Posts About New York
Shout it Out
So you wanna be on Channel One News? One of the easiest ways is by recording a One Shout and posting it on channelone.com. Here's some inside advice on how to get your clip chosen to be on the show1. Include your name, school, city and state in your video.
2. When recording, hold the camera steady and make sure everyone is in focus.
3. Film in a place that is well lit so we can see your shining faces.
4. Have fun and don’t be afraid to make it creative. But always at the end say: “Channel One News starts right now!”
5. The last step is to upload it. Click here to get to the right place.
I look forward to seeing a bunch of new One Shouts in the future!
COMMENTSMeeting Mia
You may have seen our recent Glory Road interview with Mia Hamm. I have to say talking with her was pretty awesome. She's done everything from writing books, to setting records in soccer that no woman or man has surpassed. She's also the mom of twins girls and new baby boy who still finds time to speak to groups of young people about pursuing their dreams. Meeting her was a little like sitting in a room with your big sis because she's one of the most down to earth people I’ve met -- and is arguably one of the most successful too.
We met at the HerWorld event in partnership with DeVry University in New York City. Three hundred girls, all there as leaders from their respective schools and neighborhoods, came to listen to inspirational stories from women killing it in their fields. And in walked this woman, unassuming in Nike athletic gear and completely eager to get her chance to speak to them.
When she approached the stage, you would have thought Nikki Minaj had walked in the room. I even looked around to see if anybody was encouraging the girls to respond, but there wasn't.
These girls went crazy; excited that someone was willing to come lend their advice in order to help them succeed. And Mia didn't skip a beat -- she got right to it.
She spent the better part of an hour talking back and forth with these young women with stories about her family, about adversity and how to look it in the face and overcome. She talked about the importance of passion and diligence and about identifying what you want and then going for it. It was awesome to see the audience respond. A lot of the girls had just been born at the height if Mia's popularity, but it didn’t matter because what she was saying now was important. "follow your dreams...don’t let anyone tell you, ‘you can’t do something.’ And once you start going after it, go until you get it. It's not always gonna be easy, but it's always gonna be worth the investment, if you're investing in yourself.”
I think we could all benefit from thinking that way!
Bringing Down the House
This is a sneak peak of a story I'm working on with Shelby Holliday. It's about a gospel choir in Harlem, New York called Gospel For Teens. Many of the members say that the choir has made a huge impact on their lives. They say being part of the choir gives them something positive to do outside of school and has helped them be more confident. We went to one of their reversals this summer and here's a clip of them bringing down the house. Get ready to clap to the beat!
Ro-Dawg
When I lived and worked in South Carolina, I rescued a pup. Her name was "Jennifer" she was 6 weeks old and the cutest little ball of fur ever. No offense to any Jennifers out there, but that name was just not fitting for this pooch. I re-named her Ronan (like Conan O’Brien, but with an "R") after a stuffed lion toy I had as a kid. She immediately responded to it -- not kidding -- so I knew it was a great name for her.
After her adoption was finished we got ready to take her home when one of her brothers came back to the shelter after testing positive for parvo, a deadly virus that claims the life of about 50% of the pups that contract it. I was assured by staff that since she didn’t show any signs, she should be fine but that I should consider a visit with their specialist just in case.
Of course, I agreed. And it was a good thing I did, because she did end up contracting the virus. After a week long fierce battle for life, a bunch of moola and two plasma transfusions later, “Ro” (her nick name) survived. Now 9 months old, she is one the funniest, energetic, and smartest dogs I’ve ever had. Adjusting to the life of a city dog has been a bit of a challenge but I can’t wait to see how she responds to the snow! I’ll keep you guys posted on her status and post some silly videos of her soon.
Going to Grad School
Choosing to attend a graduate school is becoming more and more popular, but are people going for the right reasons? Here’s my story on why I decided to go back to school. I felt like my undergraduate experience was not enough to get a competitive job in broadcast journalism. After graduating with a Bachelor's in Music and Communications from New York University, I decided to work in Public Relations. I worked for two years and taking this time to get work experience was essential in making my decision to go back to school. By working for two years, I found my passion for journalism and writing. I knew I would need training to get a job in broadcast journalism, so I decided to become a student yet again and get my Master’s.
Here's the hard part, going to graduate school costs money! I did my research and looked at a ton of programs in the Northeast that offered graduate programs in journalism. A big part of my decision in schools was based on the scholarships they offer their potential students. I was between Boston University and New York University, but decided with NYU since they offered me the most scholarship money and I knew I wanted to stay in New York, which is a major hub for news. Their program also rocked and they have a real news studio. But New York is expensive and I had to make the decision to take out a small loan for living expenses. Adding debt is never fun and it is definitely something you have to think about, but in my case I think it was worth it.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience at NYU. Graduate school is definitely what you make of it and I was happy to be able to get as much hands on experience as possible. During my graduate education, I also got the opportunity to do three internships (one of them here at Channel One) which gave me an inside look into what exactly I want to do in news after graduation. Graduate school is a big decision, but in my case, it was one of the best decisions I made for my career.
And now, after graduation in December, it's time to look for a job.
Behind the Scenes: Kangoo Jumps!
A few weeks ago, I saw some people bounding down the streets of New York City in Kangoo Jumps and instantly fell in love. They might look like moon boots on steroids, but these people were having waaay too much fun to care.
I pitched the jumps as a "Next Big Thing" idea, and the next thing I knew, I was hopping around in a pair with fitness expert Mario Godiva Green. We had a BLAST doing this segment, and it turns out these bouncy boots do much more than make exercise fun.
