9. Jenni Hogan
10. Jessica Coen

I Did Something I have Never Done Before....

Yesterday, I did something in all my years on this planet that I have never done before.

I attempted to call a few U.S. Congress people to ask them "what the hell they are doing?!" 

That was a huge move for me, something in my entire life I had never even considered doing. But, even I have had it with these people that supposedly represent and care about this great country. They don't, they only care about themselves. 

Don't get me wrong, I believe (or did) in the process. I vote in every election. I'm a registered Independent and have been for my entire adult life. I have voted for both Republicans and Democrats on numerous occasions. I always try and vote for the best person, not for a party. 

I am not one of those people that think their party is right all the time and the other side is always wrong. In my opinion, that is an idiotic belief. People make mistakes and some people have better ideas on some issues than others. Doesn't matter if the have an (R) or a (D) after their name. That's just the way life is. 

After I cast my vote, I accept the results and let the system do what it does. 

But now the system is broken. We have two sides that refuse to give into each other even a little bit and the U.S, is suffering because of it.  

It amazing that these idiots will let their own egos drag this country down and they aren't doing a damn thing about it. 

I tried calling 4 congress people on both sides of the aisle. I was put on terminal hold and never got the chance to talk to a real person. 

I consider myself very easy going when it comes to our government, but even I am fed up with these people. 

Every single one of them needs to be replaced and we need to elect people that will at least agree to talk to the other side. They don't have to agree with their stance on an issue, but at least listen and see if it has some validity.  

When the US Congress is doing so bad that even I feel compelled to pick up the phone, you know it's really gotten bad.  The U.S. Congress has lost this country. 

These politicians are loving the fact that they are being asked to appear on talks shows and interviews on TV. It's feeding their giant egos even more. It is not the media's job to run the country. But, maybe it is time for the media to stop interviewing these idiots until they actually do something.

We hear about the President and Congresspeople shutting out the media. Maybe it's time for the media to shutout them.  

I know it will never happen, but I can assure you that if I ran a network, I would cut these people off, until they started doing something to fix this mess.  

Yes for the first time....I'm MAD AS HELL AND I CAN"T TAKE IT ANYMORE! 

Now! Pick up the damn phone!  

Wow! The Gun Lobby Really Does Hate Piers Morgan

Before Monday, I knew that the gun lobby and gun enthusiasts did not like CNN's Piers Morgan.

But over the last 2 days I saw first hand how much they dislike the CNN Anchor. FTVLive broke the news that CNN was going to drop Piers Morgan from his prime time slot.  

It was a big story in the land of cable news and when we posted in Monday morning, it was getting a lot of clicks. 

But then the story was picked up by a pro gun site, soon another and then another. Then a number of conservative sites linked to the story. That was followed by more gun owner sites, over and over again. 

FTVLive started getting over 250 page viewers every 30 seconds. Monday was our biggest day in history and by Noon on Tuesday the numbers had passed Monday's. It is likely that the first 3 days of October might equal our best month we've ever had. 

You hear about the powerful gun lobby, I'm telling you first hand it is waaaaay bigger than I ever thought it was.  

There is no question that these people are more than happy with the thought that CNN is dumping Piers Morgan.  

If Fox News came up with a show called "Why We Hate Piers Morgan and Love Guns" it would get bigger ratings than Bill O'Reilly.  

Zucker...Ailes are you listening too me?  

What's Up with You Dude? Vol. 8

Time to clean out the FTVLive inbox and answer some of your questions. Let's get the ball rolling.  

Email 1 - I absolutely love FTVLive! I was wondering, are there any other TV websites like yours on the Internet?

Scott - The short answer is no there is not. There are other TV insider websites. There's one that basically just copies FTVLive. There's another that won't post anything until they get it in a press release from the station. And there's a third one that looks like it is written directly by the PR people from the network. Feel free to try the rest and then come back to the best. 

Email 2 - Are you going to get the new iPhone? 

Scott - Yep, I will be getting it the day it comes out. I have been using Apple's new IOS 7 operating system for months and I love it. When you will be able to download the new IOS will be announced later Today by Apple. It will be free and it is well worth upgrading to.

Email 3 - I used to hate on you and your website, but now I love it. 

Scott - Yep, I'm in the market for some new Haters. My old ones are starting to like me.  

Email 4 - I'm fairly certain that my station is not going to renew my contract. What should I do? 

