Media Posts

Fox 21 News at 6 … no that is not a typo

Apr 06, 2010 6 Comments

Fox 21 News is adding a 6 pm newscast starting June 28th. This move is surely related to the addition of Jason Vincent (most recently of Fargo) as the new news director replacing Julie Moravchik.

In the release on their site (click the image to see it) they are clearly gunning for their competition:

In addition to being the fastest growing Twin Ports station in terms of newscasts, we are also the Twin Ports fastest growing station for viewers. Since we first launched in March of 2007, we immediately beat our 9pm competition and continue to do so.

FOX 21 also beat the local CBS’s 10pm show and continues to do so. We are now neck-and neck with the local NBC, which has the advantage of having been on the air for the last 50 years.

After 36 months, we’re poised to outnumber them as well (and have already beaten them in two key demos: 18-34 year olds and 18-49 year olds).

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Random ,

Hey! Let’s celebrate the fabulous new Target Field by … um … smoking weed with a red bell-pepper bong

Apr 05, 2010 2 Comments

This story is from CNN iReport, which is a totally untrustworthy user-generated source — even though it’s part of CNN, so take it for what it’s worth.


Uncategorized ,

From the Ripsaw Archive: April 5, 2000

Apr 05, 2010 6 Comments

Ten years ago today, the first weekly issue of the Ripsaw came out. Looking it over this morning, the thing that surprised me is there was a localized crossword puzzle. I had forgotten about that. It only lasted a few months because the guy who did it, Israel Malachi, either got tired of putting it together or left town for a while, I can’t remember which.

Anyway, the puzzle is below. It’s pretty easy, but I’ll follow up with the answer key in the comments tomorrow.


History ,

Sen Al Franken Resurrects “Duluth Answer Man” to Support Twin Ports Google Fiber

Mar 10, 2010 28 Comments

MARCH 10, 2010 – Minnesota Sen. Al Franken has joined The Google Twin Ports Fiber Initiative by resurrecting his Duluth Answer Man clips.

Duluth’s campaign combines a fun and creative grassroots campaign with a very serious effort to build a strong business case for bringing Google Fiber to the Twin Ports.

The Duluth Answer Man campaign was produced in the mid 80s by the Duluth Convention and Visitors Bureau, known today as Visit Duluth. The series ran in the Twin Cites market as the summer tourism campaign for Duluth.


History, News and Current Affairs, Videos , , ,

Here it is! Lake Voice News

Mar 04, 2010 8 Comments

Some of you were in a discussion in February about what UMD Journalists should name their online news organization. Thank you for all of your suggestions!

We would like to announce our name and website. We called it “Lake Voice” after an old French newspaper in Duluth, “Voix du Lac.” We focus on community news.

Please check us out and feel free to give any feedback.

lakevoicenews.org
twitter.com/lakevoicenews
facebook.com/lakevoicenews


Random ,

Journalistic Integrety at Stake, part 2

Feb 28, 2010 4 Comments

Personally, I didn’t care much about the accuracy of Jeff Tweedy quotes in various media, but I believe I’ve found a media issue of the utmost importance to our society.

In the Duluth News Tribune’s report about Superior High School wrestler Nikola Bogojevic winning the state championship in his weight class, this paragraph jumped out at me:

Moments later he grabbed Superior coach Bill Gedde and put him in an airplane spin — made famous by professional wrestler “Rowdy” Roddy Piper — to celebrate the title.

Since when did Roddy Piper make the airplane spin famous? I remember Mike Rotunda using it as his signature maneuver in the 1980s, but I don’t remember ever seeing Piper do it. I mean, I suppose it happened, but I just don’t associate that move with Piper.

Am I right here?

By the way, congratulations to Bogojevic for his victory, his awesome season, and most of all putting his coach in an airplane spin. That’s epic.


News and Current Affairs, Sports ,

Newspaper Guild Pickets the DNT

Feb 25, 2010 24 Comments

(The article below was originally posted to the Northern Worker blog at www.northernworker.wordpress.com)

by Adam Ritscher

On Thursday, February 25 about 80 members and supporters of the Lake Superior Newspaper Guild gathered in front of the Duluth News-Tribune offices for an informational picket. The Newspaper Guild represents the reporters and other workers at the DNT.

