Welcome to TV Garth!

Ever since I was a kid, I loved antennas and TV reception. It was always a thrill to hook up an antenna and see what stations I could get, and see if I could pick up anything from a far distance. With the transition to digital broadcasting happening, my love for OTA (over the air) reception came back and this blog will focus on what channels I'm able to receive via antenna from my home just outside of Toronto, Canada. Plus there may be occasional commentaries on shows that I see while adjusting my reception.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

TV Garth Presents: An Interview With Vince Slomsky from WICU and WSEE!

Greetings TV Garth readers! Vince Slomsky from Erie, PA's WICU and WSEE graciously took the time to chat with TV Garth about his work at the two stations! In addition to reporting and anchoring, Slomsky created the popular Giving You The Business series that puts the spotlight on local Erie companies. Stay tuned as Vince gives TV Garth the business about his experiences working in television news!


(Photo credit: erietvnews.com)


Garth Jensen: How did you get started in journalism, and what led to your career at WICU and WSEE?

Vince Slomsky: My career in journalism unofficially started when I was in fifth grade. My friend and I started a morning announcements program at our school. But it was a bit more advanced than most morning announcements. We would arrive to school an hour early to put the show together, interview students and teachers, and think of creative segments. We spent a lot of our recess time with camera and microphone in hand interviewing and creating fun stories and segments. It's all downhill from there!

I eventually went to Kent State University in Kent, OH to study Broadcast Journalism. After graduation I was offered a part time video journalist job in Lansing, MI. Quickly after packing up and moving to Lansing, I was offered a full time job from YNN in Syracuse, NY. I spent nearly two years as the Corning/ Elmira one-man-band bureau reporter covering a very wide region of the Southern Tier of New York state. Beyond the on-camera duties of a reporter, I also shot and edited all of my own interviews and video.

In October 2010 I made the move to WICU and WSEE in Erie, PA to become a reporter and anchor. I split my time reporting during the week and anchoring our Saturday newscasts. I continue to shoot and edit a lot of my own video here as well.

2011-06-04
Vince Slomsky gives viewers coverage they can count on in this station promo! (Seen June 4, 2011 via WICU, RF12.)


GJ: You mentioned your work with Time Warner's cable news outlet YNN. Are there differences in working for a news operation on cable versus a traditional broadcast station?

VS: There are definitely some differences between cable news and traditional broadcast news. YNN is a 24-hour operation. This means any time there is breaking news, the reporters and anchors can go live right away. With cable news, you don't have to wait until "the news" starts at 5 or 6 p.m. Also, the deadline process is different. At YNN we had soft deadlines, meaning we had a target time our stories should be completed to run on air, but if we missed the deadline it wasn't a huge deal because the story could just run in the next half hour of the show. If we finished our stories early, they could run in an earlier than expected show. With traditional broadcast news, a deadline is a deadline. Your story has to be done no matter what, otherwise it won't run until the next show, which could be several hours away.

GJ: Your resume states "I can do it all," and your work as a multimedia journalist, a reporter and an anchor appear to prove that! With your variety of experience, what do you enjoy doing the most and why?

VS: I take pride in being able to do it all and I think this makes me a more valuable employee. I can produce, shoot, write, edit and speak in front of a camera. Honestly, every one of those skills are my favorite. When I work as a one-man-band shooting and editing my own video, I have full control over what my final product will look like, so there's no excuses with how it turns out. When I work with a photographer on stories, I have to make sure to communicate exactly what I'm looking for in my final product. I enjoy the process either way.

2011-06-30
AccuSpec Electronics is one of the many companies that have been profiled on Giving You The Business. (Seen June 30, 2011 via WICU, RF12.)


GJ: How did you come up with the idea for Giving You The Business? How have the reactions been in the community?

VS: Giving You the Business is a weekly segment I came up with in 2011. When I moved to Erie I kept hearing "There are no jobs left here." "There are no cool businesses here." "Erie is just a dying industrial town." I wanted to find out if this was true. This segment has proved it certainly is not. I'm able to show our viewers the Erie business community is thriving and it continues to evolve over time. I think it's a very crucial segment for our community and the comments I've received have supported that. At first businesses were leery of letting a reporter come in and see what goes on inside. Now, I receive calls and emails every week from business owners asking how they can be featured in the segment.