Scott - Sorry to hear that, but you are not the first person to go though it. I would spend as much time as possible trying to land a new job. It is easier to land a job while you have a job. That way you don't have to answer the question "why did your old station not renew you?" Take your job search into hyper drive. Also steal as many pens and toilet paper from the station before they kick you to the curb.  

Email 5 - I work with my girlfriend at the same station. I'm almost positive she is sleeping around with one of the photogs at the station. What should I do?

Scott - Start banging that hot weather chick.  

The "Easy" Life of Being Self Employed

After 20 plus years working in TV News, I have spent the past 13 years working for myself. 

Many people dream of working for themselves, sitting home all day doing what you want, when you want. 

Let me give you a little taste of that dream.  

My day starts each morning around 4:30AM and that's 7 days a week, no Weekends off at FTVLive.com. I have not slept past 5:45AM in years. Just once I would love to sleep till Noon like I did when I was a teenager.

In the past 200+ days I have taken off a total of 2 1/2 days.  A normal day starts at 4:30AM and ends around 7PM. But there is no time clock and I have found myself on more than one occasion working past midnight. 

I have no IT, Accounting or Sales Department.... I'm the one wearing all those hats.  

When I go out, I normally have my laptop with me. If something big is going down, I find the nearest WiFi hotspot and start updating.  

There are no sick days at FTVLive. You wake up feeling like shit, you can't call in. You work no matter how you feel. 

So, you might now be getting the idea that working for yourself is not all the rainbows and unicorns that you thought it was. But, there are some advantages to the job. 

Here's a list of some of the Pros and Cons to working for yourself: 

Pro - I have no Boss
Con - I have no one to blame

Pro -  No Bitchy Co-Workers
Con - No Hot Chicks to Hit on at Work

Pro - No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem
Con - I no longer own a suit or any tie which makes going to weddings and funerals a bit uncomfortable.

Pro - I get to hang out with my pets all day
Con - Just like your co-workers, they don't clean up after themselves. 

Pro - I can take a snack break whenever I want.
Con - Other than a case of RedBull I have nothing in my refrigerator.

Pro - No Meetings to waste your time.
Con -   No office drama to make the day more interesting.

Pro - I can surf porn at work with no fear of getting caught
Con - Ok...there is no con to that. 

What's Up with you Dude? Vol. 7

Time to open up the email and clean out the inbox with another of the very widely popular "What's up with you Dude?"

So let's dive right in: 

Email 1 - I have landed a job in TV news and I hate it. There is so much drama in the newsroom and everyone talks behind everyone else's back. I feel like I wasted 4 years of going to J-school, to now work in an industry that I hate. What's your advice?

Scott - First of all, not all newsrooms are as you described...I know I have worked in a lot of them. Don't judge the entire industry by your first job. But, if you really hate it and want to do something different, do what all the others do. Go into PR. 

Email 2 - When you worked in TV news, did you ever had a relationship wih one of your co-workers?

Scott - Of course! In TV news it is not uncommon for co-workers to hook up. I have had relationships and one night stands (which is very awkward the next day in the newsroom). I have also dated women across the street at the competition. I have seen it happen so many times and I have watched as people have cheated on their spouse with one of their co-workers (I NEVER did that). You can say what you want about TV news people, we're all horny. I guess it's just too much time around the microwave truck. 

Email 3 - I love your site!!! I sent you some $$$ through the "support us" link on FTVLive. I was one of those people that was too cheap to join your site back in the day. After reading it now, I can see that was a mistake. I'm glad I can pitch in and help now.

Scott - I got a few other emails that are just like this one. I really want to thank the people that have given me a few bucks. I'm getting to the point where I am going to have to buy another computer and it will cost over $2 grand. So, all the money you guys are throwing our way is going to good use. If anyone else wants to send us a few bucks, here's the link.   HUGE Thank You!!!!

Email 4 - How's your golf game?

Scott - It hasn't been very good for the past year. Also, working on and updating FTVLive 7 days a week has not really helped my game. I find that I am practicing less and playing golf a lot less. But, over the past few days, I think I have found something (please note all golfers say that) and I'm hoping that it will turn my game around. It is no fun playing bad golf. I have a few tournaments left this Summer and I hope that I can finish the year strong. 

Email 5 -  What is the best and worst city (market) you ever lived in?

Scott - The best was Chicago and the worst was St. Louis.  

One for the Record Books

Once again I owe you guys a huge thank you!

Thank you for making July the best month ever in FTVLive's 13 year history.

Since launching as a free site back on Feb. 4th.... FTVLive has grown each and every month.

Our goal has always been from day 1 to give you the scoop of what's happening in Newsrooms and Networks around the country.... and do it without pulling any punches.

