'BVarsity Live' adds new twist to local prep coverage

The Californian recently launched "B Varsity Live," a multi-platform approach to covering the hectic Kern County high school football scene. 

The Friday night show is hosted by Louis Amestoy and produced and directed by our multimedia intern, Christopher McCullah. Sportsriter Zach Ewing is also front and center, delivering expert analysis on the night's games and developments. 

The "BVarsity Live" show streams live via a Ustream player in various sections on BakersfieldCalifornian.com beginning at 11 p.m. Fridays. The plan is to stream for an hour, but this most recent show stretched about 10 minutes beyond that to include discussions and video of non-football sports and to take calls from viewers. 

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Pinch-hitting again on Sound Off

I filled in for John Arthur in writing this week's Bakersfield Californian Sound Off reader-feedback column.

Good mix of questions that include:

• Why Sea of Galilee controversy was news.
• Why a huge accomplishment by a local Cal Ripken team didn't make our sports cover.
• Feedback on our "Cul De Sac" comic, which is ending in September, and suggested replacements.
• Why we published a police sketch on the front page.

I have a lot of stuff on my plate in my current job but I really enjoy these opportunities to engage with readers who have good questions about what we do. Sound Off is a great forum to get feedback but also shed a little light on what we do.  

Californian e-book highlights 'Unbeaten' season

The Bakersfield Californian has just released "Unbeaten," its third e-book this year, an iPad-only celebration of Bakersfield High School's unbeaten 2011 football season. 

The Drillers' 13-0 season was the latest in a long string of titles for the state's most consistently successful prep-football program. 

Louis Amestoy, The Californian's Digital Convergence Manager, used Apple's iBooks Author program to produce the 150-page book that's stuffed with multimedia by repackaging a variety of staff-produced stories and photos with video highlights recorded Game-by-game summaries include detailed stats. by BHS staff. 

All told, "Unbeaten" includes:

• 132 photos, most never-before-published.
• 41 videos of game highlights. 
• Game stories, stats and  Californian prep reporter Zach Ewing's richly reported live-blog posts.
• Features on head coach Paul Golla and Drillers legend Frank Gifford, and more.

The 41 videos feature key plays from throughout the season.And all this for only $3.99 in the iBookstore. 

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