It's Not The End...

Well, after working for a year or so to get this place up and running I have decided to shut the door on TheNews2K. This is a decision I have been mulling for some time now, mainly because of my lack of time to completely devote to a blog such as this. It requires a lot of my time and these days (because of my job) I simply do not have the hours to devote to it. What makes this decision so difficult is that I have wonderful readers who have always been around to provide me with tips when requested. I also believe there is a gap in this kind of media coverage, especially in the Springfield, Joplin, and Columbia/Jeff City markets in the state.

That being said, I am not quitting the blog scene. I will be joining Show-Me Opinions as co-admin and blogger at that site. I will continue to work on local media stories, but I will also be free to delve into other issues as well. I think this will be a good move for both Show-Me Opinions and myself. Together we can create a blog that combines the best of what we both do. Effective immediately, I will begin blogging at Show-Me Opinions.

Check out Show-Me Opinions by clicking here.

I will keep this blog up and running for a while until I have firmly established everything over at Show-Me Opinions. You may also continue to email me at thenews2k@gmail.com .

Thanks again for your support...and see you at Show-Me Opinions!!!

Presidential Race Turned Upside Down

Wow... just perusing through a lot of the new polls released today or that are set to be released tomorrow. Wow... can I say that enough? Let's look at the some poll number, shall we?

Gallup Tracking Sept. 2 Gallup Tracking Sept. 8
Obama 50 44
McCain 43 49

Wow...

Plus, let's look at some statewide polls.

Pennsylvania - Obama +4
Ohio - McCain +4
Florida - McCain +3
Virginia - McCain +1
Colorado - Obama +1
Washington - Obama +6
Michigan - Obama +3
Indiana - McCain +5
North Dakota - McCain +4
Missouri - McCain +7

This is going to be interesting...

The New KSPR Turns 1, Part One

It was one year ago, when the "new KSPR" debuted on television sets across the Ozarks. It marked the first time in years that the station actually invested in some promotional work and really made itself a viable newsteam. The last time that had happened was when Bob Snell, Susan Harding, and Tim Drum were a part of the team.

Now, it is a time of reflection and la look back at what helped drive KSPR back into the watercooler talk around Springfield and the rest of the Ozarks.

Among one of the most controversial decisions was to change the times of the boradcasts. KSPR caught some people by surprise with their new times for the early evening newscasts. Joe Daues, co-anchor of the evening news with his wife Christine (edit: duh, I knew that...sorry Michelle and Christine), was gracious enough to discuss the milestone with The News 2K.

"The decision to air our news at the new times was made by much smarter people than me.It involved shifting some programming too, KY moved Jeopardy to KSPR, which gave us not only a great show with a huge following, but allowed us to air it at 5 pm, which is a key spot in afternoon programming. (Keep in mind I'm not a programmer) The 4:30 gave us the chance to have the first newscast of the afternoon. That's good and bad. Good because we're first. Bad because when we have exclusive content it gives the other guys a chance to make some calls and play catch up. It was a risk yes, our entire "experiment" is a risk. But it does work, and we have dozens of emails to prove it."

The risk didn't fully pay off, however. On its one year anniversary, KSPR moved ABC News w/ Charles Gibson back to 5:30 and now run their second evening newscast at 6. The 4:30 broadcast remains.

I also asked Joe how he thought KSPR was doing overall. His answer was quite candid.

"We couldn't be more pleased with how things are going at KSPR. We're coming up on our first anniversary already and we've already won two of the top three state awards for best television newscast from the Associated Press, plus we've seen our ratings increase. The increase isn't as substantial as we would like, but it is movement and I think we all realize a station turn around doesn't happen in one year.Are there changes we'd still like to see - of course! News is all about deadlines... because of that and the "performance" factor it's never perfect, that's a goal we're always striving for.We're still gel-ing as a newsroom, among the producers, reporters, videographers and anchors not to mention with those you never see - the production staff, which I'm particularly proud of. I've never seen production people working with such outdated and malfunctioning equipment put together a newscast night after night in often extremely challenging conditions like they do... I really can't compliment them enough."

In part two, we will look at how the weather department has been partially responsible for driving viewers to the station.

Charles Gibson To Get First VP Palin Interview

So, the media blackout for Republican VP pick appears to be over. ABC News has confirmed that Charles Gibson will get the first Sarah Palin interview. You can read the press release here.

Ike Local Media Coverage

As Ike gets ready to cross Cuba, the northern Gulf coast still has its eyes on potential trouble later in the week. Here are some links to some stories in the some of the potential target areas from their local media.

WDSU (New Orleans) - Nagin: City Needs To Worry About Ike

KPRC (Houston) - Ike Hits Cuba, May Miss Keys

Fox 10 (Mobile) - Mississippi Hopes Residents Will Flee Hurricane

CBS 4 (Miami) - Keys Evacuated, Schools Closed

Winning, Waiting, and Watching

* Bottom Line Communications has the winners of the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Awards by clicking this link. Among the biggest winners was KMBC, the ABC affiliate in Kansas City.


* Most of the national news media is anxiously waiting to see what happens with Hurricane Ike. It is likely that Hurricane Ike will be the big story of the week. Where will it hit? That is what the networks are waiting on.


* And just a reminder for those of you who have been watching KSPR News @ 5:30. Starting Monday night, ABC World News w/ Charles Gibson moves back to the 5:30 slot. KSPR News will follow after at 6.

yIKEs!

While Hanna is impacting the Carolinas tonight, the news networks have their eyes clearly on the next major player. Hurricane Ike is churning near the Bahamas this evening. Take a look at the projected path for the next 5 days and you can see that he has eye set on the Gulf. We will continue to update you this weekend as Ike makes it closer to the US.

Update: As of 10:00 Sunday morning, the Florida Keys are now under a HURRICANE WATCH. The track of Ike continues to look more and more like a Central or Western Gulf of Mexico hit. We will have to wait and see what the final destination happens to be.

Palin Draws A Bigger Audience Than Clinton, Biden

37 million people watched last night as Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin greeted the world with what I believe was a great speech.

Here's how the convention speeches have ranked so far:

Barack Obama - 38 million

Sarah Palin - 37 million

Hillary Clinton - 26 million

Joe Biden - 24 million

(Yes, those spaces are there for a reason.) I would assume that McCain will fall somewhere between Clinton and Palin when he addresses the convention tonight.

Congrats To Jerry Jacob!

The former KSPR sportscaster turned KY3 anchor turned military man got hitched this past weekend in Springfield, according to an article on KSPR. KSPR evening anchor Joe Daues served as the best man. Congrats!

Hanna Now A Hurricane...

Wow, as of 1 p.m. Tropical Storm Hanna has been upgraded to a hurricane and should impact Georgia and South Carolina by the weekend. Anyone else tired?

For complete details, log on to the National Hurricane Center website by clicking here.

Streaming Links for Gustav

For those wanting streaming media links concerning Hurricane Gustav, please check out these links below.

WWL- CBS 4 New Orleans

WGNO - ABC 26 New Orleans

WDSU - NBC 6 New Orleans

WVUE - FOX 8 New Orleans

KPLR Moves Primetime Newcast

KPLR, the St. Louis CW affiliate, has announced that it will move its half-hour long 9 p.m. newscast to 7 p.m. and expand to one hour. I find this an interesting choice. What do you think? Click here for the full MediaWeek article.

