The mscl clips

Phish Phinale
This summer saw the end of an era. Legendary jam band Phish performed its final concert at an air field in home state Vermont over the weekend of August 15th. Thousands of phans came from all over the world to celebrate, commemorate, and commiserate with themselves and the band. They endured miles of walking and rain and mud but would not be turned away. From the perspective of a Grateful Dead fan, as I am, to see the legacy of a jam band who touched millions of people dissolve twice in a lifetime was, well, moving to say the least. Luckily I was hired by AMNY, a free daily newspaper in New York City to capture and write about the experience. Click here for the article.

Afghan Blog
In the summer of 2004 I traveled to Afghanistan with an old friend named Faridoon Baqi to make a film about his return home for the first time in 22 years. Along the way I kept a journal or "blog" about the experience, click here to read it and see photos. Faridoon also kept his own account, which you can view by clicking here. The film is currently in post production and looking for distribution. Updates and clips will be posted when available.

The cnn clips

Isabel Hits Virginia Beach
What happens when a waterlogged reporter loses power in the field while covering a hurricane? Well, he calls in notes for a color piece. That's right, CNN.com's Bryan Long spent the day at a Dairy Queen with Virginia Beach residents watching the storm roll in. Later, like the olden days of reporters and writers, he called in and talked through his notes with me. I took that, molded it, then conferred with him. The result? A quick color piece about steadfast citizens staying put and enjoying the event. Click here to read the piece.

School Budget Cuts Student Experience
As students across the land brace for back-to-school 2003, legislators and educators ready themselves for the challenges a recession thrusts upon them. How do they maintain a good student experience while raising their standards to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and at the same time trimming the fat from their operating costs? It's no easy task-- click here to find out how some folks are dealing with it.

Particle Article
Another installment from the Bonnaroo series (see below). Electronic jam-band Particle, who describes their sound as "Space Porn Funk" played to the wee hours of the night at the June Tennessee music festival keeping the electricity and ectasy flowing until the sunrise. This fall they will release their debut album.Click here for an exclusive interview with them.

The Dead's Flaming Lips
Whilst at Bonnaroo, I interviewed many, many bands. After I returned, over the next few weeks I started publishing a series of band interviews on CNN.com. The first to come out was actually a dream come true because I've been a fan of The Grateful Dead since high school. And, though Jerry wasn't there physically, I could feel his spirit in the tent as I sat with Bobby, Mickey, Phil, Mike, and the four new members joining them on their 2003 summer tour. Click here for the Q&A interview. The next to come out featured a whacky, high-energy band called The Flaming Lips. Their show was multimedia, interactive and extremely visually stimulating. I was turned into an instant fan. Click here for a one-on-one Q&A session with front man Wayne Coyne.

Raising the Bonnaroof
Patchouli wafted through semi-air conditioned Arcade Tent air mixing with pulsing techno beats. Kids with dreadlocks, cut off jeans and muddy, sandal-free feet stared blankly at the ceiling twirling, flailing and flinching each time the DJ cut and scratched. This was Bonnaroo. For the full story, my first one published on CNN.com actually- click here - oh, and don't forget to check out the photo gallery 
too!

The poynter.org clips

MSNBC.com's Moran and War Coverage
Michael Moran, senior producer of special reports and international news for MSNBC.com, was the keynote speaker for the annual Hearst Foundation New Media Lecture at Columbia University. As another impromptu assignment, I covered the event for the Poynter Institute, click here for the full article.

Columbia Law Hosts Forum to Discuss FCC Position on Media Ownership
On January 16, 2003, the FCC Commissioners and industry executives met at The Kernochan Center for Law, Media and the Arts at Columbia Law School to discuss the pros and cons of deregulating media ownership laws. If passed, giant corporations such as Viacom, Disney, GE, and News Corp. could going on a shopping spree consolidating media power into a few groups. The conference offered some interesting quotes. I reported live coverage for the Poynter Institute the day of the event. Click here for the full details.

The cyberjounralist.net clip

Times Square Shooting
I recently covered a triple homicide, which occurred in a Times Square office building on Monday, Sept. 16. The story is called, "Three Co-Workers Die in Midtown Office Shooting" and it's posted on Columbia's Student Work web site.

As a follow up, I wrote an analysis essay, "Watching Convergence Unfold:
A student learns the power of multiple mediums," which discusses the how all forms of media come together to disseminate breaking news information quickly to a mass audience. The piece posted on the Cyberjournalist.net, a site dedicated to how the Internet, media convergence and new technologies are changing journalism.