The official memo hit my in-box today. If I read it correctly, there will be no un-approved “stuff” on the walls of our offices. No John Wayne or Elvis life-size cardboard cutouts. No B. B. King posters. Nothing. Just plain, white (or beige) walls. I understand why this is necessary but can’t help feeling that something has been lost.
Category Archives: Learfield
New office
You might have noticed some construction in my office-cam photos. Big remodel underway at Learfield Intergalactic with lots of office reshuffle and this blogger is leaving his home of 15 years (something like that) and moving to a different office on the other side of the building. They’re letting me keep an office (only a little smaller) because I’ve been with the company for 21 years. And I appreciate the gesture. I’ll be closer to the IT Gods and that’s a good thing. Still have a window and a better view. Soon as we get moved in get the cam going going, we’ll point it that way.
Update: Photo above was taken nearly 20 years ago in the old Learfield offices located on McCarty Street here in Jefferson City. We wore suits and ties back then.
Twenty-one years ago today.
I started working for Learfield Communications on June 4, 1984. The company had one statewide news network (The Missourinet); one sports property (University of Missouri Tigers); and a farm network (The Brownfield Network). Blink.
Moving Day
To a new office that isn’t vacant yet. I’ve spent a comfy and cozy 16 (17?) years in this office but the wrecking ball is swinging my way. On June 4th I will have been standing in the Learfield for 21 years. When I started we were all packed into this nice old house and most of us shared office space. Where did the time go?
Learfield Sports Operations
Our company has the broadcast rights (football and basketball) for some of the top colleges in the country and most of the production happens here in Jefferson City, Missouri. A major expansion of our sports operations and engineering facilities is underway and I asked Chief Engineer Charlie Peters to give me a tour this week.
I am not a machine!
Co-worker David says he missed some of the best parts of this call before he got the recorder going.
Website domain names
Our company has registered a lot of domains since we first drank from the Big Web Pond, but two of my favorites are Legislature.com and SchoolViolenceHotline.com. And we registered these very late in the domain game. It is still amazing to me that they were still available. We’ve since transferred SchoolViolenceHotline.com to the client we aquired it for… but still have Legislature.com.
We jumped in early enough that we were able to register (not purchase) the names of most of our networks (RadioIowa, Missourinet, WRN, Learfield). On the other hand, I was reminded this week that 16 members of the National Association of State Radio Networks have NO public, online presence. Maybe they have good domains registered but if not, what are the chances of getting anything CLOSE to the name of your network.
Why are you chasing me? Why are you running?
Our office in Des Moines saw some excitement yesterday. We have two traffic reporters who spend much of their long split-shift day listening to law enforcement officers on the police scanners, picking up information about wrecks and delays and passing details along to our local radio listeners.
Yesterday afternoon, JC Walker and Russ Johnson perked up when their scanners broadcast the voice of a huffing, puffing Des Moines police officer who was chasing (and losing) a suspect on foot just a few blocks from our building. A block from our building. Outside our building. Then, the wheezing officer said the man ran inside 2700 Grand, thats us! JC could no longer sit by, dashed to the lobby, easily spotted the suspect (based on the police description) who was stalking around the lobby like a caged animal and breathing hard himself. JC tried to converse with the man, who, in no mood for chat, darted back outside and took off running again. JC, seeing the cop still far off in the distance, thought quickly and decided to pursue the man himself, ran across a busy Grand Avenue, dodging cars, and tackled the guy in the grass!
JC kept the suspect face-down and subdued until the panting police officer jogged up and handcuffed the guy, who had already tried to surrender to JC. Another officer soon pulled up in a squad car and took the suspect away. We still dont know why the man was being chased. JC, meanwhile, came back inside and calmly did his next traffic report. [Thanks to Matt Kelley]
Adopt a sniper
“Help real snipers get the real gear they need to help keep us safe.” The most amazing thing about this website is that there is a need for it. We send these people into combat without the stuff they need so the folks back home provide it. Update: WRN reporter Bob Hague interview with Keith Deneys, director of Adopt A Sniper. [8 min/mp3]
2004 Murrow Awards
One of the websites I help feed and care for won a nice award back in June. On Monday, Clyde and Stan were kind enough to go to NY and pick it up. Many of the Big Names in journalism were there: Brokow, Jennings, Rather… and our own Bob Priddy who –as RTNDA chairman– MC’d the event.
