Tracking Down Slow Internet

I hoped to humanize a story on slow Internet in the state today, but it didn't turn out like I hoped. I actually had saw a story on the NBC Nightly News a few weeks ago of a farmer whose daughter had trouble getting school work done because the family's Internet connection was so slow. I thought I could a story done like that on the heels of Missouri's application for $142 million of federal money to improve broadband access. I went out to Jefferson City to talk to the governor's spokesman, Scott Holste. I got great information from him. I thought the shot of the interview was good too, but when editing I saw that he moved a little during the interview and the part I wanted didn't look as good as it should. After interviewing Scott, I headed out looking for someone without a broadband connection available. I couldn't find anyone. All the people I spoke to in Audrain and Callaway counties said they have high-speed Internet, and I visited some pretty rural areas. In hindsight, I probably should have made a few calls to local electric/Internet companies first to try to find areas where they did currently provide broadband around Mid-Missouri. I ended up making these calls when these places were already closed.

I headed back to the station and put together a VO/SOT with an on-set. I think it turned out pretty well, with some good information from Holste. My video wasn't that great either since I couldn't find a family. I took some shots of me on the computer in the blue room and some Internet cords in the newsroom. I learned a lot today about who to get in contact with first in situations like these and how it is important to identify a CCC first before you head out into the field.