HeyElliot's Blog

We've got some of the best web producers in St. Louis working on the myFOXstl site. They're always coming up with cool, new ideas. I really like this one: It's a FREE listing of garage sales across the STL! That's right--You can list your sale, and browse an indexed list and a map to plan your weekend morning scavenger hunt.

The big question: "How is this different than submitting to the newspaper?" Well, where do I begin?

· It's FREE

· People can SEE where your sale is, rather than sifting through classifieds listed by zip code or some unfamiliar address.

· People can plan out their "garage sale hopping" because they see where your sale is on the map.

· Directions to your sale are just one click away

· You are not limited to 3 lines of text. You can add up to 20 items from your sale in addition to your address and hours!

· You can list your sale 10 days in advance

Other FAQs:
Q: How long will it take to get my yard sale posted?
A: The web team will update the page at least once a day, possibly twice. The sooner you submit, the sooner it'll be posted. So plan ahead.

Q: How long will my posting remain on the site?
A: We'll strive to remove your posting from the site as soon as your sale is over.

Q: Will my phone number or e-mail one the submit form be shared with anyone?
A: Absolutely not. It is only used to confirm your sale.

Click here to fill out the garage sale form!

A new video-sharing website launched last week, but it hasn't gotten a ton of press. It's called hulu. Full disclosure: hulu is a joint venture between News Corporation, my employer, and NBC Universal. hulu includes hundreds of TV shows and movies--old and new. The player is clean and simple and the variety of full-length episodes is remarkable. It's an example of what's to come as broadcast TV ends up on demand online.

Some examples:



An older show:



And a movie:

If the Writers Guild of America strike continues, I can't help but wonder if CBS will have to tweak this open as it brings back the "TUESDAY NIGHT MOVIE"

Depending on your perspective, this idea falls into one of the following categories: "Who would have ever thought?" or "It's long over-due."  Proctor & Gamble starting producing soap operas on the radio decades ago, then as television gained in popularity,  the P&G soaps became daytime TV staples. 

'Now, P&G presents "Crescent Heights," a new online-only drama.  This isn't a cheap YouTube production; it's as slick as something you'd see on FOX or any other network, with some choice product placement--Who would think you get bottles of Tide in so many shots?

To watch the series, click here.

To read a New York Times review of "Crescent Heights" click here.

Not sure about you, but I was surprised to hear about Merv Griffin's death today.  He was 82, so yeah, I guess that's 'old' but there's something timeless about a guy who developed the top two syndicated gameshows in the history of television--"Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy."  Together they combine to make the "Wheel-Jep" winning 'access' formula that TV station general managers salivate to have in their lineup.  

What I think is remarkable about Merv Griffin: He mastered both sides of the camera.  He had an incredibly successful career both on and off the air, amassing a billion dollar empire.  He also epitomized all-things Hollywood--the glamor, the rumors, the money and everything in between--heck for a while he even owned the Beverly Hilton!.  In my world, it beats the Hilton [Paris] of today's Hollywood.
 

"Television Icon" is one of those overused phrases in our business, but I think most people agree Bob Barker fits the bill. After hosting "The Price is Right" for 35 years, Bob finally thinks the time is right for retirement.

Here's the opening from TPiR back in 1972

 

I met Bob 11 years ago at CBS Television City in Hollywood.

Bob looked terrific back in 1996 and still does now at age 83! Fortunately I discovered better eyeglass frames, eventually contact lenses and clothes that actually fit instead of droop. But I digress.

Barker joined me on my college radio show on the day the sexual harassment suit was dropped. He told he felt "totally vindicated." I didn't care much about the lawsuit, I just thought it was cool to talk to the guy I grew up watching everyday at 11:00 a.m.

Here are a few more pictures from inside the studio--it's much smaller than it looks on TV.

And one from backstage

I'm not sure how I feel about TPiR continuing without Bob Barker. Maybe CBS would have been better retiring the show at same time Bob bids farewell. Then again the "Tonight Show" lives on without Johnny Carson. Hopefully another generation of contestants will Come On Down to a host who could become a legitimate television icon.

Enjoy retirement, Bob!

Here's the latest installment from JibJab... kind of hits home :)

 

What We Call the News | Send To Friends | Funny Animations at JibJab

Thanks for stopping by today--Hope everyone enjoyed getting a glimpse inside our world at FOX 2--Keep blogging.. and keep a lookout for the next one.

Quick update: I met our "Wanna Be Idol," Natasha Muse today. She's great, and she sounds pretty good! She's helping us out with a Deal or Dud for next month--it's a 3-disc DVD set that's supposed to help improve your singing. We'll see if it works for Natasha, and we'll compare her results to people from around the country. Pull for St. Louis to win!

Natasha will keep us posted on her progress on her blog, muse02, and you can watch her progress on FOX 2 News!

Idol starts on Tuesday, January 16; Natasha debuts later in the month. Stay tuned!

Here's your chance to be a star, or at least improve your singing. FOX 2 is teaming up with a couple other FOX stations across the country to see which city's amateur singer improves the most!

Here's the deal: We'll give you Paula and Randy's "Ultimate Voice Coach" DVD, which claims it'll help you learn to sing like a star. We'll interview you before and after and follow your progress along the way. Then, everyone gets a chance to vote to pick the best singer from the participating stations.

Sounds like fun to me, but what about you? If you're down for some fun, tell me why we should pick you, and be sure to include your name, email and phone number. If you don't want to leave that information in the blog, shoot me an email from the Contact 2 page.

Let the singing begin!!

I don't watch a lot of television, but over the years I've seen a few seasons of the Real World. From New Orleans to New York to Philadelphia, I've laughed and cried (OK, maybe not full-on tears) with the cast as they've laughed and cried (OK, maybe forced TV tears).

Which brings me to the current season: Real World Denver. Are you guys watching this? Is it me or is this the worst season ever? Of course MTV has the stereotypes covered: gay drunken white guy, opinionated white woman, opinionated black guy who fights with aforementioned white gay guy and white woman before everyone kisses and makes up, white woman who drinks a lot and hooks-up often and then brags about it, etc. Typical Real World Casting; you get the idea. It's insanely predictable and often boring!

So why do I watch? Well, this season it's kind of like watching a train wreck before my eyes. But in past season, I think the Real World was actually a decent reality show that gives a glimpse into the lives of random (more or less) 20-somethings. But not this year.

Should the Real World call it a run and enter the world of retired TV shows?