Segments like Giving You the Business are important to keep in local news to break up the monotony. I think any time a reporter can develop a local segment like mine it can benefit the station and the community.

2011-06-30
Giving You The Business is sponsored by the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership. (Seen June 30, 2011 via WICU, RF12.)


GJ: You recently completed an investigative report that examined the potential abuse of Erie's take home police cruisers. What are the challenges or risks of putting together a report like that?

VS: There are always risks when putting together an investigative story. But isn't that what journalism is all about? We are the gatekeepers of information. We are the ones that can expose a potential problem and share the information with the community. Of course you may make some people mad or upset, but as long as you do the necessary research, present the facts, and remain non-biased in your reporting, you'll be okay.


Vince appears in a live shot during his recent investigative report Keys To The Cruiser. (Photo credit: erietvnews.com)


GJ: What would you say have been the most interesting or rewarding experiences in your career so far?

VS: With my job nearly every day is rewarding. I meet new people and hear new stories every single day.

One of my most memorable experiences has been traveling to New York City leading up to the 10 year anniversary of 9/11. We followed a city councilman as he received a piece of the World Trade Center to bring back to Erie to serve as a local 9/11 memorial. I learned so much more about the tragedy and spoke to so many people whose lives were changed forever. The saying is definitely true, "We will never forget."

GJ: For people visiting Erie, what places would you recommend checking out?

VS: If you visit Erie, there are some great places to check out. In the summer you have to visit Presque Isle State Park. There are some amazing beaches and a lot of fun activities to do. There is also some type of festival or block party nearly every weekend in the warmer months downtown.

There's a lot of entertainment venues and a great arts scene.

Erie also has a great "going out" scene downtown. There are plenty of bars, clubs and hangouts along State Street.

GJ: As a proud Canadian, I have to ask, have you ever been to Canada?

VS: Yes, I have been to Canada a few times. However, I've only been to Windsor, ON to do some gambling when I was younger!

A big thanks to Vince Slomsky for chatting with TV Garth! Check out Vince's website, Facebook fan page, as well as his Twitter! You can also visit Erie TV News for more information on WICU and WSEE, as well as view segments from Giving You The Business!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Reception Reports: 2011 Highlights Part 8!

Greetings TV Garth readers! At long last, here is the conclusion to my 2011 reception roundup! So sit back, grab a snack and take a look back at the signals that visited Markham, Ontario, Canada throughout the later months of 2011! This edition covers late October through early December!

OCTOBER 28, 2011

My excitement mirrored Vinita Nair's when I saw her return to TV on NBC's Early Today. I've liked Nair since her days on ABC's World News Now and was very happy to see her back on air. (Seen via Buffalo, NY's WGRZ, RF33.)

2011-10-28

OCTOBER 29, 2011

During a repeat of Kathie Lee and Hoda's Today Show, I got to see skater Johnny Weir give a fierce as F$%$k performance to Lady Gaga's Poker Face. He werked that rink so Divatastically that I thought the ice would melt! Go Johnny Go! (Seen via Buffalo, NY's WGRZ, RF33.)

2011-10-29

NOVEMBER 1, 2011

It was nice to usher in November with an appearance of the awesome meteorologist Scott Hetsko on FOX First At Ten. I love his lively forecasts! (Seen via Rochester, NY's WUHF, RF28.)

2011-11-01

Even anchor Kevin Doran had to put his hands up for the Hetsko! (Seen via Rochester, NY's WUHF, RF28.)

2011-11-01

WUHF ran a promo with the sassy and fun Maureen McGuire talking about the Scholastic Arts Spotlight alongside Frank H. Hamlin III and George W. Hamlin IV of the Canandaigua National Bank! The program was "created to recognize outstanding high school senior musicians, visual artists, dancers, and actors in the Greater Rochester Area."

2011-11-01

Syracuse, NY's WSTM (RF24) came in very briefly, with Laura Hand popping up on their CNY subchannel. In Central New York, the Hand is always in demand!

2011-11-01

The guy below certainly wouldn't be Excused if I were in charge of the show! (Seen via Rochester, NY's WUHF, RF28.)

