Renewing the Voice

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2010-03-27T10:24:00.001-07:00

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Hatboro station now streaming LIVE @Monty

2010-03-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

It's true! We are now streaming 89.3 WRDV-FM live from our Web site. We spoke with the guys at WRDV earlier this month about the idea and they were happy to get on board.

WRDV broadcasts Jazz Age classics, big band era, early blues, rock and country during the weekdays. On weekends, the station moves toward "roots of rocks and rhythm, doo wop and rare oldies tunes.

What really caught my ear were the local business advertisements. Around 4:52 p.m. Friday, I heard about a local pancake eating event in Warminster.

Click here to LISTEN LIVE to 89.3 WRDV-FM

New community blogs launch

2010-03-03T21:33:00.000-08:00

Read this at the Souderton Independent

Montgomery Media, parent company of the Souderton Independent has launched two new local blogs this week.

The first, the Tents for Haiti Project blog, documents the 30-year relationship between volunteer groups in the Souderton area and the village of Côtes-de-Fer in Haiti along with ongoing efforts to provide relief and support to that village.

The second blog, Second String Thoughts, is for sports fanatics in the local area and features writings from Kevin McGuire, a Souderton resident who will blog on local sports issues in the Souderton and Pennridge area, as well as hot topics for Philadelphia’s major sports teams and Penn State sports.

The Souderton Independent and Montgomery Media are aiming to expand local opinion coverage on the web through its blog center. If you have a blog idea you’d like us to consider, e-mail Souderton Independent editor Emily Morris at emorris@montgomerynews.com or our Video and Web editor Andy Stettler at astettler@montgomerynews.com.

Overshare, under-square

2010-03-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

I guess Monday wasn't the best day to push Foursquare's mobile app to the limits but I did happen to stumble upon some interesting finds.

SquarePik, an iPhone app that allows Foursquare players to add photos and videos to their check-ins is a great way for local businesses to use social networking to promote themselves. This is kind of a break through for Foursquare but the network itself hasn't seemed to understand SquarePik's advantages.

The point of Foursquare is to talk about the places users have checked-into, to provide tips about what's good, what's bad and if the place is even worth the visit. If Foursquare were to incorporate visual forms of media, going beyond text, the app would enter a whole new world of usefulness.

Imagine having to make a decision between the Broad Axe Tavern and Phil's Tavern with only Foursquare as a reference. The two are so similar at a glance that the decision could really go either way. But if Foursquare used photos and video, users could compare the Broad Axe's upgraded, visually appealing sports bar area to Phil's classic pub style bar and make a much more informed decision about the two Blue Bell taverns.

I would imagine this could cause competition between businesses via Foursquare which would then bring more businesses into the network's business deal program.

On a completely different note, I received the "Overshare" badge last night after making "10+ check-ins in 12 hours."

The Mobile Test: Can Foursquare's mobile app meet other networks' standards?

2010-02-28T11:28:00.000-08:00

Last November, Mashable creator Pete Cashmore anticipated the rise of FourSquare in 2010. He said, "you may wonder which social-media service will become tech's poster boy in 2010. Among the Web’s early adopter set, the answer is nearly unanimous: Foursquare."

Well, it's 2010 and Foursquare is my latest digital obsession. Cashmore was right when he said that Foursquare, like Twitter has an addictive nature, but I would like to see if Foursquare can keep up with social networks giants like Facebook and Twitter.

This week, I'm going to experiment with Foursquare to update my Facebook and Twitter via mobile device rather than Tweetie or Facebook Mobile. I want to see what Foursquare is missing and what it is capable of. Then, I will post another blog entry, here, at the end of the week about what I found and whether or not I think I could completely replace other social media mobile apps with the FourSquare app.

Why Foursquare could be the next big network

Unlike Twitter, Foursquare is a game. Users check in to restaurants, theaters, gas stations and even workplaces to earn points which are then added to a weekly score board measuring the user’s points against those of their Foursquare friends.

