Welcome to
"Collecting the News"
a virtual museum dedicated to some of my favorite things: television news, history and food. Enjoy!
Thank you, Mr. Turner
For years journalism has been referred to as the first rough draft of history. If that is true, it follows that images on television news can be considered the instant, first rough draft of history. This website has been created to celebrate that history. The memorabilia, highlighted on the following pages, has been collected to commemorate various important news events that played out on television screens around the world. Today those stories have migrated to computer screens, smart phones and a plethora of other digital platforms. This site is also offered as a tribute to Ted Turner, the visionary who is responsible for 24-hour television news.
How to navigate the virtual museum
The Collecting the News website is organized into three major sections:
The first and largest section features memorabilia that was obtained during major news events. After selecting the
Memorabilia tab in the navigation bar, you will be
directed to six sub-categories that include Politics,
Conflict,
Natural Disasters, Breaking News,
Features and
Miscellaneous. Each sub-category contains items specific to that topic. By selecting each tab, you
can navigate through the entire collection of news memorabilia.
The next major section celebrates the history of television news. By selecting the
History tab, you will be directed to three sub-categories: And That’s The Way
It Was…, For More On The Story and
Newsgathering Tools.
Paraphrasing the nightly signoff of legendary newsman Walter Cronkite,
And That’s The Way It Was… will be dedicated to the early days of television
news. It might contain photos of events, personalities or gear that played a role in the development of the industry. It may also
highlight little known or interesting facts about television’s past.
Collecting pieces of history sometimes involves an interesting backstory. For More On The
Story… chronicles some of the more unique anecdotes behind the acquisition of items contained in the collection. It
will also explain how some items were sought after, but eventually lost.
Equipment is the heart and soul of a newsgathering operation. From the beginning, CNN has attempted to keep its cameras, editing
and transmission gear state-of-the-art. Very often, the 24-hour news channel has helped push the envelope of television
technology by assisting the manufacturers in the development of broadcast equipment.
Newsgathering Tools will feature gear deployed by CNN since its debut in 1980.
When you select the Newsfeed tab, you will navigate to the third section.
Newsfeed spotlights food. One of the greatest side benefits of chasing
news all over the country is the opportunity it gives you to discover unique restaurants and the regional cuisine they offer.
This section features some of the hidden (and not so hidden) treasures encountered during road trips around the newsgathering
universe.
When items are added to the collection or there are any interesting stories or information about the television news
industry, this is where it will be spotlighted. It will be the website’s equivalent to “breaking news.”