Turner Report: 7 (Really) Strong!

The Turner Report has July numbers for the Joplin market newscasts. Once again KOAM, the CBS affiliate, is dominating its competitors. Another pleasant surprise continues to be KFJX 9 p.m. newscast.

Coming Up on Sunday...

Meet The Press will have Minnesota Governor (R) Tim Pawlenty along with its usual reporter/analyst roundtable.

Face The Nation will interview Rudy Guiliani, Joe Lieberman, and Carly Fiorina.

This Week on ABC will speak with Cindy McCain and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R).

Fox News Sunday will have an exclusive John McCain interview, his first tv discussion since he chose Gov. Sarah Palin.

CNN's Late Edition has a plethora of guests in place, including Florida Governor Charlie Crist (R), former Presidential candidate Fred Thompson (R), and former Presidential candidate Chris Dodd (D).

Hurricane Gustav Is Here...

Hurricane Gustav has his eye set on the Gulf of Mexico and by the time he gets there, he could be a dangerous major hurricane. Below is the latest satellite shot of Gustav.

For the latest details on Gustav, head to www.nhc.noaa.gov ! It is likely that Gustav will become a major US story during the next 5 days. Stay tuned!

Thank Goodness For C-Span

All you get if you watch any of the news networks (cable and broadcast) is constant yapping. I want to hear speeches dang it! How can I know what a party stands for if I can't listen to the speeches. McCaskill was only covered by C-Span and that was disappointing. Behind Kennedy and Michelle Obama, she had one of the best speeches of the night. Unfortunately, "the place for politics" was busy talking with "the best political team on television" and being "fair and balanced" and not showing anything of substance. My thoughts?

SHUT UP AND LET ME WATCH THE CONVENTION! Thanks C-Span.

Claire McCaskill To Speak Tonight

Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill will be speaking at around 9 p.m. central at the Democratic National Convention.

KY3's David Catanese is at the convention and is blogging. You can check out his posts by clicking here.

John King: King Of The Wall

If you have been watching CNN lately, you've seen a lot of John King. You might know him better as the man behind CNN's magic electoral wall. For people who have been following his career, it is no surprise to them that the once unknown has become an integral part of the CNN family. The Providence Journal profiled part of the "best political team on television" in today's edition. It is quite an interesting read.

CNN First Network To Confirm Biden as Pick

While ABC had the most telling scoop of last night (the fact that the Secret Service detail had been dispatched to the Biden home), CNN was the first to confirm that Sen. Joe Biden would be Obama's running mate. The confirmation came around 11:40 central time last night, just after I went to sleep (figures!!!).

Does KMBC Know Something The Rest of Us Do Not?

KMBC is reporting that bumper sticker company Gill Studios has been ordered to make Obama/Bayh products, leading some to wonder if Evan Bayh could be Obama's VP choice. I really think it is unlikely and I personally believe that the leak of the information could be a decoy. If the news turns out to be correct, however, KMBC will have some great bragging rights!

KSPR To Move One Of Its Evening Newcasts

It was an experiment when it began back last year. Now, the 5:30 news is moving. The newscast will fall in line with the other two network stations in Springfield and will begin airing a 6 p.m. broadcast, effective September 8. World News w/ Charles Gibson will move back to the 5:30 p.m. slot. The 4:30 broadcast will remain in place.

Dan Abrams Out; Rachel Maddow In

Dan Abrams will no longer be hosting his show on MSNBC at 8 p.m., effective this Thursday. He will be replaced, starting on September 8th by Rachel Maddow. Maddow, a liberal talk show host from Air America, has been filling in for Keith Olbermann with success in recent months. Abrams will now be designated to MSNBC Live duties as well serving as legal coorespondent for the network.

Fay Has Her Eyes Set on Florida...

Tropical Storm Fay formed late yesterday and today sits just south of Cuba. This storm is expected to become a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico and the latest track has its eyes set on Florida, including Tampa Bay. Keep a close eye on this one...

KSDK Smashes Local Competition In July

Ratings are out for the St. Louis TV stations for July and it was KSDK by a mile. The network won the morning, 5, 6, and 10 p.m. broadcasts by an average of 2.5 ratings points. KTVI, the Fox affiliate in St. Louis, came in second in the morning, but finished third in all three evening newscasts. KMOV, the CBS affiliate, finished a distant third in the morning before closing the gap during the 5, 6, and 10 broadcasts. KSDK is the NBC affiliate in St. Louis.

As an interesting side note, St. Louis's ABC affiliate does not have a news product.

KOMU Is Getting Up Earlier

As Kansas City NBC station KSHB unveiled a new high definition set on the day of the Olympic Opening Ceremony, on August 8th, Columbia's NBC affiliate KOMU made the transition to high definition.

According to this press release issued by KOMU, they are also going to be waking up a little earlier to bring Mid-Missouri residents morning news. Their morning show now begins at 4:30 a.m. KMIZ and KRCG have morning shows which begin at 5 a.m.

Breaking News: Colin Powell To Endorse Barack Obama?

This is coming from Fox News and panelist from Special Report, Bill Kristol. Check the link here.

Everybody's Got Olympic Fever...

Count me in on that, too. I have been soaking in every minute of Olympic action I can. Since the opening ceremonies began, NBC has been averaging over 30 million viewers each night. According to information from TV By The Numbers, they believe that approximately 44 million viewers were tuned in to see the Women's All Around Gymnastics finals last night between 10:30 and midnight. Even more impressive, approximately half of all 18-49 year olds who were watching tv during the 11:00 pm central time hour last night were watching the Olympics. To put that into perspective, that is much better than an American Idol finale.

Can NBC keep up this average or will its viewers get Olympic fatigue? I am not tired of it yet. The coming days will show us if others are though.

The Huckmeister Live!

The New York Post is reporting that former Republican Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has filmed a pilot for his new tv news show that is likely to appear in the the Fox News Channel's weekend lineup sometime later this fall. It also appears it will be in front of a live studio audience.

In the article, Huckabee also downplays any notion of accepting a cabinet position from McCain, if he wins in November.

Bye Bye Steve!

Bottom Line Communications is reporting that Steve Chamraz has been let go from St. Louis CBS station KMOV, along with the rest of the Investigation Department there. Chamraz is likely better known to most in the media as one of the investigative reporters from KCTV 5 who helped launched their "in your face" investigations a few years back.

Remembering Bernie Mac

Larry King will have a special one-hour show tonight as friends of comedian Bernie Mac will come together to pay tribute to him. Among King's scheduled guests tonight are Cedric The Entertainer and Steve Harvey.

You can actually send in questions, thoughts, or comments to King's show by clicking here. Some may be included in the broadcast!

Is That A Snake In My Pants...

Or is that a snake in my pants?!

I would have fainted had I been KCCI-TV Meteorologist Kurtis Gertz out of Des Moines, IA. While broadcasting from that state's fair, a snake decides to do more than just drape itself across his shoulders!!!

Click here to see the story and the video to see what happened.

MSNBC on MSNBC... A Lot

If you are like me and enjoy the Olympic games and are lucky enough to have DVR, you might find yourself using the device so that you can catch as much of the games as you can. The past two mornings (Saturday and Sunday) I have set my DVR for the 4-8 a.m. coverage of the Olympics on MSNBC. What I noticed was something very surprising. At least 95% of the commercials on MSNBC Saturday morning were about the network itself (okay, okay...that is an exaggeration, but you get my point)!