2011-11-01

NOVEMBER 5, 2011

I have to give props to the hunky George Stroumboulopoulos, seen below with Kermit the Frog. His talk show rocks and his interviews are pretty awesome! (Seen via Toronto, ON's CBLT, RF20.)

2011-11-05

Rochester, NY's WROC (RF45) featured a hilarious parody of political attack ads with sports director John Kucko.

2011-11-05

WROC's newscast featured more evidence of Stacey Pensgen's fierce fashion sense! Not only does the "Lady In Red" rock her ensemble, but she serves up a pretty cool forecast too!

2011-11-05

Tina Shively introduced a segment about the sad passing of legendary newsman Andy Rooney during WROC's newscast.

2011-11-05

Later on, Rochester, NY's WUHF (RF28) was airing a repeat of the awesome comedy New Girl starring Zooey Deschanel.

2011-11-05

What I love about New Girl is how accurately it reflects situations I've experienced in my own life!

2011-11-05

Over on Rochester, NY's WXXI-W (RF16-2) they were airing the "Sitcoms" episode of Pioneers of Television which featured a great segment about I Love Lucy with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz!

2011-11-05

NOVEMBER 7, 2011

My eyes popped out when I got London, ON's CFPL (RF10) for the first time! From the looks of it, their signal was in full bloom!

2011-11-07

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

Subchannels in Canada are very rare, which is why it was a surprise to see that Toronto's CIII (Global) added an SD subchannel on RF41-2.

2011-11-08

Rochester, NY's WUHF (RF28) ran a promo for the Hometown Heroes segments airing on WROC during the lead up to Veterans Day. On a serious note, I was glad to see that stations are still recognizing the people that have fought for our rights.

2011-11-08

Rochester, NY's WROC (RF45) ran this amazing Life Alert ad, where your call for help apparently gets time warped back to the 1980s! (Give them a decade or two to arrive at your home.)

2011-11-08

NOVEMBER 9, 2011

Syracuse, NY's WSTM (RF24) made its last appearance of 2011 with Megan Coleman anchoring their morning news!

2011-11-09

Niko Tamurian pitched his CNY Central Sports report to viewers that morning! Niko is awesome, and I was lucky enough to interview him recently!

2011-11-09

WSTM's Matt Mulcahy has some impressive credentials, and writes an online blog called Matt's Memo. Check out Mulcahy delivering his Memo to AM viewers below.

2011-11-09

Here's a great promo for an Ellen contest sponsored by WSTM! Love that golden "3" logo!

2011-11-09

Who needs a 3D TV when meteorologist Peter Hall looks like he can climb through your television at any minute?

2011-11-09

Brandon Roth was reporting live during WSTM's coverage of local Central New York elections.

2011-11-09

NOVEMBER 10, 2011

Toronto, ON's CIII (RF41) featured a story on the iconic music store Sam The Record Man. I loved making trips to shop there when I was growing up, but sadly they closed in 2007. The story detailed how Ryerson University (who purchased the building) originally wanted to display Sam's historic signage, but has currently shelved those plans.

2011-11-10

NOVEMBER 11, 2011

Hamilton, ON's CHCH (RF11) featured Morning Live: First Edition with anchors Jaclyn Colville and Tim Bolen wearing red in honour of Remembrance Day. (As a sidenote, Jaclyn is awesome and the next time there's a thunderstorm in her forecast, I want her to do a segment called "What's Cracklin' With Jaclyn!")

2011-11-11

Like most Canadian personalities, CHCH's Sean Leathong wore a poppy to commemorate Remembrance Day.

2011-11-11

CHCH also featured this a beautiful wreath of poppies during their Remembrance Day coverage. I'm glad that stations on both sides of the border still set aside time to honour the people who have fought so valiantly for our freedoms.

2011-11-11

NOVEMBER 14, 2011

Rochester, NY's WXXI (RF16) was showing Tavis Smiley and his guest Ellen Barkin. She needs to have an autobiography or a one woman show called, "Barkin Up The Wrong Tree: My Life In Show Biz."

2011-11-14

WXXI also aired a promo for the new documentary Women Who Rock featuring the Divatastic Mavis Staples.

2011-11-14

Erie, PA's WQLN-S2 (RF50-3) arrived with NHK World News from Japan.