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Uncategorized

Informational Picket

Feb 25, 2010 1 Comment

What: Informational Picket

Who: Lake Superior News Guild and supporters

When: Thursday, Feb. 25, noon to one

Where: In front of the Duluth News Tribune, 424 W. 1st Street

Why: The members of the Lake Superior Newspaper Guild would be glad to take a pay cut, but what we want in exchange from the paper’s owners, Forum Communications, is protection of jobs. Instead of working with the Guild, however, the company continues to lay off workers and diminish the quality of the paper. Help us send a message to Forum management that the Guild is more than willing to sit down at the bargaining table to achieve the savings the company desires in exchange for saving jobs here in Duluth. Tell the company that what it’s done to your newspaper is wrong. If you value having a newspaper in Duluth, please come out and support us. If you can’t make it, feel free to send an email to Forum owner Bill Marcil at [email protected] to let him know you’re concerned about the paper and you support the Guild’s efforts.

Cover: Free!


Events

DNT Resorts to Interviewing its Publisher to Produce Content?

Feb 23, 2010 41 Comments

So I know that the whole ripping on the Duluth News Tribune theme gets a bit tiresome. Yet this article compels some response from anyone who knows better than to accept as journalism a story about the New Tribune’s publisher speaking before the Duluth Chamber. Ironically, in this story, the reporter quotes the DNT’s publisher stating that “What we don’t have is less local news content.” Well, I suppose if this article and advertisements qualify, that may be the case. But the newspaper is not even close to being “better than it was a year ago.” Read the story and you might understand my utter confusion at how anyone could possibly consider this story to be newsworthy.


Uncategorized ,

The axe falls again at the DNT

Feb 12, 2010 53 Comments

What happened?

The News Tribune laid off two employees today, including education reporter Sarah Horner.

Why?

It’s a long story. And I’ll preface it by saying that while this comes from someone on the union side of the fence, what follows are facts that I don’t believe the company would protest.

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News and Current Affairs ,

Duluth antique dealer sick of appraising Smurf collections

Feb 12, 2010 1 Comment

Antique dealer sick of appraising Smurf collections.

The Onion just republished this 2002 story, which many of you may have missed eight years ago.


News and Current Affairs ,

Remembering the Ripsaw’s Transition

Feb 03, 2010 37 Comments

RipsawCovers1-6

It’s been 10 years since the Ripsaw published the last of its monthly scandal sheets and converted to an “alternative newsweekly” format. Here’s a look back at the old monthly editions of Duluth’s most infamous rag.

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History, R.I.P.

Minnesota Olympians

Feb 03, 2010 1 Comment

2010winterolympics

I am not a huge sports watcher. I like the Vikings, I appreciate the Twins and once in awhile I will watch a bit of the NCAA Men’s BB Tournament in March. But I do enjoy the Olympics. Especially the Winter Olympics. And I think part of the reason that I appreciate the winter games so much is that there are so many local athletes. I’ll admit, my favorite aspect of the “Miracle on Ice” game from (ouch) 30 years ago now is that so many Minnesotans played a role in that underdog-david-vs-goliath-come-from-behind-victory.

Here are a few lists of Minnesotans that are in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver from Bob Collins MPR NewsCut blog, and the Star Tribune, plus a cursory search of the NBC Winter Olympics web page.

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News and Current Affairs

Duluth KCWV-TV Channel 27

Feb 01, 2010 17 Comments

Have any of you noticed Duluth has a new broadcast TV station? Is anyone able to get decent reception of it?

The station runs programming from the My Family TV network, which features “programming to entertain, educate and edify,” including “uplifting spiritual” shows. In other words, a bunch of preaching and paid programming with some Andy Griffith and Bonanza mixed in.


Random

Jitterbug’s Newscast

Jan 31, 2010 3 Comments

I thought that the “1000 foot shitters” was great but she may have topped it with “I am still stuck on the beaver!”

Good luck in Haiti. Miss you on the news!!


News and Current Affairs