Atlanta Talks About The Media
Interesting live-streamed chat from NBC cameraman and some documentary producer on “political stagecraft” and how the media do a special kind of visual propaganda with “the ranch” in Crawford.
Yep, everyone’s in on this game. Big Media, The White House, the people of Crawford.
The documentary producer cameraman Jim Long interviews here lifts the lid on the whole “production.” So they didn’t really saw the lady in half, eh?
I’m trying hard, moreorless, here at the laptop to get to the bottom of this MARTA Media Mess. I got a lady from MARTA on the phone, who asked if I was a “TV station.” (Well, I can be!) When I told her I was a blogger, gave her my real name and my company name, the MARTA employee then said I’d have to call back Monday and talk to Media Relations.
I repeatedly, and politely, asked her if she could make someone available to talk about this little media situation going on, like, right now, and whether someone at MARTA knew if the video on YouTube was real or fake. The unidentified MARTA spokesperson told me, repeatedly, “Have a good weekend.” She then hung up on me.
Maybe you can call and get something out of MARTA on a weekend. The number is: 404-848-4900. Tell ‘em you’re Rupert Murdoch.
Sandra Rose has the update on MARTA’s Soulja Girl in this breaking news situation. (Don’t look to MSM for it; Sandra’s got it going on though.)
She’s only 25 years old, but the dark bags under Nafiza Z.’s eyes tell the story of a young life blighted by psychosis, delusions, hallucinations and mania that are the hallmarks of her mental disorder.
Yesterday afternoon, Nafiza, was in the DeKalb County jail receiving the psychiatric treatment she desperately needed. But on April 7th, Nafiza was spiraling out of control on a MARTA train traveling through Atlanta’s east side.
More here, and mug shot.
MARTA’s own Soulja Gal has been turned-in to authorities. By her family. From the SandraRose blog:
The 25-year-old woman who was videotaped verbally abusing a senior citizen on a Marta train is in custody in the DeKalb County jail charged with disorderly conduct.
Soulja Girl’s sister and baby daddy called into the Ryan Cameron Showon V-103 today. Soulja Girl’s sister told Ryan that her sister was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder 5 years ago and the incident on the train was the result of her sister not taking her meds.
She said Soulja Girl was turned into police by their mother yesterday and she is being held on $300 bail.
Yes, MARTA Gal was off her meds. Way off. Her behavior in the video was a classic manic depressive meltdown episode. Albeit with a unique, urban-tinged sheen to it. Shame so many wanted to shoot her down like a rabid dog and ask questions later. She needed help. Right then and there.
Lord knows what her condition is now, since it’s over 30 days after that manic display. I just hope she’s getting help. Her family loves her very much and wants her to get well. They make that quite clear in this interview they gave yesterday to V-103’s Ryan Cameron.
Since I’m a media expert and not a psychiatrist, the way this story is playing out in today’s media is fascinating. It was on fire on the Internet, blogs and most urban media. Someone said a link to the video was on Drudge, in red, at some point yesterday. Then it mysteriously vanished.
Only one local news outlet, WSB-TV, reported the story on its website and their evening broadcasts, but they were way behind the story. By the time WSB was saying MARTA had issued a warrant for Soulja Girl’s arrest, she was in Dekalb County jail. As of 10:06am on Saturday May 10, WSB’s website hadn’t even updated their website with news of the arrest, let along an interview with family.
At last view, I’ve yet to see this critical, viral news situation on CNN or Fox or any nets. Anyone seen it there? As for our hometown rag, well… let’s just say they’ve got decor-related issues to work. Who needs riveting, news-y, breaking issues playing out under our noses when there’s a Crawford, TX wedding to pimp-out?!
As for bloggers and alt media CL, you can give yourselves a much-deserved pat on the back for recognizing news as it plays-out on the Internet, and how to report it. Sometimes it boggles the mind how Big Media absolutely FAILS to tap the power of a lowly DSL connection. Who can surf and react when tangled-up in all that cable and might?
HINT TO BIG MEDIA: If you missed the breaking stuff, there is still a huge media sub-story, at least one, just lying there on the Interwebs for you to mine. I’ll give you a clue: check the YouTube site for how urban kids are using personal technology to respond to media and news. And no, I’m not going to link your lazy ‘ho ass to it. You’ll actually have to work the Interwebs yourself for once.
Hmmmm… looks like social media, sounds like social media. In the reality of social media though, this nice, but ultimately ineffectual corporate podcasting effort is still half-baked… unless it’s made SHAREABLE. Say it with me… SHAREABLE.
From PR guru Dan Greenfield’s excellent blog, Bernaisesource:
Few were using RSS in their company’s newsroom site. Another claimed he was podcasting. Toby had to gently inform him that his audio recordings were not podcasts as there was no ability for listeners to subscribe or download them.
Full post here.
Another bountiful harvest for the Cox Plantation Used Car Lot. From a Dopey Press Release of the Day:
Channel 2 Action News won every newscast time period in head to head competition in the April Sweeps which ran March 27-April 23, 2008.
More patting of one’s own back from self-congratulatory, WSB-generated press release here.
From an AP story about a study conducted by the Project for Excellence in Journalism:
A journalism think tank studying “The Daily Show” doesn’t believe many people get their news from Jon Stewart — because otherwise they wouldn’t get the jokes.
The Project for Excellence in Journalism also said it was surprised at how much the Comedy Central late-night program resembles “The O’Reilly Factor,” “Hardball” and other cable news shows in content.
While Stewart aims most of his firepower at Republicans, the show is actually pretty balanced in its bookings, the study noted. Of the clearly partisan, 15 guests were conservative and 18 were liberal. Presumptive GOP presidential nominee John McCain was a guest on Wednesday’s show.
Full story here. Now why don’t I ever get cool projects like that?!
Pal and former colleague, Chilton, sure knows his way around his guitar!
Heads up, Shirley. A media tsunami is headed your way. Big time. Too bad you’re broke right now. You’re going to need the best PR crisis management team money can buy. This thing’s going viral. Fast.
I’m sorry, Bernie. I love you to death. Working for you and your go-go company for all those years was a win-win for all involved. I made you lots of really boring, but nice-to-look-at videos and broadcasts; you gave me lots of money and stock options in return. What’s not to like? And I’ve enjoyed your marvelous fish tank downtown on many occasions. I even buy the annual pass and take relatives from out of town to stand around and gape at your marine goodies.
But dolphins don’t belong in downtown Atlanta. They’ll either get jacked-up by a thug or panhandled until they’re totally pissed off. Stop this dolphin nonsense before I come down there with some signs and a video crew, dammit.
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