According to Mario, who is pretty much the king of all things Kangoo, these jumps:
- Reduce the impact on your back, knees, and joints by up to 80%
- Give you an incredible core workout
- Allow you to burn up to 50% more calories than other forms of exercise
- They have sparked a fitness craze around the world, and they are used by trainers, physical therapists, and even high school coaches
So, are Kangoo Jumps the NEXT BIG THING? Bounce on over to our NBT page and cast your vote. Check out our video below to learn more, and visit Mario's website for tips and info on these awesome workout boots.
A T-shirt Tale
In keeping with my step-by-step blog posts, I have some more wise wisdom to share this week. This time, it's how to get your school’s t-shirt featured on the show. A few helpful hints:
1. Give us the deets. We want to know all about these gorgeous tees you’re sending us. Please provide your school’s name, location, and a little bit about the shirt.
2. There’s no shame in sending an XL. We like our shirts to be nice and big!
3. Make it special. We get hundreds of shirts, so I’m always drawn to the ones that catch my eye. Whether you make the envelope look nice or you include your school’s koozie, do something to make your t-shirt package stand out. (Please note, I'm NOT soliciting bribes here -- we do get packages with candy but it has NO influence on our choice. Seriously.)
4. Remember that we get many, many, many shirts. I'll say it again. Many. We are trying our best to get them all on the air, but as you know, the show is short. We do LOVE hearing from all of you and finding out what's going on at your school, which is why we continue to welcome your shirts and why we'll continue to put them on the show.
Finally, for those of you who need the information, here's the address:
Channel One News
555 W. 57th Street
8th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Thanks y’all! Keep ‘em coming.
Inside Occupy Wall Street
In mid-September, a few dozen demonstrators gathered in New York City to protest
America's financial system. Three weeks later, their message has spread to
nearly 150 cities across the country. Click here for a slideshow from the protests.
Images and videos of what's being called the "Occupy Wall Street" movement have been all over the news, so when I was assigned to cover the rallies in NYC's Financial District on Wednesday, I was excited to see for myself what these protests were all about. Based on what I had read, I was looking for aggressive crowds, angry signs, and a great deal of confrontation. But based on what I saw? Let's just say that my expectations were way off.
When we arrived in Zuccotti Park, the "campground" for many of the protesters, I was actually worried that we had gone to the wrong location. Sure, we were surrounded by tents and sign-making sessions, but nobody seemed to be talking about Wall Street at all. Instead, protesters were dancing to an impromptu drum set at the west end of the park. Lower Manhattan felt more like a party than it did a protest.
Other things we saw: a huge meditation circle, a makeshift "cafeteria" stocked with food and water, and a handful of protesters strumming guitars, playing cards, and making bracelets. Scroll to the bottom of the post for photos from the park.
It wasn't hard to see why the Occupy Wall Street movement has been criticized for not having a streamlined message or goal. When I asked a 17-year-old protester about this, she said, "how can you have a streamlined message when there is sooo much that's wrong with the world?!"
Her friend "Bombadillo" agreed, explaining that Wall Street is just a symbol. His beef is actually with the government, but he said that by attacking Wall Street, the group is has been able to harness more attention for their cause. So what exactly is that cause? "Unity consciousness," he told me.
The young people we spoke with said they have no idea how long the protest will last, but their goal is to help it continue growing nationwide. This weekend, they're heading to Michigan to set up "Occupy Detroit." Then they'll play the rest by ear.
According to an Occupation Status Board at Zuccotti Park, the movement has already spread to at least 147 cities in the U.S. and 28 overseas, and it has received $35,000 in donations. The website www.occupytogether.org lists events planned across the country, including cities like Boston, Chicago, Denver and Seattle.
The message might be unclear, but according to the protesters, the movement is only getting started.
Jessica Kumari
Clearwater Beach, Florida native Jessica Kumari cultivated a passion for news at her campus TV station at Georgetown University. She then moved to New York City and joined the prestigious NBC Page Program before serving as a production assistant for Brian Williams.
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Shelby Holliday
Shelby Holliday is passionate about all things Millennial. From politics to prom, her favorite assignments involve talking to students and discussing issues that affect young people.
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Scott Evans
Scott Evans has been working in entertainment and media since the third grade. After studying communications and theatre at Purdue University, he worked as a NBA On-Court Host for the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever. He most recently worked as the West Coast Correspondent at the millennial news organization, One Minute News.
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Jason Witmer
Producer Jason Witmer has worked in just about every type of journalistic medium including writing for magazines and producing pieces for NPR. He fell in love with video as a medium at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism before spending three years at the Houston Chronicle. He is happy to be at Channel One now, a show he grew up watching.
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Kristen Brody
Kristen Brody is a graduate of the University of Missouri's journalism school and a Production Associate at Channel One.
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Gary Hamilton
Gary knows something about that famous Texas pride, he was born and raised in Houston (where he grew up watching Channel One in Middle and High School) and then he graduated from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas and studied abroad at Oxford University in the U.K.
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Jessica Rojas
Jessica Rojas is a born and bred New Yorker whose love of all types of music, dance and entertainment took her to Los Angeles where she studied at the University of Southern California. Her love of music is what brought Jessica back to New York to share that passion with you at Channel One.
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Sarah Mirza
Producer Sarah Mirza is a graduate of Wellesley College and the Master's journalism program at Boston University. She loves to write and lives for those adrenaline-fueled breaking news situations.
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Kristin Sachau
Producer Kristin grew up in San Diego, California and graduated from San Diego State University. When she got involved with documentary filmmaking, she realized she had a passion for storytelling and she's been doing it every since.
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Evan Groll
Associate Producer Evan Groll started at Channel One as an intern. He enjoys covering international news, human interest pieces and stories centered around social injustices (or even better, a combination of the three).
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