I didn't think to do it on Saturday's coverage, but during today's coverage as I fast forwarded through the commercials I made sure to count each time the MSNBC Convention Coverage commercial appeared. In 4 hours or 240 minutes, the commercial aired 16 times. That's right... the same commercial appeared 4 times an hour (approximately). But that's not all. The ad either came at the beginning or the end of a three MSNBC ad block. In between were advertisements for Countdown or a profile of MSNBC hosts Andrea Mitchell, Keith Olbermann, or Chris Matthews or sometimes a MSNBC Documentary ad. That means that 12 MSNBC commercials ran PER HOUR.

This brings us to a grand total of 48 commercials in 4 hours soley from the network showing the Olympic coverage advertising itself. This isn't just a need to fill a void, however. The powers that be at MSNBC believe they can keep some of the Olympic audience around after the games... and if they do, it might just be the lift the 3rd place cable news network needs. Otherwise, they just lost a lot of potential revenue.

KSHB Debuts New Set

KSHB, the NBC affiliate in Kansas City, debuted their new high definition friendly news set last night. Miss the broadcast? Don't live in the Kansas City market? Check out the link here to see the station's video on the new set.

Mr. Montee Has Drugs and Mr. Edwards Has Affair

Wow, talk about a bad day for Democrats yesterday! First, the news is finally wide open about John Edwards and his affair back in 2006. Then comes word that Susan Montee's son was found with marijuana. The main question I am asking this weekend is this: do these stories matter politically? If so, who do they impact? Feel free to chime in via the comments section or via email. The email address is: thenews2k@gmail.com !

Comedian Bernie Mac Dead at 50

That is the word coming across the wires just about an hour ago, according to a CNN Breaking News email. Apparently it was due to complications with pneumonia. For the complete story, click here.

Texas Bus Crash Kills 15; Connected To Ozarks

The Joplin Globe is reporting this morning that a north Texas bus crash this morning, that has been making national news, was a group of "Vietnamese worshipers on a pilgrimage to Marian Days in Carthage." 13 are reported dead at this time with many more reported injured. They were originally from the Houston area.

UPDATE: That crash has now claimed 14 lives... make that now 15 confirmed fatalities.

Olympics Alter MSNBC Schedule

It is exciting times around the world as the Olympics begin today. The opening ceremonies are actually taking place right now, but will be delayed and broadcasted in primetime on NBC, beginning at 6:30 central. Because of NBC's plans to air the Olympics on all its networks, MSNBC will not have daytime news during the Olympic games. MSNBC will run Olympic coverage from 4 am - 4 pm daily, followed by a daily wrap-up show hosted by MSNBC anchor Tamron Hall.

Normal MSNBC Primetime coverage will begin at 6 p.m., with Hardball. The remainder of the primetime schedule will continue like usual.

It's My Birthday And I'll Blog If I Want To...

Today is my birthday! I am turning the big 2-5. :-) Anyway, the next day or two may feature limited blog posts while I am spending time with family and friends.

Without Further Ado... The Candi Awards... Primary Edition

With the primary pretty much behind us and the general election just weeks away, it is time to hand out some awards (some serious... some not so serious) in its recap of the August 5th primary... something we call the Candi Awards: Primary Edition

Nominees are as follows (winners are highlighted in yellow):

1) Outstanding Work for Cinematography
* KSDK - Election Coverage
* KYTV - Live from Hulshof/Steelman Headquarters
* KSPR - Election Night Webcast
* KMBC - Election Coverage

2) Supporting Actress in a Political Primary
* Molly Williams from "I'm Just Here So Chris Koster Can Get Elected"
* Mary Williams from "I Really Did Try To Be Lt. Governor"
* Kay Barnes from "Bring It on Sam!"
* Roseanne Bentley from "I May Be Old, But Damn It I Can Still Win A Primary!"

3) Supporting Actor in a Political Primary
* Daniel Carroll from "I Can Pull 15% In A Governor's Primary Without Even Trying"
* Brock Olivo from "It May Be My First Time Voting, But Hey I Want To Be Your Congressman"
* Scott Long from "Who?"
* Mark Peters from "I Spent $175 on This Campaign And All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt"

4) Lead Actress in a Political Primary
* Sarah Steelman from "I Can Win Kansas City, St. Louis City, and Springfield Yet Still Lose The Primary"
* Margaret Donnelly from "Recount Likely"
* Andria Simckes from "Darn That Clint Zweifel!"
* Robin Carnahan from "This Primary Is As Easy As Pie"

5) Lead Actor in A Political Primary
* Chris Koster from "Pretending To Be A Democrat And Fooling Enough Voters To Make Me The Nominee"
* Kenny Hulshof from "Thank You Northeast Missouri!"
* Clint Zweifel from "Whoever Thought That Matt Blunt Cutout Could Be So Effective?"
* Jay Nixon from "Dang It, Now I Really Have To Campaign"

6) Primary Headline of the Year
* "Pretending To Be A Democrat And Fooling Enough Voters To Make Me The Nominee"
* " I Can Win Kansas City, St. Louis, and Springfield Yet Still Lose The Primary"
* "Thank You Northeast Missouri!"
* " Recount Likely"

Not So Fast Senator Bond...

It may have made a nice headline for last night and the early morning newspapers, but simply put... you were wrong. Last night Senator Kit Bond claimed prior to Republican Governor nominee Hulshof's speech that the nominee would carry the 7th US Congressional District despite losing to Steelman in Greene County.

Well, all of the votes are in, and the Senator is wrong. The News2K took to task and tallied the votes for governor in the 7th district and here is what we found:

Steelman: 36,296 (50.5%)
Hulshof: 34,252 (47.6%)

While it was rather close (just 2,000 votes or so), anyone willing to bet this announcement around 10:00 p.m. had more to do with wanting to keep up the image of the nominee being the strongest in the 7th district?

Oh, and just for fun... running uncontested yesterday in the 7th district, Roy Blunt (who endorsed and campaigned with Hulshof in his final days) won only 85% of his own party's constituents. Over 10,000 Republicans refused to cast their ballot for him even though no one ran against him. Big deal or not?

We report, you figure it out. ;-)

Bottom Line Communications: KMBC Wins July Sweeps

Kansas City's ABC affiliate KMBC-TV has won the July sweeps, with critical wins in the 6 and 10 p.m. timeslots, according to Bottom Line Communications. To get a full rundown of the ratings for the non-sweeps month of July, check out the report by clicking here.

Drumroll Please...

Here are your statewide matchups for the November election:

Governor
Jay Nixon
Kenny Hulshof

Lt. Governor
Sam Page
Peter Kinder

Secretary of State
Robin Carnahan
Mitch Hubbard

Attorney General
Chris Koster
Mike Gibbons

State Treasurer
Clint Zweifel
Brad Lager

Things To Be Answered Tomorrow...

Two races tonight remain too close to call...

1) The Democratic race for Attorney General: with 92% of the vote in... 2,500 votes is the difference between current leader Chris Koster and Margaret Donnelly.

