It's a Great Way to Connect

As easy as it is to complain about how new technologies are changes the news business, I have to admit, some of it is pretty cool.

I am lucky to work at a station that is really a leader when it comes to incorporating news online, on Facebook, Twitter, etc. (That kinda sounds cheesy, but it's true.) And because it's so new, we decide what works and what doesn't work. Today, I had a Public Information Officer for the Kentucky National Guard email me to tell me he'd be "facebooking" the information about my story on their page. Then he asked if that was a real word. I replied that the nice thing about social media was it's so new, you can make up whatever word you want. It's the truth. Who knows how all this connecting through the internet fits into life until we decide how it fits in.

The last couple days, I've had a few moments that have made me glad it's a part of my job.

Thursday I covered the first day of a murder trial in Lexington. A 33 year old man is on trial for shooting and killing his boyfriend in a shopping center parking lot, then leading police on a chase through town that ended in a three hour standoff at a mental hospital. While listening to testimony and figuring out how to write my story, I am constantly updating Twitter and Facebook about what is happening. Yesterday as I commented on who they were calling to the stand I got people who had followed the story and had questions about what was happening, like exactly what was the relationship between the victim and the alleged shooter. I was able to answer him and he was then able to respond. How cool is that? It's instant and it's interactive. I am a reporter to give people information. Up until now, I never truly know who is getting it and whether they are getting everything they need. I try my best to give everything to everyone, but that's near impossible. With something like Facebook, I really do know who is out there paying attention and what questions they have.

Even better, was today. It's been a very long week. Something about covering snow, robberies, murder trials and murder anniversaries exhausted me. Today, I got a fun one though. Through Skype, which I used the first time today, I got to interview a Kentucky National Guard Soldier. She is currently serving in Afghanistan with several others who are on an agricultural mission. They are there to teach the people of the region to be self-sustaining through farming. Major Bobbie Mayes individual mission, in my opinion is a lot more interesting. She is there as the Women's Empowerment Coordinator. She is teaching the women to raise chickens, honey bees, open store and even helps coordinate a radio show where they can not only talk about how things are going with those activities, but about women's issues and the things that are affecting them. Many of these women lost their husbands to the Taliban or the war. They've never had a voice to the point where they don't even know how to ask for what they need, because they don't know what they need.

It's a story I would love to go over to Afghanistan to tell. That's not a reality where I am, so instead there's Skype.

Here's the link to the shorter version of the story I did. I hope it brings a smile to your face like it did mine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOXiKUTQbHI