Tony Snow: 1955-2008; Bobby Murcer: 1946-2008 July 12, 2008
Posted by Mike C. in Baseball, Media, Personal, Sports, TV.4 comments
Tony Snow in 1996; Courtesy FOXNews.com/AP
I didn’t wake up for the day until 1:30 this afternoon and didn’t have internet for a few hours because of a branch in the way of the cable wire to the house. The problem wasn’t fixed about a half hour ago (it’s 4:48 as I post this). Then, I checked my e-mail and was told by a friend on my private Topica discussion list that Tony Snow had died of colon cancer at the age of 53. I immediately put on Fox News Channel to watch their coverage of his passing.
This is very sad news, but I could sense it was coming. Among the many things I liked about Snow was he remained highly positive and upbeat to his final moments. May God rest Tony Snow.
Mark Koldys, of the cable news discussion site Johnny Dollar’s Place, has posted several links to coverage of Snow’s passing here.
11:15 UPDATE (Picture and links updated on 7/14):
Bobby Murcer; Courtesy AP
Another great in his field lost his battle with cancer today: former Yankees player and play-by-play announcer Bobby Murcer died of brain cancer at the age of 62. He, too, will be missed.
Another post about Cablevision after all July 3, 2008
Posted by Mike C. in Media, Personal, TV.add a comment
I know that I said a few weeks ago I would no longer post about Cablevision and what channels they should add but haven’t added yet. But today at Johnny Dollar’s Place, I learned some very positive news. There was a link to an online article from the staff at Broadcasting & Cable that said Cablevision will be adding 15 HD channels at the end of the month:
The new HD channels include Nickelodeon, WE tv, AMC, Animal Planet, The Weather Channel, Travel Channel, Fox News Channel, Discovery Channel, Hallmark Movie Channel and FX. They will come online over five days starting July 28.
Cablevision’s press release says “The full list of new HD channels will be announced when the services become available later this month.” There are still five channels we don’t know about. Maybe ESPNEWS HD is among them. And maybe Fox Business Network will finally be added in HD and SD simultaneously. We’ll see what happens later this month.
7/5 UPDATE: Please disregard the automatically generated possibly related post that’s titled “I give up with Cablevision!” I have no idea why it shows up or why you can still read the text of it in the RSS preview. I’m sorry it’s even there. Five hours after I wrote that, I was all calmed down, deleted it, and wrote this post in its place.
Commerce Bank Championship July 1, 2008
Posted by Mike C. in Golf, Personal, Sports, TV.add a comment
On Sunday, I attended the final round of the Champions Tour’s Commerce Bank Championship at Eisenhower Park Red [Golf] Course in East Meadow, New York. This was the third year in a row I attended. Each year, I showed up a few times in the background of a camera shot during the Golf Channel’s telecast. The previous two years, I sat in the bleachers by the 18th green, watching the last 10 groups (approximately) finish their rounds and then watch the trophy presentation. This time, I stood by the fairway at 18 until the last three groups. After that, I stood by the green until the trophy presentation. As eventual champion Loren Roberts was lining up for a putt, this is what you saw on the HD telecast (I’ve highlighted myself):
I had a vidcap, but got a better shot from my digital camera off my TV.
I also appeared in a wider crowd shot as David Eger (“Eager”) had a tap-in putt:
Here’s the same picture cropped:
I could be seen in HD and SD in that shot. Eger took the lead from Roberts early in the round, but faded after the 11th hole.
For the record, Scott Simpson was also in that final group.
“Newsday” reported that this may have been the last Commerce Bank Championship after 22 tournaments. If that’s the case, it went out on a high note. And I don’t mean because I was in crowd shots.
7/2 UPDATE: I’m surprised at how many golf blogs are linking to this post. Thank you for the publicity. Feel free to check out the rest of my blog.
7/22 UPDATE: I think it was only two blogs, but still, thank you.
11/6 UPDATE: Last Friday, October 31, Commerce Bank was renamed TD Bank.
Tim Russert: 1950-2008 June 13, 2008
Posted by Mike C. in Media, Personal, TV.1 comment so far
Alex Wong/Getty Images file; used in MSNBC.com link
I was surprised, shocked, and saddened to learn about a half ago that Tim Russert has died of an apparent heart attack today. He was 58.
Tim was a great man, a giant in broadcast news, and one of my broadcasting inspirations. In July 2004, as I was beginning my run at WGBB, I bought and listened to the audiobook for his book “Big Russ & Me,” about his love and appreciation for his father. I listened to it again with my dad two months later, as we drove to Penn State, my sister’s alma mater (she was a senior at the time), to watch a Nittany Lions football game against UCF (the University of Central Florida) at Beaver Stadium. Flooding along the Delaware Water Gap – as a result of the remnants of Hurricane Ivan – forced us to turn around on I-80 near the New Jersey-Pennsylvania border and drive home, giving my dad and I an opportunity to listen to more of that touching book.
My condolences to Tim’s wife Maureen Orth, his son Luke, his extended family, and his father, the original Tim Russert: Big Russ himself.
No more posts about Cablevision June 12, 2008
Posted by Mike C. in Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, TV.add a comment
I’ve decided to give up posting about my experiences with Cablevision. I have no confidence in any channels being added no matter how much we customers plead or demand. I don’t know what I’ll do in the future, but one way or another, I’ll get the channels I want, like Fox Business Network, even if it means moving and switching providers.