2) The Democratic race for Treasurer isn't as close, but still is too close for comfort. Clint Zweifel has come from behind to take the lead over Mark Powell by 7,500 votes.

I will post the final results and general election pairings tomorrow. For now, I must get some rest. Thanks to everyone for stopping by the blog today! I have had a huge number of visitors and I thank you for checking things out.

Election Results, Part Three

10:00 p.m. - * I imagine this may be the last thread for the blog tonight... I guess we will have to see.

* Margaret Donnelly is the St. Louis comeback queen. She has now just a couple thousand votes behind Koster in the Democratic race for Attorney General with the Kansas City metro now mainly in.

* Stick a fork in Sarah Steelman...she's done.

10:15 p.m. - * Clint Zweifel has come back to take the lead over Mark Powell in the Democratic nomination for State Treasurer. This could be a squeaker, too...

10:20 p.m. - * McDonald County has come in for Hulshof. It looks like he cleaned up the Joplin television market. Barry and Stone counties remain the only counties in SW Missouri without any reporting yet on the governor's race. Much of Jackson County (Kansas City metro) remains unreported, too. Still, I don't see how Steelman pulls this off.

10:35 p.m. - * Barry and Stone counties have come in for Steelman but not by a wide enough margin for her to come back.

10:40 p.m. - * The AP has called the Republican Governor's race for Hulshof.

Election Results, Part Two

9:05 p.m. - * It's just after 9 p.m. and with 28% of the vote in, Hulshof leads Steelman 49%-44%. Much of Kansas City, St. Louis, and far SW Missouri is still not in. Newton county just came in for Hulshof.

9:10 p.m. - * The AP has just called the Republican Lt. Governor's race for Peter Kinder. Duh!

9:25 p.m. - * Lawrence County has gone for Sarah Steelman. Brad DeLay won the sheriff's race there as well.

* Webster county has also gone for Steelman.

9:30 p.m. - * Barton county has gone for Hulshof. It appears that unless the Kansas City numbers are huge, Steelman will lose the primary.

* Barry County has chosen Jim Fohn as the Republican county cororner, in what many call an upset. Also, incumbent Mick Epperly has been selected to represent the Republican party in the fall for sheriff.

9:35 p.m. - * It appears that Richard Monroe will be the Democrat who will face off against Roy Blunt in the November election for the 7th Congression US House seat. He leads 77%-22% over his opponent.

* St. Charles County has finished reporting, and now leaves Steelman about 15,000 votes behind Hulshof. Still not a lot of the Kansas City metro has reported.

9:50 p.m. - * Ken Copeland has won the Republican Sheriff Primary in Newton county.

* Hulshof has picked up Jasper county.

* It appears that Chris Koster may run away with the Democratic nomination for Attorney General. This has to be concerning to the Democrats since he has been a Democrat for less than a year.

9:55 p.m. - * Here comes the Lawrence County showdown once again. Incumbent Don Ruzicka has defeated Pierce City mayor Mark Peters by a substantial margin to once again take on "Doc" Dake in the 132nd State Rep. race in November.

* Chad Livengood of the Springfield News-Leader just reported that US Senator Kit Bond has reported that he believes Hulshof will ultimately carry the 7th Congressional District. We shall see when all the votes are in.

Election Results, Part One

7:30 p.m. - First thoughts:

1) Rep. Governor results so far are predictable... Hulshof is carrying early precincts in the bootheel as well as in the Jeff City area. Steelman is pulling early precincts in Texas, Hickory, and Pulaski counties.

2) The tightest race of the night may be for the Democratic race for Attorney General. Koster and Harris are very close right now in the early returns with Donnelly not too far behind.

7:55 p.m. - * Steelman is going to have pick up her advantage in SW Missouri by quite a bit if she wants to win tonight. She trails Hulshof by 450 votes with 1.5% of the vote counted.

* Sam Page is leading the Democratic candidates for Lt. Governor right now. He sits at 33% while four other contenders sit in the teens. One will have to break out to challenge him.

* Jay Nixon is struggling to carry 80% of the vote in what was supposed to be a landslide. While it is, does he have a weakness that the Republican winner can exploit to their advantage to get some Democratic voters in November?

8:05 p.m. - * The first St. Louis County results are in and Hulshof leads Steelman by about 23% points. While some of the other counties that Hulshof are winning are by huger percentage margins, they don't have overwhelming numbers of voters. Hulshof needs to extend that advtange in St. Louis County.

8:25 p.m. - * Greene County results are coming in. While Steelman is winning the county, she doesn't have a huge lead (about 13 points). She needs to extend that advantage with the last few precincts. With 9% of the vote counted, Hulshof leads Steelman 48% - 46%.

* Unless something catastrophic happens, Sam Page (Dem) and Peter Kinder (Rep) are your nominees for the Lt. Governor race.

8:45 p.m. - * Roseanne Bentley looks to hold off Lincoln Hough with 88% percent of the votes counted in Republican Greene County Commissioner Race. Jim Arnott will likely be the Republican Sheriff nominee for the county as well.

* It may be about time to call in the life raft for Sarah Steelman. With about 20% of the vote counted she is down by over 7,000 votes. While it isn't over for her, it isn't looking good. The Hulshof campaign should be happy about its numbers in places like Vernon and St. Clair counties.

Just a Few Minutes Left...

Polls close in just about 15 minutes. Will it be a long night? Stay tuned...

St. Louis Primary Turnout "Pitiful"

That is the word at this hour coming from election officials in and near St. Louis, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Numbers in the St. Louis area are running about 20%, as of about 2:00.

One has to wonder what impact this low voter turnout will have on the governor's race. This area is Kenny Hulshof territory, according to most conventional wisdom I have read. I guess we really won't know until the numbers are in.

I have still seen no numbers from places like St. Charles County or the Columbia / Jeff City area.

Midday Primary Update

Turnout in Greene County, according to KTTS radio, is sitting at a little over 20% at the noon hour.

I have heard nothing about turnout in Jasper County at this point.

Reports coming in from St. Louis indicated turnout is very light there, although I have seen or heard no hard numbers.

The Kansas City Star is reporting light turnout in their metro area as well.

I have heard nothing about turnout in the Columbia/Jeff City region.

What The Stations Are Saying...

Here is a look at the local political headlines of random Missouri TV station websites as of 11:15 p.m. Primary Eve:

KMOV (St. Louis)- Governor's Candidates Make Final Push

KTVO (Kirksville) - Governor's Candidates Starting From SW Missouri

KFVS (Cape Girardeau)- Primary Election Preview

KYTV (Springfield)- Hulshof, Steelman Begin Last Day of Primary In Springfield

KCTV (Kansas City)- Democrats Battle In Rancorous Mo. AG Primary

KMBC (Kansas City)- Voters Head To Polls On Primary Day

KQTV (St. Joseph)- Attorney General Hopeful Stumps in St. Joseph

Twas The Night Before The Primary...

Twas the night before the primary and all across Missouri
Not a politician was sleeping, not even Matt Blunt's email attorney.
The yard signs were placed on the lawn with great care
With hope that the candidates they supported would win fair and square.

The ads were still playing on television sets
While visions of swaying voters still danced in their heads.
With Sarah Steelman courting moderates, and Hulshof Republican fatcats
Tonight they will likely not settle down for any sort of nap.