2011-11-14

My reception of Erie, PA's WICU (RF12) was a bit sketchy, so I initially thought the station had bagged an interview with Albert Einstein! (Turns out it was an Albert of sorts - Al Messina of the Boys & Girls Club of Erie!)

2011-11-14

Don't read too much into this interview with Bill Gonda, despite the fact that it's shot in a library!

2011-11-14

Liz Crawford held an iPad as she delivered a story about Black Friday shopping during WICU's newscast.

2011-11-14

Longtime anchor Kevin MacDowell anchored WICU's news that evening.

2011-11-14

Though the signal was fading, I caught a nice Thanksgiving promo on WICU.

2011-11-14

Erie, PA's WJET (RF24) came in briefly with coverage of the GOP candidates. I've heard of smear campaigns but this is ridiculous!

2011-11-14

Erie, PA's WQLN (RF50) featured an interview with Diablo Cody during the "Misfits" episode of America In Primetime. Unfortunately, Pizzazz, Roxy, Stormer and Jetta weren't available to participate in the documentary series.

2011-11-14

NOVEMBER 22, 2011

Toronto, ON's CFTO (RF9) showed Carson Kressley living out the dreams of many women and gay men by dancing with a Chmerkovskiy brother to Madonna's Vogue on Dancing With The Stars! (I admit, I was kinda jealous!)

2011-11-22

Buffalo, NY's WKBW (RF38) featured a promo for a special report on Irv Weinstein. The legendary anchor helped turn "Eyewitness News" into one of the most recognizable brands in Western New York!

2011-11-22

NOVEMBER 23, 2011

I caught part of the newscast on Kitchener, ON's CKCO (RF13) with Carla Fitzsimmons reporting!

2011-11-23

CKCO's evening news featured some fun banter with sports director Randy Steinman, anchor Meghan Furman and weatherman Ross Hull! When viewers call the station with questions about the forecast, does the operator tell them to go to Hull?

2011-11-23

Toronto, ON's CFTO (RF9) had eTalk on the set of Dancing With The Stars with Jessi Cruickshank interviewing the newly crowned winner J.R. Martinez!

2011-11-23

At night, I saw Alliance, OH's WNEO (RF45) come in for only a few seconds!

2011-11-23

Erie, PA's WQLN (RF50) also came in briefly with the special George Carlin: The Mark Twain Prize which celebrated the comedian's lengthy career.

2011-11-23

NOVEMBER 24, 2011

Springville, NY's WBBZ (RF7) doesn't cop out when "This TV" airs arresting shows on their 67-2 subchannnel!

2011-11-24

It certainly wasn't Payne-ful to see Clearfield, PA's WPSU-SD1 (RF15-2) airing an episode of the series For Your Home!

2011-11-24

Johnstown, PA's WJAC (RF34) appeared in short bursts with Lindsay Ward anchoring their morning news!

2011-11-24

DECEMBER 3, 2011

I was pretty astonished to see Johnstown, PA's WJAC (RF34) coming in during the early part of December! (WJAC is about 242 miles away from me!) I got to see adorable Christmas puppies on WJAC's MeTV subchannel!

2011-12-03

Meteorologist Tony Martin appeared in a WJAC weather promo shown on their MeTV subchannel. Check out those wild names for towns at the bottom of the screen! Someday I'll have to check out "Black Lick"!

2011-12-03

There was an updated version of WJAC's "Weather Coverage You Can Count On" promo with their revamped "6 News" logo. What I don't like about it is the removal of the WJAC call letters. Otherwise, it's pretty slick.

2011-12-03

WJAC ran an ad for Cambria-Rowe Business College with their spokeswoman wearing an amazing off-the-shoulder butterfly outfit!

2011-12-03

I also caught a festive looking ad for Wolf Furniture & Mattress on WJAC, which felt appropriate as I was wolfing down the last gasps of tropo for the year!

2011-12-03

We close out 2011's Highlights reel with a great station ID for WJAC featuring meteorologists Jim Burton, Tim Tender and Tony Martin!

2011-12-03

For the rest of December check out my Happy Holidays blog post!

That concludes my series of 2011 Highlights! If you missed any chapters, check out the following links:

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7

Stay tuned to TV Garth for even more television mayhem in 2012!