Thank you for reading my posts about Cablevision. I invite you to stick around for posts about other goings-on in my life, as well as concert recaps and album reviews. For example, next weekend, I’ll have a recap of Acoustic Alchemy’s concert at IMAC. And I’m bound to let you know about any albums I pre-order, buy, or listen to.
Up and down feelings about Cablevision June 4, 2008
Posted by Mike C. in Media, Personal, TV.add a comment
5 1/2 hours ago, I called Cablevision and asked a customer service representative if any new channels would be added within the next few weeks. The rep said “no,” which resulted in me lashing out at her, venting my frustration that all my optimism for channels being added in the future was for nothing and that I hate Cablevision. I then hung up, wrote a frustrated post here, and called DirecTV. I told one of their reps what had just happened with the Cablevision rep. I was seriously considering, on knee-jerk impulse, to get DirecTV for my room because they had so many channels that I wanted that Cablevision will [seemingly, at the time] never add. I didn’t buy a package, though, wanting to go over with the idea with my parents. My mom didn’t like the idea, saying it was a “frivolous” one. My dad would probably feel the same way.
As time passed, my frustration wore off. So, I deleted my frustrated post, called Cablevision back, spoke to a different rep, and apologized for lashing out. This rep was more optimistic, said that the earlier rep shouldn’t have just said “no,” and filled out an inquiry on my behalf that I would like Fox Business Network added to the lineup.
Long story short, I’m not switching to DirecTV. I’d like to, but I just can’t do it. My patience with Cablevision can be tried at times, but I need to remain patient and, above all, calm.
So, I apologize to those of you that were here earlier and saw me so angry. Don’t worry, that post is long gone.
11/19/09 UPDATE: FBN has finally come to Cablevision!
My latest Cablevision update May 6, 2008
Posted by Mike C. in Media, Personal, TV.2 comments
I got a notice in the mail from Cablevision that said the following:
In conjunction with continuously making technological improvements to our services, the following is important to review:
… Digital cable boxes will be necessary by 6/3/08 for each television set in your home on which you wish to continue receiving TLC, A&E, E!, Sci-Fi Channel, truTV, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, C-SPAN2, QVC, and OTB/RAI (new channel location 74).
C-SPAN is now available to the Broadcast Basic level of service on channel 77.
I then called Cablevision to speak to another customer service rep. I asked if this change coincides with the addition of new channels. She said yes, but that won’t happen right away. Here’s where the feelings got mixed: I told her about what the rep I spoke to last Wednesday told me about Time Warner and Cablevision working together to have the same channels. She denied that. So much for that theory. However, she asked if there was a specific channel I was requesting. Of course, I told her Fox Business Network (FBN). She said hey were getting a lot of requests for FBN and BBC America. She suggested I go to Cablevision’s suggestion box to make any requests, adding that all suggestions are taken seriously.
Here’s hoping I finally get the channels I want without having to switch to another provider. Wish me and my fellow Cablevision subscribers luck.
UPDATE: I made my channel requests in the suggestion box. The list included FBN, FBN HD, and FNC (Fox News Channel) HD.
7/3 UPDATE: Yesterday, Cablevision announced they will be adding 15 HD channels at the end of this month. I posted about it here.
11/19/09 UPDATE: FBN has finally come to Cablevision!
Feeling better about Cablevision April 30, 2008
Posted by Mike C. in Media, TV.5 comments
I just had a very positive call with a Cablevision customer service representative.
He explained to me that in New York City and on Long Island, Time Warner and Cablevision are working together. And gradually, channels that Time Warner has that Cablevision does not have will be added to Cablevision; and vice versa.
He explained Cablevision is going through a year-long digital conversion/migration. Slowly but surely, channels will be added. In fact, the next stage of the conversion is next Friday, May 9. Perhaps beginning that day, many channels will be added, including Fox Business Network (in SD and HD) and Fox News Channel HD, which launches tomorrow on Time Warner.
I haven’t felt this optimistic about Cablevision in a long time. We’ll see what happens next Friday.
SJFS recap tomorrow, I promise. April 28, 2008
Posted by Mike C. in Jazz, Personal, TV.add a comment
I will have the full recap of Saturday’s Smooth Jazz for Scholars benefit concert tomorrow. I promise that. I’ll have plenty of time to do so. I won’t be busy setting up a new HDTV in the basement like I was today.
Meanwhile, here’s a picture I shot as I left Hampton Inn to walk to the Parsons auditorium:
One week ago… April 23, 2008
Posted by Mike C. in Media, Personal, TV.2 comments
…well, actually, one week and one day ago, I started this blog. To all that have visited so far, thank you. Keep checking back in. There will be more posts to come.
P.S. Still no FBN (Fox Business Network) on Cablevision. I’m about to call them again. I know what’ll happen, but I’m doing it anyway.
UPDATE: Female customer service rep, after I requested that FBN be added: “I can submit the request [for FBN]. I’m not sure that’s going to happen [that the channel will ever be added], but…” And then, I let out a frustrated sigh and hung up. You know, maybe I should look into DirecTV. It’ll be an extra $65 to $80 per month to spend, but with all the channels they have, it would be worth it.
11/19/09 UPDATE: FBN has finally come to Cablevision!
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