When then in the kitchen there arose such a clatter
I sprung from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the telephone I flew like a flash
Hoping a friend or relative hadn't been in a crash.

The words on the phone said caller unknown
while the moon shone down brightly on the Ozarks below.
But what to my groggy ears should I hear
but a robo call from Sam Page, oh dear! oh dear!

With the time nearing two a.m. I knew pretty quick
that this had to be a darned ole Republican trick.
More rapid than eagles his qualifications they came
All the things he had voted for, he called them by name!

Free healthcare! Better Education! A true hero for us!
I heard about everything from him but tax cuts.
Around Missouri, in towns big and small
People were waking at midnight to all of these calls.

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So I opened the door and out it the phone threw
with the caller id and the answering machine, too.

And then in a flash I heard on the roof
what sounded like tiny little donkey hoofs.
As I drew in my hand and was turning around,
Down the chimney Jeff Harris came with a bound.

He was dressed in a suit from his head to his foot
But now his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
His cheeks were like roses but his eyes were all bleery
I thought to myself, this man is in the same party as John Kerry?

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow
like he had given a thousand campaign speeches in a row.
Give 'em Hell Harris was the speech he recited to me
and when he was done, I bade him to leave.

On the porch was a man with a broad face and little round belly
Jay Nixon, when he laughed, shook like a bowl full of jelly.
He had thought about calling for support, that jolly old elf,
but decided instead to come see me himself.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Reminded me of one thing I had forgotten with dread.
Tonight the calls were just the beginning of his work
The general election was still weeks away he said with a smirk.

Now the dawn was coming quickly and I needed to dose.
But before going to bed the chimney flu I did close.
As I laid back down in bed faintly I heard a the whine of a whistle
and I prayed to the good Lord that the Common Sense Express wasn't coming to visit.

Tomorrow some candidates would give up the fight...
While others would say Thank you to all... see you again on election night!

HAPPY VOTING TO YOU ALL... AND TO ALL GOOD LUCK GETTING SLEEP TONIGHT!

Less Than 24 Hours Until The Primary

It is down to the wire and Missouri voters have just about 24 hours remaining to make up their minds as to who they want their respective party's nominees to be. There are several very contested races across the state and The News2K will be filling you in on the results as they happen.

You can find all the statewide races and who is running by clicking this link.

Edouard Media Links

Please check out these links for media information from Edouard:

www.kfdm.com - CBS affiliate out of Beaumont, TX
www.khou.com - CBS affiliate in Houston, TX
www.myfoxhouston.com - FOX affiliate in Houston, TX
www.click2houston.com - NBC affiliate in Houston, TX
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/index - ABC affiliate in Houston, TX
http://www.kbmt12.com/ - ABC affiliate in Beaumont, TX
http://www.kplctv.com/ - NBC affiliate in Lake Charles, LA

Hello Edouard!!

Tropical Storm Edouard has developed in the Gulf of Mexico this evening. At this time, a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for portions of coastal Louisiana and a Hurricane Watch is in effect for northern coastal Texas and adjacent coastal Louisiana. Edouard is expected to make landfall on Tuesday in Texas. For the latest, head to http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ .

Joplin, MO on CNN

So... what are residents of Missouri looking for in their next President? CNN made a trip to Joplin to find out. You can check out the one minute of responses they collected by clicking here. By the way, I would argue that these responses don't span the spectrum of views shared by residents of Joplin, let alone SW Missouri.

Did Nancy Grace Lead Woman To Suicide?

The case involving Linda Duckett and Nancy Grace moved forward this week after a judge would not dismiss the lawsuit that the Duckett family has against the CNN Headline News host.

According to the Associated Press:

A federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit that claims CNN's Nancy
Grace pushed the mother of a missing toddler to suicide through aggressive
questioning.

CNN and Grace argued the wrongful death lawsuit brought by Melinda
Duckett's family would "severely chill" journalists' coverage of missing-persons
cases. But U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges on Thursday denied their
motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

Duckett, 21, was on Grace's show after her son Trenton went missing
from her apartment in August 2006. Grace grilled the woman, accusing her of
hiding something because Duckett did not take a lie-detector test and answered
vaguely regarding her whereabouts.
Duckett fatally shot herself before the
network aired the pre-taped interview.

The case is now ready to proceed. We shall see where this leads in the weeks ahead.

Is Sarah Steelman Closing The Gap?

A new SurveyUSA poll has been released in the Republican primary race for governor that is being used by KCTV and KSDK. It shows Hulshof with a 12 percentage point lead. That being said, there are some very important components to look at that can't be measured by this poll. I believe the race is much closer

First, I took a trip today to the Ozark Empire Fair and spent a couple of hours. I had a chance to talk to the people running the Republican party booth. They indicated that there was more interest toward Steelman at the fair than Hulshof. It was also interesting to note that the Steelman signs were out in the front of the booth.

Secondly, I headed down to the Democratic party booth where one of the individuals working discussed with me about the fact that many Democrats are voting for Steelman in the primary come Tuesday and that potential supporters for Nixon would be lost if she won the primary.

These two factors might not be any indication of what is to come on Tuesday although I have a feeling (and an educated one at that) that this governor's race may be within two to four points EITHER WAY.

Here is what to watch for:

1) Turnout: Kansas City and SW Missouri are Steelman's best areas. Big turnouts there will be good for her. A strong showing in Columbia and Northeast Missouri seems to ensure a Hulshof win.

2) Who votes: If large numbers of Independents and Democrats vote in the Republican primary, Steelman gains an advantage. This would mainly be an issue in SW Missouri and the the middle part of the state where few contested Democratic races are being fought locally.

3) Undecided voters: The percentage of undecided voters stands at 15. There are twice as many undecided females as males. That would seem to bode well for Steelman.

Either way, it should be an interesting Tuesday night.

Having Problems At Home

My home computer is refusing to let me on Blogspot to update the blog. Until that problem is resolved I will have to do my updates from a different computer or not at all. I can't imagine what is causing this problem. It is having problems with all BlogSpot sites, except KY3's political blog. I see a post there by Mr. Catanese and so apparently their team has the resources to fix their page. I am not so lucky.

UPDATE: Thanks to Ole, I have now fixed the issue.

Chris Nagus Heading East

Bottom Line Communications is reporting that KMBC 9 reporter Chris Nagus is heading from Kansas City across the state to KMOV 4 in St. Louis. He will be joining several Kansas City TV alumni in the process. Nagus' last day in KC will be August 7th. He joined the station in 2005.

Uh Oh... There's an Oder Problem in Monett

Kudos to KSPR for their investigative piece into a river that is causing problems in a Southwest Missouri town even though it is in Europe.

That's right... there is an Oder problem in the community of Monett. The problem? Well... according to www.dictionary.com , oder is
"a river in central Europe, flowing from the NE Czech Republic, N through SW Poland and along the border between Germany and Poland into the Baltic."

Ok, ok... so what the report was really about was Tyson's and a neighbor's complaint about the odor it produces, but whoever was running the chyron didn't bother to proof what they had typed.

You can check out the boo boo by clicking here and watching the video. Notice, too, that after the package the problem had been fixed. Maybe they just forgot to spell check.