The game aspect of Foursquare is key to drawing both Twitter users and Facebook users who haven’t fallen for the Twitter phenomenon. This network doesn't force users to gain a following or get out. Instead, users can simply check-in, win the mayor's crown and earn badges among a small network of friends.

However, the network provides a fix for the Twitter-feins too. Users can sync their Facebook status and a Twitter account so that they can "shout" (the Foursquare equivalent of a tweet) from Foursquare while updating the other two networks.

These two aspects are what I would like to test in the coming week.

You can find me on Foursquare and Twitter @AndyStettler. Follow me and send me a comment.

The Equipment Shed, Issue 2: The MinoHD Flip Cam

2010-02-21T12:00:00.000-08:00

As Journal Register Company newsrooms across the country move forward with new CEO John Paton’s initiative to cover more stories using multimedia, Montgomery Media wants to be ahead of the curve.

In fact, we began using video coverage as an added aspect of our news coverage back in May 2009, however, now the entire Monty newsroom is pushing to cover stories with video more frequently and preferably in HD.

That’s where the MinoHD Flip Cam came in.

The MinoHD Flip Cam shoots in 1280 x 720 pixels and holds 8GB of video, thats nearly 120 minutes of footage. Below is a list of this Flip’s pros and cons.

Pros:

Durability-
During the snow storms earlier this month, I was able to walk the neighborhoods of Plymouth Meeting shooting HD footage even as the snow continued to fall. No other camera (at least that I own) would be able to withstand the wet and icy cold climate of this month’s snow storm without suffering some kind of defect due to moisture.

Compact Size-
Since the size of this Flip is no larger than an iPod, I can carry it in my pocket as if it were a cell phone. So whereas my Canon SX20 IS would be a hassle to carry around all day (often times, my camera bag is mistaken for a purse...), I barely even notice that I have the Flip with me.

Easy to Use and Dummy Proof-

Flips are the definition of a "point-and-shoot" camera. Any writer, editor, even the receptionist can learn to use a Flip. You simply press the red "record" button and action! I've also heard of some users who are a little worried about deleting their footage since the trashcan button is right there on the touch-sensitive device. Actually, users have to press the trash button a number of times to actually get the camera to delete your footage and therefore the MinoHD Flip Cam is practically dummy proof.

Cons:

The Zoom-
The zoom on this Flip is very weak. The Flip’s creators say it has a “smooth multi-step 2x digital” zoom but the last thing I would call this zoom is smooth. Users will never get that cool zoom-action shot they get from any other video camera. Instead, they will have to suffer from the camera’s spastic pulse zoom which looks incredibly unprofessional, especially in a news video.

In addition, do not expect to go to an event and cover a speaker from your seat. Try to catch as many one-on-one interviews as you can before the speaker takes the podium so that you do not have to rely on the bad quality zoom and it’s pixelated recording.

White Balance and Light Sensitivity-
During the recent snow storms, I enjoyed taking walks at night when the snow reduced to flurries. What I found was that I could capture almost everything in the dark landscape without having to find a streetlight for help.

However, go to any concert venue with stage lighting and forget it. The white balance and light sensitivity is completely automatic. I once had a friend tape a concert I played at World Cafe Live and the entire recording went in my trash bin because even with color correction, my skin was so bright that the definition was lost and so came the distorted pixelation.

Lack of Image Stabilization-
My intern showed me his method of holding the Flip so that users don’t get the “Blair Witch” effect but even with his method, the Flip’s shaky nature can get kind of ridiculous. Be sure to tell newsroom Flip users about the lack of image stabilization so they can prepare themselves to stay as stable as possible.

The Flip does have a a standard thread for tripod use but the whole point of the camera is that it is a hand-held device for users who are not interested in carrying a heavy camera bag or in this case, a bulky tripod.

"The Fort" on FourSquare

2010-02-15T15:30:00.000-08:00

Just some quick news to our readers whom follow our social networks; you can now check-in to “The Fort” on FourSquare.

