| Sai recently left television news to explore a different way of relaying human-interest stories: over the Internet. "We're taking a step away from journalism as we know it," Sai said. Joined by photojournalist Jay Olsen, also a former WISC-TV employee, the two have embarked on a lofty project: StoryBridge.tv. They wanted to shed some of the confines that surround daily news (time constraints, story restrictions, etc.) and create a news alternative in the up-and-coming news arena of the future: the Internet. StoryBridge.tv -- currently up-and-running in its development phase -- not only features in-depth "mini-documentaries" but will eventually act as a "community MySpace" that works to facilitate community interaction and feedback. "That's the beauty of the Internet," Sai said. "It has the power to really weave us all together." Sai and Olsen began thinking about an online news alternative when the pair created extended news coverage for WISC-TV on the Internet. Two years ago, when content started moving online, we started to experiment with it," Sai said. "What made it really viable was the explosion of YouTube." As Sai and Olsen watched online news and video gain popularity, their conversations about an online news alternative grew more serious. Still, talking about the possibilities of a new business is one thing; actually doing it is quite another. Sai and Olsen took a big risk when they left WISC-TV, but behind their decision was a strong conviction that they could finally tell news the way they wanted to. Their last day at WISC TV was March 9 and they held their first StoryBridge.tv team meeting soon after. "There were a lot of stories that we didn't feel great about doing," Sai recalled. "News is very heavy on crime, sensationalism, and celebrity news. We always loved the human-interest stories." Sai disliked what she called the "polarizing" effect of television news. "Television news typically is very polarizing," she said. "That's because it's easy and it's fast. It often comes down (to) 'this person thinks this and this other person thinks that.'" StoryBridge.tv will work to connect people, Sai said, rather than seek out the latest controversy. "Really we have so much more in common than we are separated by," Sai said. "I've always been drawn to the stories that make you feel connected to another person's experience. It's about tapping into the human experience." So far, StoryBridge.tv has done just that. The clips, which have been described as easily a few notches above typical online video, are also longer than a typical television news story. This allows the viewer to really tap into the emotions and experiences of the people featured. In Life Cycle, StoryBridge.tv provides in-depth coverage on the annual Wisconsin AIDS Ride. Viewers are introduced to Bob Bower, an activist who has lived with AIDS for 24 years. Riders, along with Bower, are followed along their emotional four-day journey as they advocate for AIDS research and awareness. The emotions in the video are palpable, the story is refreshingly inspirational, and there truly is the feeling of being connected to another's experience. Other stories on Katy Chronicles -- the first series of the five that will eventually air on StoryBridge.tv -- touch on human sexuality classes for seniors, the story-behind-the-story of the Monona Terrace, and an urban neighborhood mimicking the feel of an American small town. Each story brings the viewer a little closer to the people of Dane County. "I hope that StoryBridge.tv [becomes] a place that is full of stories where people can feel motivated, inspired, and empowered," Sai said. "I really hope it creates a vibrant community discussion." Sai and Olsen have managed to do something with StoryBridge.tv that is rare: they have relayed very personal stories while sustaining a tangible sense of professional journalism. But, after all, journalism appears to be in Sai's blood. Sai may not have known that she wanted to be a journalist at first, but she had the makings of a journalist from early on. "I was always the kid who was asking, 'Why?'" Sai said. "I loved figuring things out and learning things." Sai was born in Bangkok, Thailand and lived there for five years before her parents decided to seek out better opportunities in the United States. The family moved to the Chicago area and set out to make a life for their family in this new land. One of Sai's greatest inspirations during her childhood was her grandmother, a woman who played an integral role in her upbringing. Sai says her grandmother, who recently passed away, really lived the "Joy Luck Club" life -- born a peasant in China and eventually sold as servant and brought to Thailand. "Her strengths always inspired me," Sai said. "She was so supportive of everything I did. She was such a strong person." Sai went on to attend Northwestern University and was set to enter the corporate world. But when she landed an editorial internship with a CBS affiliate, her true calling became clear. In 1989, she landed a job as a weekend anchor and consumer reporter with WISC-TV. "This is what I'm supposed to do," Sai said about becoming a journalist. Now, Sai is charting a course that is at once familiar and completely new. While she understands the risk she is taking, she is even that more energized and confident with her decision. "The joy of being able to chart your own course is so rewarding," Sai said. "Even on the worst day, I know this is right for me." StoryBridge.tv is well on its way to becoming a new community phenomenon. It's shaping up to be a new way to tell stories and site creators hope it will eventually become a place for the community to interact and get a little closer. |
Katy Sai enters an uncharted path Storybridge.tv: Online news alternative |
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| By Laura Salinger When Katy Sai and I sat down in her airy and urban office space in downtown Madison, she admitted being a little uncomfortable with her role at the table. The majority of her time (nearly two decades) has been spent wearing the other shoe -- behind the microphone, skillfully reporting stories featuring the people and events of Wisconsin. /Sai became widely recognized and respected in her 17 years on the air at WISC-TV (Ch. 3), where she was most recently the co-anchor of "Live at Five." She became a familiar face to many and notably was one of the few minority women to grace Wisconsin television screens during the evening news. Yet, despite her success and fan-base, Sai found herself wanting more; namely, the ability to tell more in-depth stories about the people she encountered. |
| Katy Sai |
| Katy Sai & Jay Olsen at work |