View Full Version : CNN Coverage of FIRST next week
I have just been notified by a CNN producer that the executive producer at CNN has just killed FIRST coverage at the event next week.
The reason given is they are going to dedicate their resources to covering the political scene and upcoming election.
So maybe after the election we can get on the radar again.
Good luck to all in Atlanta.
Tottanka
09-04-2008, 20:38
Gotta hate politics...
DonRotolo
09-04-2008, 20:38
Hmm, CNN's just right there, maybe we can demonstrate right there in the street.
No, not a demonstration with signs and chanting - I mean a demonstration of robotic technology! I know there's a robot drag race schedules on A. Y. Blvd, could that possibly be right under CNN's noses?
Don
(Yes, noses. There's more than one person there.)
Scott Carpman
09-04-2008, 20:48
Odd, CNN sent the team an email yesterday requesting the use of our YouTube video.
Nawaid Ladak
09-04-2008, 20:48
what about driving our VEX bots around the CNN Center during lunch?
Akash Rastogi
09-04-2008, 21:08
what about driving our VEX bots around the CNN Center during lunch?
Thatd be cool. We'll bring some other robots if we can as well. (Small class robots)
*sigh* politics, politics, politics, I think next year if Obama is elected we have to send in letters to him and get him to go to Atlanta and start off the competition, then that way we will have about every news station in the U.S. there.
Shadow503
09-04-2008, 21:11
Odd, CNN sent the team an email yesterday requesting the use of our YouTube video.
Maybe they're using that instead of sending reporters. I hope it's a good video!
artdutra04
09-04-2008, 21:15
... a 24/7 cable news network refusing to air real news and instead wanting to cover the same pundits' harebrained opinions over and over? What is this witchcraft? :rolleyes:
If you really want to get them to cover the event, use some shenanigans and respond to the email with something worthy of a Billfred Burn Award, like
"Dear CNN,
I'm truly sorry that you will not be able to cover the FIRST Championship Event nest week in downtown Atlanta, as I was looking forward for all my friends and family being able to check it out from home. However, due to this unfortunate turn of events, I am now going to respond back to MSNBC/Fox. [Pick one, though I'd lean more towards Fox if you want the shock value]
Thank you for your time and consideration,
- Your Name"
Concise, lacking detalis, twisting the truth, and full of shock value. Now we're speaking the language of cable news.
popnbrown
09-04-2008, 21:16
*sigh* politics, politics, politics, I think next year if Obama is elected we have to send in letters to him and get him to go to Atlanta and start off the competition, then that way we will have about every news station in the U.S. there.
Does that mean we scratch the plan if McCain or Clinton gets elected?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nawaid Ladak
what about driving our VEX bots around the CNN Center during lunch?
Thatd be cool. We'll bring some other robots if we can as well. (Small class robots)
I'll get working on autonomous right away, good practice for me and the other programming kids too.
Does that mean we scratch the plan if McCain or Clinton gets elected?
Do you really want Hiliary to start of a FIRST Comp. its like asking for an Anti-Violence speech and how there should be more women helping. As for McCain hes going to bring military scientists and see what robot would make the next battlefield adaptable robot.
Akash Rastogi
09-04-2008, 21:31
As for McCain hes going to bring military scientists and see what robot would make the next battlefield adaptable robot.
Although I do think that would be pretty cool, just want to remind everyone that CD is not for politics so before anything gets started on here lets just remember that. Thanks:)
NOTE:Not directed at specific post, just saying this before anyone gives political input.
yeah accually I think during lunch break on Thursday we get as many robots over to the CNN station.
galewind
09-04-2008, 21:41
We should TOTALLY do the robot parade along the boulevard that the CNN center is on.
Danny McC
09-04-2008, 21:45
yeah accually I think during lunch break on Thursday we get as many robots over to the CNN station.
I dont know how long it would take over there and back. Might take the whole lunch break just to do that. But doing the robot parade along the street CNN is on ay? That would be pretty fun.