Okay, so maybe it isn’t the most revolutionary news but for now on, if you happen to stop by our Fort Washington offices, be sure to check in. We love to know who is in the office or who has stopped by.

Montgomery Media Social Networks:

Twitter- @MontgomeryMedia

Facebook- Montgomery Media

Friday Night's Perigee Moon

2010-01-31T10:02:00.000-08:00

Anyone whom happened to see the moon Friday night, may have caught themselves taking a second glance at the illumined man in the sky, the reason being that Friday's moon was colossal.

Due to its oblong lunar orbit which brings the moon more than 250,000 miles closer to Earth, the moon appears 14 percent bigger than any full moon this year.

I was on my way to dinner when I saw the moon at Jolly Road and Timberfare Circle in Plymouth Meeting. I had to pull over, much to the delight of my girlfriend, so that I could take a photo of the titanic moon as it shown over the creek that runs between Beacon Hill Circle and Timberfare Lane.

Flooding causing problems in Whitemarsh Township

2010-01-31T09:22:00.000-08:00

I was driving around Monday, between rain storms, looking for a few photos for a slide show when I drove past Mathers Lane in Whitemarsh. Unbelievable! The entire road was flooded and even a FedEx truck had stopped, seeming confused, wondering how best to make the delivery to one of the homes under the muddy Wissahickon water.

I ended up driving a few feet down the street (the feet which were dry) and found Gino Ciavarelli of Whitemarsh watching the water recede from his home. He said the first floor was a foot deep in water earlier in the day. As you will hear in this video, flooding from the Wissahickon has caused much worse.

The Equipment Shed, Issue 1- The Photo/Video Camera

2010-01-13T13:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Equipment Shed,a continuous monthly item that will appear on this blog aimed to tell both readers and journalists the secrets behind Montgomery Media's multimedia pieces.

I've always felt that newsroom photographers and writers should always carry a digital camera that shoots both video and photos. Video recording capabilities are always a must because at the very least you can take a still frame image from your video clips and use them in your photo spaces.

This past Tuesday, while covering the grand opening of Whole Foods Market in Plymouth Meeting for The Colonial, I came upon further evidence proving my theory.

I noticed customers aiming their mobile devices at the bread breaking ceremony while photographers were standing on produce displays in order to snap their photos for the next day's front page. Strangely enough, the customers were the only people (besides myself) in the room shooting video.

Mind you, I was not carrying a bulky $10,000 Philadelphia news station camera. Instead I was shooting 720p high definition video using my new Canon PowerShot SX20 IS. Canon has done something remarkable with this addition to the Canon PowerShot camera line. They have offered a photo camera that shoots great quality photos at up to 4,000 pixels in width that also shoots incredible HD video all for a price of under $700.

Further, this camera features an image stabilizer for minimal motion blur and a 20x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom.

Considering the price, image quality and HD video quality, I hereby add the Canon Powershot SX20 IS to the Equipment Shed.

Weather via #MontyWeather

2010-01-05T08:46:00.000-08:00

Winter weather is a big issue this season. We had a rather cold summer and now as we blow through the colder seasons we here in the newsroom feel that daily weather reports are essential to our Web site.

Each morning we will post the weather report accompanied by a MyFoxPhilly video report of the days weather so that while your sitting in traffic, waiting at the bus stop or merely planning your day, you can be prepared.

For all of our Twitter followers, follow the #MontyWeather hash tag for a quick, easy and accessible weather report.

Winter Weather Live Cam

2009-12-19T07:44:00.000-08:00

I'm using UStream on my iPhone to stream the snow storm from my house. If you are streaming from your home email me at AStettler@Montgomerynews.com and I'll add your video here. Live TV : Ustream

Q&A: The new Holiday Multimedia page

2009-12-14T13:18:00.000-08:00

What to know about our Holiday Multimedia page?