KMIZ Changes

Some changes are coming to KMIZ news. John Bassford, the station's evening co-anchor, will be leaving the anchor chair to become involved in public relations for AmerenUE. He will be replaced by Ryan Tate, weekend anchor at KFVS-TV in Cape Girardeau. Tate's co-anchor will be Stephanie Schaefer at 6 and Brynn Gringas at 10.

Quake Shakes LA

While I was away today, a 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck southern California causing people to remember just how shaky the ground underneath their feet can be along the San Andreas fault. The news networks covered the incident in full force, of course, and you can find a wrap up of the coverage from TV Newser by clicking here.

Out of Town

The News2K will not be updated today or much of tomorrow because I will be out of town attending a funeral of a family friend. Updates will resume either Tuesday evening or first thing on Wednesday.

New Links To The Blogroll

I added a couple of new links to the blog roll over the last couple of days.

#1 - OzarkStorms: I am a huge weather buff, but I didn't know about this site until recently. There is some really good stuff here. Be sure to check it out!

#2 - Blog Net News Missouri: I didn't realize that I didn't have Blog Net News listed on the right side. This site is a great resource for all things political in Missouri.

Be sure to check out both of them soon!

My $.02: Vincent David Jericho = TV Expert?

Okay, I know I shouldn't even go here because I will probably only get too fired up and this is probably just going to get me in trouble, but here goes anyway... David Catanese, political reporter at KY3, has linked to Vincent David Jericho's podcast of his radio show on KSGF in Springfield. You can listen to the rambling here. Today's show was essentially a rambling rant against last night's Republican Primary Debate on KY3, which featured candidates Sarah Steelman and Kenny Hulshof.

In the first five minutes he managed to trash Steve Grant, KY3, David Catanese, Missy Shelton, Sarah Steelman, Kenny Hulshof, both of the campaigns, and Sean Hannity. Wow! Quite impressive, isn't it?

Apparently Mr. Jericho is a television expert because he is able to explain everything that was wrong with the debate down to criticizing Steve Grant's hair. (Ummm....excuse me, have you looked in the mirror Mr. Jericho?) He even goes so far as to say that the debate shouldn't have even happened and that Catanese and Shelton are somehow using this debate as a way to grandstand themselves and to help Jay Nixon (ummm...how about some specific examples?). Yes, and I have to throw this tidbit in here too... only Fox News knows how to have a debate according to him. Not any local tv station in America... not CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS... only Fox News. I am going to leave that alone. The lunacy of that statement speaks for itself.

Springfield is only the 74th largest television market in the nation. They don't have the production budget of your beloved Fox News. Your belief that the debate shouldn't have happened would mean that Steelman and Hulshof's views on issues that matter to Missourians would never have been known to many. That is what KY3 was trying to do when they put this debate together... not try to create a technical masterpiece.

So then Mr. Vincent David Jericho... if you are the shining beacon of amazingness, why didn't you host the debate? Why didn't you moderate? Why didn't the candidates agree to debate for your radio station? They debated on KMOX in St. Louis. Could it possibly be because KY3 reaches more people on an off night than you will ever reach on your best of days? Could it be because KY3's management felt that it was necessary to actually put forth money to produce the debate so that the people of the Ozarks could best decide who should represent the Republican party on the ticket for governor in November?

Last time I checked, you were a radio broadcaster, not a tv expert. Until you actually produce and moderate a debate for all the Ozarks to see, why don't you save your ramblings for actual discussion of what was said. Like your favorite network Fox News... why don't you report what happened and then let us decide.

Who won?

I know, I know... debates aren't sporting matches. There is a never a definitive answer to that question, but judging by the emails KY3's David Catanese has received since last night's debate on that channel the answer is either Steelman or a tie. Did Hulshof set the bar too high and fail to reach it? Or was the bar so low for Steelman she easily jumped over it?

Your thoughts?

You can check what other Ozarkers are saying by going to ky3.blogspot.com .

Katie's In The Kitchen

A recent edition of the Kansas City Star featured KCTV 5 Chief Meteorologist Katie Horner in a location few rarely see her -- at her home. The article also goes on to discuss her lack of cooking skills (which she leaves to her husband) but apparently she does make one mean strawberry pie. For a look at the article and Katie's strawberry pie recipe, be sure to click here.

Here Comes Dolly...

DOLLY is now a HURRICANE. For official information on Dolly, please head to www.nhc.noaa.gov .

With Dolly aiming its wrath at South Texas, the networks have people live on the ground.

MSNBC has Jeff Ranieri from Weather Plus, plus Don Teague. TV Newser is also reporting Charles Hadlock is there but I have not seen a report from him.

Fox News has Claudia Cowan on scene.

CNN has Brian Todd on the scene in South Padre Island.

Countdown To The KY3 Steelman/Hulshof Showdown

It's coming. This Wednesday night at 8 p.m., KY3/KSMU/Springfield News-Leader will be hosting the Republican Primary Governor's Debate. It could be a defining moment for both campaigns as Sarah Steelman looks to gain ground against the establishment favorite Kenny Hulshof.

The Ozark region of Southwest Missouri is the most conservative area of the state and has been a stronghold for Republicans in recent years. If Steelman wants a shot at running against Jay Nixon in November, she needs to perform well on August 5th in the Springfield metro.

Hulshof has been leading nearly every Republican primary poll for the last several months, but some argue that the poll doesn't take into account the Independents and Democrats who tend to be leaning toward Steelman.

What does it all mean? The debate Wednesday night will be critical for both campaigns. At 8:00 Wednesday night, KY3 will truly be "the place to be."

Beck, Behar To Sub For The King

Larry King is off for the week (or so it appears). Headline News Host and Radio Talk Show Personality Glenn Beck will be filling in tonight for the man with the suspenders. Comedian and The View co-anchor Joy Behar will be in King's chair tomorrow night, according to TV Newser.

Hello Dolly...

Tropical Storm Dolly has formed in the Western Caribbean and looks to hit the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico later today. The questions then become numerous. Does it hit Mexico or Texas after spending time in the Gulf of Mexico? Will it make landfall as a Tropical Storm or a Hurricane? Just how strong will it be? CNN has a good update as of 3 p.m. central time this afternoon, which is available by playing the video.




Look for a media onslaught to commence soon. We'll be covering it for you when it happens.

And They Say CNN Is Liberal...

Here is CNN as they covered Gramm's resignation.


Here is MSNBC's coverage.


We record, you decide. ;-)

Tropical Depression 3 Forms Off SE Coast

Tropical Depression Three has formed off of the coast of Georgia and South Carolina this evening. The National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida will begin issuing advisories as well as watches and warnings at 10:00 local time. It will be interesting to see how the media covers this over the next few days.

For the latest, visit the National Hurricane Center at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ .

A Big Friday Thank You To...

...Readers from Springfield, Joplin, and Columbia... several of you are stopping by. Thanks for checking out the blog!

...Everyone who has been commenting on the stories. I really like getting the feedback!

...Those who have been sending me emails and tips. They really do come in handy. Keep them coming!

...And finally a very special thank you to a representative from Barrington Broadcasting Headquarters who keeps checking this blog daily. Apparently they want to keep an eye on what the public is saying about KRCG and the DISH issue? No, that couldn't be it. *wink, wink*

Veteran Springfield TV Icon Passes Away

Long-time KY3 Weatherman Fred Miller passed away this morning at his home. Fred joined KY3 in 1961 and remained there until his retirement in 1995. KY3's website has a loving tribute, including some archived footage available of Fred. You can check it out here. Fred is survived by his wife and two children.