Wow I want to say I am surprised but it is cable news after all. That's what will turn this country around is a few more hours of hot-air from the talking heads. *sigh* Welcome to America 2008.
Sad.
Justin
cbale2000
09-04-2008, 22:13
I'm all for it, assuming there isn't some law or ordinance that ends up getting us all arrested. :yikes:
Of course, the whole thing only works if you have enough people with portable controllers with their own power supplys. :o
Go to http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form11b.html?1 and request that they cover it.
Akash Rastogi
09-04-2008, 22:51
Go to http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form11b.html?1 and request that they cover it.
We should just friggin storm their mailbox with those. maybe 15000 kids and adults addicted to robots will get to them?
Nawaid Ladak
10-04-2008, 00:01
i think the parade idea is great, but remember, the reason this idea of driving the robots INSIDE the CNN center would be a good idea... your going to have the producers and anchors, cameramen and women, etc eating lunch, and if they see thins, they might take it back to their office and tell co-workers, and this will spread inside the CNN company.... and come Saturday, we'll get coverage
alog with this and slamming their mailboxes with requests to cover the FIRST Championship Event thats taking place across the street from your world hq
and anyways, it would be quite interesting to see normal tourists freak out that robots are driving around the food court at the CNN center :-D it would be a site to see.
you also might get normal average joe tourists who are just visiting CNN (hence: i bet and i know there will be more than usual this year... shhh...) to see the robots and take the quick walk across the street and see some of the compeition. maybe one of these people will be inspired to start a FIRST team in their community.... the possibilities are endless
maybe even drive those robots around during the auto show on saturday... :-D
Akash Rastogi
10-04-2008, 00:05
Completely agree Nawaid. Not to mention all those car guys and fanatics who will come by to see the robots and be like "whoaa:yikes: "
Nawaid Ladak
10-04-2008, 00:30
yeah accually I think during lunch break on Thursday we get as many robots over to the CNN station.
unfortunitly, i might not be there that time of day Thursday, i have a religious event to be at during the day.... i just don't have an idea when that day...
synth3tk
10-04-2008, 10:27
I'd go down to Atlanta just to see this whole thing happen. If I can't hop a ride with a team, I'm just going to get Greyhound tickets. I gotta be there.
Elgin Clock
10-04-2008, 10:33
We should TOTALLY do the robot parade along the boulevard that the CNN center is on.
The marching band that performs closing ceremonies practices their routine there in the back of the CNN Center & Philips Arena.
That definitely got a lot of people to stop & find out what was going on.
Same theory could work with some robots.
Good call!
feliks_rosenber
10-04-2008, 13:34
I really cannot grasp the fact that CNN does not report on the competition.
I was on a tour at the CNN headquarters last year, and when I asked the tour guide about the competition, she replied she had never even heard of it.
One would expect them to at least mention the competition in a few words.
:confused:
popnbrown
10-04-2008, 21:43
Do you really want Hiliary to start of a FIRST Comp. its like asking for an Anti-Violence speech and how there should be more women helping. As for McCain hes going to bring military scientists and see what robot would make the next battlefield adaptable robot.
Good point, I'm for Obama sooo...yea I guess we're on the same page.
I wanna see how far this good not-evil plan on CD goes. Whoever gets video footage youtube it immediately!!!!!!!!
dangerousdave
10-04-2008, 23:12
Go to http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form11b.html?1 and request that they cover it.Just sent CNN my 2 cents worth. Dave
send an email to CNN
http://www.cnn.com/feedback/tips/newstips.html
I just sent in my invitation to CNN. Someone with much more ability than I should come up with a way to get as many FIRSTers to email CNN.
I was on a tour at the CNN headquarters last year, and when I asked the tour guide about the competition, she replied she had never even heard of it.
:
I can assure you that some people at CNN do know about FIRST. I went on a nice tour with one of the producers of a highly rated CNN show last year and we discussed it in her office for awhile so they do know.