In celebration of the holiday season, we launched our Holiday Multimedia page today. The page has video, slide shows, sounds slides and print stories and more will be added as we get closer to New Years Day.

Okay, so it's kind of like the Halloween multimedia page?

Sort of, but unfortunately we won't have resident's podcasting their experiences with the supernatural. Instead, we're aiming for community engagement! We will hold live chats this month about issues like "shopping local," and other holiday related topics.

In addition, we will be asking you, the readers, to take part in the celebration. Throughout the month we will be gathering photos of you and buy you and posting them to the Holiday page. One week we will gather Christmas tree photos, the next week we may gather photos of your decorated homes.

What makes this feature different than Haunted (the Halloween multimedia feature) is community engagement.

Can I find updated stories if I follow you on Twitter or Facebook?

Absolutely! Just we like we always have, we will be posting stories via our Twitter and Facebook. That includes holiday multimedia stories. Also, Twitter followers can look at the stories we have tweeted by following the #MontyXmas hash tag on Twitter.

Leave us a comment and let us know what you think of the new Holiday Multimedia page

What's drawing the Twitterverse?

2009-12-11T14:26:00.000-08:00

Attention all Twitterverse readers! We want to know what you read when we tweet, so answer the following poll and let us know what kind of stories we should tweet more often. Thanks!

Andy Stettler
Web and Video Editor
Montgomery Media

LIVE chat of the Peddler's Village Christmas Festival

2009-12-05T04:54:00.000-08:00

LIVE chat of the Peddler's Village Christmas Festival will begin at 12 p.m. EST. Chat here or follow the #PedParade tag on Twitter.

LIVE chat of the Peddler's Village Christmas Festival

Westbrook may be out for season

2009-11-16T13:05:00.000-08:00

I think it was WHYY that significantly ruined football for me when they invited a sports writer into their studios to talk about the life-long effects of playing the American past time. What ruined the game for me was when this sports writer recalled what he saw at a Hall of Fame convention. He said that every hall of famer who came through the door was either in a wheel chair or leaned on a cane. The video above is yet another example of this.

Floating on Cloud Google

2009-11-08T16:59:00.000-08:00

I recently purchased the new iMac to use at my office in Fort Washington. I was then forced to make the decision that has plagued we who follow the technology industry. I needed to pick a word processor. The choices: Google's Google Docs, Microsoft's Microsoft Office or Apple's iWork.

As a consistent user of Google's email service, Gmail, the answer was obvious. I would use Google's Google Docs. One obvious reason for this decision was the price difference. Apple's iWork, at a whopping $80, isn't exactly worth the cash when you consider that Google Docs offers everything that both iWork and Microsoft Office ($149) have including a word, presentation (Power Point) and spread sheet documents.

The second reason to chose Google Docs over the others was that Google Docs runs on a cloud server. Meaning I can access my Google Documents from any Web browser. In comparison, iWork and Microsoft Office can only be accessed via the individual desktop.

All three companies have fully mobilized (not like cell phones) in response to what the Economist, among other publications, are calling the cloud wars. Microsoft's release of Windows 7 was supposed to be the technology giant's response to Google and Apple's cloud servers but so far, I haven't heard much in the way of Microsoft using the cloud to its advantage.

Apple has tried catching up to Google with the MobileMe service but I've found trouble with looking through large folders of photos on the Apple cloud. I can never preview photos without downloading them off of the Apple cloud and onto my desktop.

I would really like to hear what others are thinking in terms of the cloud wars. I invite readers to send me a message or comment which explains their experiences with either of the three technology companies (Google, Apple, Microsoft) and their thoughts on how these companies are using the clouds. Check back soon.

Catching the Google Wave

2009-11-07T06:28:00.000-08:00

When I first received my Google Wave invitation, I immediately searched the blogosphere for opinions, tutorials, etc. It only took a few minutes until I came across Bruce's Blog.