Off Topic: Dumb Move #81,653,927

Okay, we have all probably done some stupid things. I have especially had my fair share of accidents that shouldn't have happened. Here is one embarassing one I will share. Hopefully it will brighten your morning when you realize you are not alone.

Yesterday evening, about 8:30, I came in from church, pulled off my shoes, and went into the kitchen to grab something to drink. It was the first time I had worn my new dress socks and as you might know, dress socks on certain floors are extremely slick. So as I was walking to the fridge, I slid just a bit... enough to make me afraid I was going to fall. I amazingly maintained my balance, grabbed a soda, and headed off to my office to do some stuff.

About two or three minutes later, my cell phone rings. I look around for it trying to find it, when I realize I set it down by the fridge when I got the soda. I go sprinting into the kitchen, hit the slick floor, go sliding, and fell down somewhat headfirst into the stove. (And yes, the stove is okay.) After I recovered I got up, got my phone, and went back to my office. The only thing hurt? My pride.

Brit Hume To Step Down From Special Report

The Washington Post is reporting that Brit Hume, anchor of Special Report and Washington Managing Editor for Fox News, is stepping down at the end of the 2008 election. Hume has been with Fox News since the network began and has almost always been the ratings leader during his 5 p.m. show for the past seven years.

The article goes on to say that Hume will likely stay on as a senior analyst and provide commentary, much the same way Tom Brokaw has for NBC News.

Possible Murder-Suicide at St. Louis Metro Mall

Fox News Channel is reporting (along with the local St. Louis affiliates) that there has been a shooting at the Jamestown Mall in north St. Louis County. Reports seem to indicate that it was likely a murder-suicide, but that has yet to be confirmed.

You can find out more here from KSDK's coverage of this event.

Additionally, KMOV has info here (as well as video footage of the scene).

Helicopter Crash Kills Two From Missouri

A helicopter crash southwest of Mountain Home, Arkansas has claimed the lives of two people from Missouri. KY3 has identified the two men as James Evertson from West Plains and Randall Arthur of Marshfield. The crash happened around 9:30 a.m. this morning.

Links:

Breaking News: Helicopter Crash Kills Two

Details Emerging in Fatal Chopper Crash

KSPR Breaking News Update

KRCG/Dish Duel: KRCG Pulls Out Its Guns

The feud between KRCG and Dish Network is heating up. Recently, the satellite company began calling KRCG's move greedy and telling its subscribers that they (KRCG) didn't listen to its viewers. It cited the recent firing of Sports Director Rod Smith as one of those examples. Protestors were reported outside of KRCG's Columbia bureau in recent days, too. Dish seemed to really be zinging the station.

Now, however, Rod Smith is back with the station and KRCG is using its two biggest weapons in the fight with the satellite company in order to gain some leverage. KRCG is airing two clips: one by recently retired station icon Lee Gordon and another by recently rehired Rod Smith. Both encourage KRCG viewers to not put up with the nasty tactics it claims Dish is involved in and to head to http://www.krcg.com/ and find out alternative ways to watch their programming.

What a duel this has become.

Getting to Know... WDAF's Loren Halifax

The local morning newscast has become a staple for many residents across Missouri and the US in recent years. No station has more local news in the morning than Kansas City Fox affiliate WDAF. Recently I had a chance to talk with morning co-anchor Loren Halifax about Fox Mornings, plus a few more personal details...

2K: What is life like behind the scenes at WDAF?

LH: It's fun. We have lots of great, down-to-earth people on staff, who work hard and have a great sense of humor. Most of them are KC natives, or Missouri or Kansas natives, so they know a lot about the area and are here to stay, committed to the community.

2K: Do you feel that having an expanded morning show (5-9) provides FOX 4 with an opportunity to cover things that the other KC stations can't?

LH: Yes, since we are in local news in the later hours, when other channels go to national shows, we are able to get breaking news on the air immediately. We have a special area set up with phones, computers and a camera and microphone, (we call it the Fox 4 News Update Desk) and our staff monitors everything from local news to international news. We can cut to that immediately in order to provide new information right away.

2K: In your years of reporting, what has been your favorite interview/story?

LH: It's hard to choose one. I got the most response - from thousands of people - when I drove a car into a river, and demonstrated how hard it is to get out, how fast flash flooding can sweep the car away, how the car can roll, how fast it sinks (61 seconds), the fastest way to break the window (down in the corner, where the glass is thinnest) what to do if you have children with you (push them out ahead of you, or have them in your arms as you go out the window). Before the story, I had not realized it was such a fear for so many people.

2K: What are some of your interests outside of your job?

LH: My family, pets, working in my garden, working on my house in the Brookside area. I love home repair and remodeling projects. I watch way too much HGTV and DIY.

2K: Any movies you would recommend readers of the blog check out?

LH: My favorite movie so far this summer has been Ironman.

***

My thanks again to Loren for her time. You can watch Loren weekday mornings from 5-7:30 on FOX 4 News alongside co-anchor Mark Alford.

Developing Tropical System

The blob you might notice in the bottom right hand corner of that satellite image is a developing tropical system. This area has the potential to develop into a tropical depression over the next couple of days. Keep in mind that development is not certain, but anything that can get going here would likely become a strong system.

Expect to hear more about the tropics this week on the news. You will likely become familiar with the name Cristobal...

Watch KSHB Build Their New Set -- LIVE

Kansas City's NBC Action News has torn down their old set and will be putting up a new one which should debut the opening night of the Olympics, August 8th. What makes the whole process much more interesting is that KSHB is letting you watch the process unfold live on the web. The new studio will be high-definition friendly.

Click here to watch over the coming days as the set is put together.

If It's Sunday, It's Claire McCaskill

Obama surrogate (aka: Missouri's junior Senator) Claire McCaskill will be appearing tomorrow morning on NBC's Meet The Press. She will be joined across the table by Carly Fiorina, an adviser to Sen. John McCain.

Meet The Press airs at 9 a.m. on Sunday mornings on KY3, KSHB-41, and KOMU. It will air at 8 a.m. on KSN-16 and KSDK.

Remembering Tony Snow

The News 2K brought you the sad news of Tony Snow's passing earlier this morning around 6:30 a.m. FishBowl DC, a beltway blog, has created an excellent page highlighting the wonderful moments of Tony Snow's career.

Additionally, Fox News has special primetime programming this evening that is remembering the life of Snow, the former host of Fox News Sunday.

KOAM: Saying Goodbye, Welcoming New Life

KOAM has been busy the last few weeks... and not I am specifically talking about the anchors and reporters on the scene of major stories. Take a look at all that has happened at KOAM:

• Reporter Jennifer Denman left for KOLR/KSFX (as referenced in a recent blog entry)
• Reporter Jeff Stensland has also left the station for another tv job out east
• Reporter Christina Tipton, who had been on maternity leave, gave birth to her first child... congrats!
• Reporter Mike Pache joined the KOAM NewsTeam

Anyone else tired yet? Two reporter positions are still left to be filled for the top rated station in the Joplin, MO television market.