Your tour guide was probably an intern. I love the interns, trust me many of my friends are and have been interns at CNN in both Atlanta and DC, but they know almost nothing about what is going on outside of their hectic schedules, I wouldn't trust them when it comes to knowledge of programming.
Just because CNN isn't "featuring" a story that doesn't mean that they aren't going to talk a little about FIRST, it just means that most of their programming is going to be on the election. Since elections are once every 4 years they can always cover FIRST next year! :)
Don't do anything to drastic without finding out whats really going on... I doubt they will ignore FIRST entirely.
-Kelli
Elgin Clock
11-04-2008, 10:27
Don't do anything to drastic without finding out whats really going on... I doubt they will ignore FIRST entirely.
-Kelli
Basically we need to just be that much louder & spirited (in a positive way)while at the GA Dome this year, so they physically can't ignore us!!!
And to all of you teams who have rooms who's balconies look inside the CNN Center at the Omni, some nice (& rather large) signs advertising the Championship Event wouldn't hurt as well for the people who can see the rooms from the CNN Center food court and thus the CNN Center offices as well. :)
If they won't come to us when we are less than a mile away from their doorsteps, we come to them & give them no excuse to ignore what's going on in lieu of the elections.
The one good feeling I have about this, is that in 4 or 8 years from now when whoever is running for office is done with their term and long out of office, we'll still be around doing what we do best, and being even louder than ever, and have more of an impact on society in general with our numbers combined than one person they are hoping to capture this year with their election coverage.
brentmcjunkin
11-04-2008, 10:33
forget the elections robots are a lot more eciting than politics i mean why do they have to cover it why cant cnbc
Don't do anything to drastic without finding out whats really going on... I doubt they will ignore FIRST entirely.
-Kelli
Absolutely !! I'm sure they will squeeze some coverage in as best they can. They just can't give the time and exposure that they have done in years past right now because of the election cycle and the visit of Pope Benedict next week.
We need to make good news year round, not just next week.
synth3tk
11-04-2008, 12:07
While it's true that we can't always be in the spotlight, if they tell us the pigs are gonna fly, they'd best keep their word and put some wings on those hogs. There's a nice chance they won't mention us, but it can't hurt to do a robot parade or hang banners from the hotel balconies anyway. Do our own publicity because, like someone mentioned earlier, there may be people there who might become a mentors or sponsors of new teams.
Elgin Clock
11-04-2008, 12:17
....and the visit of Pope Benedict next week.
Where is he visiting? Somewhere in the US?
I hardly watch the news, so I don't know of these things till after they happen. lol (Not like it would make a difference if I heard about stuff before hand, just wondering.)
Thats really disappointing, covering politicians instead of the youth of the world!
Where is he visiting? Somewhere in the US?
I hardly watch the news, so I don't know of these things till after they happen. lol (Not like it would make a difference if I heard about stuff before hand, just wondering.)
The schedule is here, just scroll down the page:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/travels/2008/index_stati-uniti_en.htm
Basically he arrives at the White House on Wednesday and leaves on Sunday. It pretty much coincides with the FIRST event.
The schedule is here, just scroll down the page:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/travels/2008/index_stati-uniti_en.htm
Basically he arrives at the White House on Wednesday and leaves on Sunday. It pretty much coincides with the FIRST event.
benedictxvi@vatican.va
Any takers? Maybe he's not quite an engineering kind of guy, but it couldn't hurt... :yikes:
Nawaid Ladak
11-04-2008, 16:52
There is another religious leader who will be in atlanta during the time
the aga khan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aga_Khan_IV
btw: i am one of those ismaili's who follow him, he's visiting atlanta on thursday so i'll be away from the GA dome for a while on thursday
btw: there will be 19,000 other ismaili's there too. i'll try to get as many as i can to come on to the GA dome on friday.....well im already trying to do that.....
Dean Kamen might be intrested in section five of the article....his water system might come in handy....
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