Under his post "Using Google Wave for Work flow tasks," Bruce outlines when Google Wave can be used most efficiently. He comments on a blog post by Daniel Tenner who says, primarily, Google Wave will be used when employees collaborate in the work place.

He said, on average, when two employees are collaborating with a document, every time that document is updated each collaborator receives an email that the document has been modified. However, in Google Wave, Bruce said, notifications are already sent via pings to both collaborators each time a document is modified.

Updated: 9:30 a.m.

Just used this URL (http://www.twittergadget.com/gadget_gmail.xml )to add Twitter to my Google Wave.

Updated 1:47 p.m.

Unfortunately, Gmail and other emails cant be synced yet because Wave is still in preview mode. I think this would be an obvious feature when the real version comes out.

Once you have the Twitter Gadget up and running, go to your settings button (top right) and then advanced settings.
This is where you can change the length of your Twitter gadget so that you can see more tweets.
In addition, you can change the colors and theme of your Twitter gadget. Be sure to pick colors that will not make the links and user names hard to see.

Updated 1:54 p.m.
A video tutorial to Google Wave-

Eastern Montgomery County Emergency Management Group Exercise

2009-10-13T08:43:00.000-07:00

I received this via email this morning:

Dear Citizen:

Please excuse cross postings.

This letter is to advise you that a comprehensive regional drill is being conducted throughout Eastern Montgomery County on the morning of Sunday, October 18, 2009. As part of this regional drill, two simulated incidences will be in Upper Dublin Township. One is a simulated hazardous material incident located in the office park and the second is a simulated problem with the Loch Alsh Reservoir Dam. We emphasize that the purpose of this drill is to familiarize responders of how to communicate and operate together and to provide logistical challenges to our "First Responders" and "Township Staff'. We do not expect to be closing any roadways or entering onto private property, but you will see emergency vehicles and people in response gear moving about the Township. This is only a drill and, again, an opportunity for our teams to work together.

If you have any questions regarding the drill or if your neighbors are not aware of this notice and express concern, they can contact the Fire Services Administrator, Greg Breyer at (215) 643-1600 x3272 or at gbreyer@upperdublin.net for information.

Very truly yours,

Paul A. Leonard
Township Manager
Emergency Management Coordinator

MUFON convention abducts MCCC until Saturday

2009-10-09T19:29:00.000-07:00

Just a quick video preview to the MUFON convention. Tomorrow's convention beings at 11 a.m and runs through to the evening.

A Sad Yet Understandable Change to the King of Weeklies

2009-10-06T13:39:00.001-07:00

I was saddened this afternoon to receive an email from Economist.com announcing it's new limited access Web platform.

"Dear Reader,

I'd like to inform you about important changes at Economist.com.

Beginning October 13th, we will be limiting access to certain sections of our site to subscribers only. Over the past few years, Economist.com has become a hub for intelligent discussion, with news commentary, blogs and an award-winning debate series. We will continue to encourage both subscribers and non-subscribers to participate in those conversations. We will also enhance the experience we offer our most loyal readers by expanding our subscribers-only features.

Currently, all content published within the last year is free of charge. Soon, this access will be limited to articles published within the last 90 days. The print edition contents page, which offers a convenient way to browse articles and features from the latest issue of The Economist, will also be limited to subscribers only.

Through these complementary aspects of Economist.com, we will continue to foster intelligent discussion and debate, while enhancing the value we bring to our community of subscribers.

I hope you'll continue to visit the site and enjoy all it has to offer.

Sincerely,
Ben Edwards

Ben Edwards, Publisher
Economist.com"

A visit to Grey Towers Castle and the death of a few batteries

2009-10-05T13:52:00.000-07:00

I think it was George Bruno of Perkasie who told me, maybe even while walking through the Perkasie train tunnel, that once a person hears a house is haunted, they are much more likely to feel as though they have experienced some sort of supernatural occurrence within that home.

That's what keeps me from wanting to believe that whatever happened to my camera this afternoon at the Grey Towers Castle on Arcadia University's campus was the result of some supernatural experience.