FTVLive never relies on the station's or network's PR people to give us their spin on the story. We go past the PR crap and into the newsrooms to get the real story. 

We bring you the good, the bad and the ugly of TV news and it appears from our traffic that it's what you guys want.  

A huge shout-out to the great companies that help sponsor FTVLive. We reached out to only the best companies in and around TV news and they have been awesome in their support.

As FTVLive continues to grow, we have a need for new equipment. If you have enjoyed stopping by the site, you can also help support FTVLive with a donation. 

A number of you have given this site a few bucks to help keep the lights on and the server running and we owe you guys a really BIG thank you. 

If you want to help out, stop by our support page  

And again...Thank You for Making July our Best Month Ever! 

Did Social Media Help Stop the Violence after the Verdict

I have a theory and I totally admit that it is just my theory...but I think Social Media may have helped stop the violence after the George Zimmerman verdict.

Let me explain. 

I have covered two very large riots in my TV career and when I say I covered them, I mean I was in the middle of the riots. Both times I was shot at. 

The first was in 1989 in Miami.  

Miami police officer William Lozano shot and killed motorcyclist Clement Lloyd as the cyclist, who was being chased by a police car, sped toward Lozano.

The shooting sparked 3 days of riots in South Florida. 

In 1992, I was on the streets of South Central LA covering what has become to be known as the Rodney King Riots. Those riots happened following the acquittal of police officers on trial regarding a videotaped, and widely covered police brutality incident. They were the largest riots seen in the United States since the 1960s and the worst in terms of death toll after the New York City draft riots in 1863. 

Fast forward to 2013 and many expected that history could repeat itself in the George Zimmerman case.  

TV stations across Florida braced for what they thought could be protests that could get out of control after the verdict.  

The verdict came down late on a Saturday night, it seemed like the situation was ripe for unrest. Zimmerman was found "not guilty" in what many had made out to be a trial of race relations. 

Yet, there was no wide spread violence and for the most part the protests have been peaceful. 

The media lead us to believe that it was because of a number of leaders asking for calm after the verdict. But, leaders have asked for calm serval times in the past and it has not worked...so why did it this time? 

I think it was because of Social Media.  

So how the hell can Social Media stop riots? 

Here's my theory.

In 1989 and again in 1992 the people on the street did not have a voice. For many.....they may have thought that there only way to be heard was through violence and rioting. Right or wrong, it was their way of getting their message out.

Today, anyone can have a Twitter or Facebook account. Their voice is no longer silent and it gives them the outlet they may want or need.  

It didn't matter if people thought the verdict was right or wrong, they could let their voices be heard.

On Twitter they can say what they want and their opinion can be seen by anyone with an Internet connection. 

Yes.... there were protests and yes there were a few arrests, but for the most part the protests were peaceful.

Many of those protests started when the word got out on Social Media. You saw people of all races marching against what they thought was a unjust verdict. 

No longer does just a chosen few that speak for a community. Now anyone on Social Media has a voice...anyone can be heard.  

Sure.... there were racists comments from all sides posted on Twitter involving the Zimmerman case. But, I much rather read (or not read by blocking them) the messages of hate than see it spilling out in blood and loss of property on the streets.

Tampa Times TV Critic Eric Deggans who wrote the popular book Race Baiter and is very active on Social Media, believes I might be onto something here (bet that surprises you and much as me). He tells me that he believes that social media did play a part in helping keep the peace.

"It was easier for people that were interested in the trial to get more information by following it on Twitter," Deggans says. He thinks Social Media might have helped cut down on some of the misinformation, which he thinks might have helped sparked riots in he past. 

But, Deggans also believes that history and the media predicting riots might have played a role. "The talk of riots, riots riots in the media angered many people and they were going to make sure that wasn't going to happen," Deggans said.

He also thinks that Trayvon Martin's parents taking to Social Media with a message of peace was very helpful. 

I know Social Media can play a part in dividing people, but it also can open up a dialogue and maybe just maybe help keep the peace.

That's my theory and I'm going with it. 

Where Did you Come From?

The graphic above breaks down where the traffic to FTVLive.com comes from. As you can see 75% of our traffic is a direct hit. In other words, the person has the site bookmarked or they typed in the address directly.  

After direct traffic, the next biggest is social media. But, that still only accounts for 11% of the traffic to this website. 

Links from other sites and search engine make up the rest.

The most searched word for the searched engines driving traffic to us is "ftvlive." The second most is "kiran chetry."

Go figure.