Breaking News: Tony Snow Passes Away

Former FOX News anchor, White House Press Secretary, and CNN Analyst Tony Snow has passed away at the age of 53. He had been battling cancer for months. This news is just breaking on CNN at this time.

Fox News apparently has had a story in place. Here is their retrospective, looking back on his career.

Obama Supports Death Penalty for Osama

This Sunday afternoon Fareed Zakaria, host of CNN's new show GPS, sits down for an exclusive one-on-one interview with presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama. Among the topics of discussion will be Osama Bin Laden. In this interview, Obama claims he would seek the death penalty against Bin Laden if he were to be apprehended.

"I am not a cheerleader for the death penalty — I think it has to be reserved for only the most heinous crimes, But I certainly think plotting and engineering the death of 3,000 Americans justifies such an approach."

The entire interview will air this Sunday at 12:00 p.m. local time on CNN.

New Look

I had some free time this afternoon so I thought I would give TheNews2K a new look. I will continue working on it over the next couple of hours, so if you notice things changing a bit... that is why. I get bored with things staying the same for too long.

Where Did They Go?

...Ellie Merritt, former KY3 anchor, now anchors the 4:00 news for the NBC station in Columbus, Ohio.







...Dee Griffin, former KCTV evening anchor, now anchors the 5, 6, and 10 news at the ABC affiliate in Memphis, TN.






...Chris Herzog, former weekend anchor at KOLR/KSFX. He is now managing editor and evening anchor at WEAU-TV in Wisconsin. He is joined there by former co-anchor (and now wife) Sarah Stokes.













But, where did these individuals go?

• Sam Lane, former KSNF Chief Meteorologist


• Eric Maize, former KRCG evening anchor


• Jessica Allen, former KOAM weekend weather anchor

Jennifer Denman Joins KOLR-10

This seems to be a trend... do well in the Joplin market and you can find a nice home in the Springfield one. Following in the steps of Cara Connelly, Tracy Turner, Lisa Rose, and Chad Plein, Jennifer Denman has joined the KOLR 10/ Ozarks FOX family as a reporter. She had previously been with KOAM for three years. Coincidentally, her bio is still up at KOAM TV's website as well.

Schools Out...Just For Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

KSPR touched a nerve yesterday with a story and an associated TalkBack segment about whether or not schools should consider extending the day but not going to school on Friday and many Ozarkers let them know about it. Apparently there are two districts in Arkansas who are examining this possibility because of rising energy costs.

There appeared to be a mixed bag of responses to this proposal. I could see the benefits of this plan, while I could also see some major drawbacks. I am not sure that giving kids one more day off a week is a great idea. That also then opens up the whole idea of breaks... do you now give them 5 day weekends? I think it is very complicated.

I tend to fall under the same umbrella as a poster named Amy who commented, "It is a sad day when schools have to choose between educating kids properly and energy costs."

You can find the talkback information from KSPR by clicking here.

Lisa Ling Joins Nightline

Wow, she is one busy lady! Lisa Ling, former co-anchor of The View as well as anchor/reporter for Channel One News, has joined Nightline as a contributor for the program, according to Broadcasting and Cable. Her first story will air tonight.

In addition to her work for the ABC late night news show, Ling also works as a coorespondent for Oprah and the National Geographic Channel.

Just In: Rod Smith Back To KRCG

A tipster informs me that this is the new venture. He will be doing limited work for KRCG Sports, including the widely popular venture of his fishing segment. I am still awaiting confirmation.

Update: KRCG has now posted an article confirming that Rod Smith will come back to KRCG as the sports director, effective August 4. Read the complete details here.

Breaking News: Ramsey Family Officially Cleared in Murder of JonBenet

This story is breaking on MSNBC right now. According to their local affiliate KUSA-TV in Denver, John Ramsey and all of the immediate family have been cleared in the murder of JonBenet. New DNA was discovered on the leggings of the girl, which was tested with new technology and does not match anyone within the family.

FOX News also is covering this story. CNN now has a story on their website as well.

UPDATE: Here is a link to the KUSA web page where the news first broke.

KRCG's Ex-Sports Director Has Big News

According to the Jefferson City News Tribune, former KRCG Sports Director Rod Smith will be announcing his next career move in an article this afternoon for that city's paper. You can check out the article here that details why the decision was made to provide the information to the public through this avenue. The article also gives some vague hints as to what his new career might be.

This scenario likely means that Smith will not be joining either KOMU or KMIZ. It would not be far fetched to see Rod become a sports writer for the paper or an announcer for a local radio station, although the article seems to indicate he would like to go in a different direction.

The News 2K will bring the announcement as soon as we have access to it.

My $.02: Is it November yet?

I am an informed individual (although sometimes my posts may not show it). I also believe that it is important that the news media provide its viewers with the most information possible concerning candidates for political office, however, this ad nauseum droning on and on concerning the Presidential race has me yearning for mid-November.

Maybe it is because neither of the two major political party candidates have done anything I feel that warrants my vote. Maybe it is because they both keep changing their opinions on issues faster than a woman at a Macy's shoe sale. Or maybe because the media keeps tabs on every movement each of the candidate makes. Did you know Barack Obama had to borrow a new charter jet while his was being worked on? What about the fact that John McCain wiped off a kiss that his wife Cindy planted on him before a rally yesterday? WHO IN THE HELL CARES?!?

If the networks would cover the substantive issues and delve deep into some of their positions maybe I could find a reason to watch the cable news channels on a daily basis again. Instead they have to focus on a lot of nuances that the general public couldn't care less about. If they aren't going to do that, then why not focus on some major governorship races or Senatorial seats that are hotly contested? These have been interesting. The governor race here in Missouri, along with the Attorney General primary, have been fascinating to keep up with in the blogosphere as well as on Missouri tv.

Let me applaud those networks who are spending time covering other substantial races outside of Obama/McCain. Those are the campaigns that I feel like I still have some vested interest in.

I wish cable news had substance when it came to covering the Presidential race 24/7 instead of analyzing the same comment and/or attack ad 297,898,675,071 times.

Maybe it is just me... but is anyone else asking: Is it November yet?

KMBC Weather Go Round...

Pete Grigsby, veteran weekend meteorologist at KMBC, has left the station to take a position in the Blue Springs (MO) school district, according to Bottom Line Communications. Now the site is reporting that former KMBC meteorologist Erin Little is heading back to take the weekend job. Erin is a Kansas City metro native... recently she has been working in Denver. Anyone else dizzy yet?

Breaking Now: NBC To Buy The Weather Channel

I knew it was probably going to happen, but CNBC is now reporting the news and so is TVNewser. You can check out the info on CNBC by clicking here.

This development poses a lot of interesting questions, but chiefly among them: what happens to Weather Plus? How does this affect all of the work getting local markets to brand their weather after the network?

There is so much to digest. TV Newser also has a few additional relevant questions to consider.

KY3's Catanese Introduces The NoteCast

The KY3 Political Notebook has always been one of my favorite sources for all things political in the Show-Me State, but I happened to notice a new feature on the blog yesterday. Political guru David Catanese is experimenting with a video update (hey David... it's known as a vlog) on the week ahead in politics. The entry seems to leave it up in the air concerning whether or not it will actually be a regular feature, but I have to say that while this update was really short and didn't divulge into anything extreme, there is potential here.

Head by the KY3 Political Notebook and check it out.