I was walking through Grey Towers Castle, at around 1 p.m. today, with Media Communications Manager at Arcadia University, Donna Whitlock, who was showing me several areas in the 19th century Castle which had been mentioned in Arcadia's ghost story folklore. She had shown me the steps where a little girl, as the story goes, accidentally hung herself when her scarf got caught on the banister. Donna also showed me the "Red Room" where Mrs. Harrison, the former owner's wife, had conceivably murdered one of her husband's mistresses.

But there was one room we entered, which Donna said was once the admissions office of the University, where upon entering the room, my camera's battery suddenly died. At first I thought nothing of it. Then I replaced the batteries in the camera with four I had recharged the night before.

Those were dead too? "That's strange," I thought.

Let me tell you something about myself. I always keep fresh batteries in my camera bag and I am absolutely obsessed with keeping rechargeable batteries charged. It's like my dad and his obsession with keeping the family cars clean, it's just this little tick I have.

So when I pulled out the third set of batteries and the camera remained, well, dead, I began to wonder whether or not something in that room had wanted to let me know that they were there.
While researching for the "Haunted?" feature, I read "Do Dead People Watch You Shower," by Concetta Bertoldi, a medium who consults regularly with the English Royal Family. This woman claims to have spoken with the dead her entire life and I must admit, it is one heck of a page-turner. But what she says is that some spirits just want you to know that they are there and both Concetta and Carol S., of last week's "Resident's Report Podcast" say that when you speak to spirits they do respond.

With this in mind, before entering the castle I did say "whoever lives here, do not harm me but show yourself through this camera." This was merely a thought, like when you're at your child's sports game and you say to yourself, let my child play well today. It was so subtle and yet I don't want to push away the idea that my dead camera was a message from, as I said, someone who lives in the Grey Towers Castle.

I'll be heading back to Arcadia tomorrow with another set of freshly charged batteries and hopefully, this time, I'll be able to get the footage I need for Wednesday's edition to the Haunted? multimedia section. In the meantime, I'll be tweeting more of my experiences and blogging here.

Photos from Wissahickon Valley Park

2009-10-04T09:03:00.000-07:00

Ghosts of Montgomery County

2009-09-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

As readers must know by now, I've been researching local area ghost stories non-stop over the past few months in order to prepare for our October Halloween feature. I've been interviewing residents in the area who have had a brush with the paranormal.

I don't want to give too much away but I would like to say that I'm finding a few leads in this recurring idea that the longer a spirit has inhabited a home or followed a specific routine (more on that later), the more clearly an entity appears in physical form. Again, I don't want to give too much away so I'll leave it at that.

However, I'd like to take this opportunity to advertise a local Facebook group that has caught my eye over the past week or two. "Ghosts of Perkasie" is a Facebook group created by George Bruno, local writer, blogger and entrepreneur. Check out the stories here. Some of them are shocking.

In the meantime, I'm still looking for stories! If you have a story, or know someone who does, send me an email at AndyStettler@gmail.com and type GHOST in the subject line. Upon request, sources will remain anonymous.

In the meantime, check out the preview to the upcoming feature and stay tuned.

Comments on the "Obama school speech snubbed"

2009-09-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

My response to the Times Herald article "Obama school speech snubbed."
It seems that every four years we have to push our kids more and more to care about politics, to get out and vote. It is our schools' job to teach our children the importance of public decisions and how our nations works.

For our county's schools to say that they will not show Obama's back to school address, to me, is just one more reason why our children can so easily care so little about politics.

I'm very dissappointed to hear that my former high school, PWHS, will not show the adddress when eight years ago, a political science teacher stressed so strongly during the Bush vs. Kerry election that when students are engaged in current events today, they and their country have a leg up on tomorrow.

I hope to see the Colonial School District and the other districts on Montgomery County change their minds. In the meantime, I remain disappointed.

-Andy S. "