July 15, 2007

July 15, 2007 01:29 pm

— The Neshoba County Fair is less than a week away and we’re going to debut a Web extra called, “Let’s go to the Fair,” this weekend. The basic idea is to cover the Fair with blogs, video, photo, stories, etc. The reasons: 1.) We feel like it will be a great tool for those who want to experience Mississippi’s Giant House Party but can’t attend each day; 2.) This will be great “Web” practice for our news team in advance of a major news event.
The newspaper industry is looking for new ways to reach its ever-changing readership. This “all out coverage” is similar to what I experienced working at the Pensacola News Journal. It’s a new form of “instant print media.”
Our plan: have at least one reporter at the fair each day to blog throughout the day; have a photographer there each day to post photos throughout the day; have a video reporter there each day to capture slices of life. We also will have coverage in print. Through the blogs, we hope all of you avid on-line forum folks will participate with comments, suggestions, and questions for the reporters who are at the scene. We want this to be as interactive as possible.
You may have noticed video changes on our Star Video section. Ben Lockridge, our Web reporter, is now posting a high-resolution and low-resolution video. This should help folks who aren’t able to play the high-resolution file.

Miss Mississippi Meridian connection

Congrats to the two Meridian natives who placed in the Miss Mississippi. Natalie Goldman, Miss Leaf River Valley, was second runner-up, and Danielle Smith, Miss MSU, fourth runner-up in the final night of competition at The Vicksburg Convention Center. Reporter Ida Brown is scheduled to interview the two women for a follow-up story in Monday’s paper.

E-mail Editor Fredie Carmichael at editor@themeridianstar.com