Ted's Story...
Ted Canova isn't sure what sparked his curiosity but we have some ideas.
At 11, he would call-in to radio sports shows to ask a question.
At 14, he was delivering newspapers and writing letters to the editor about the president and lobbyists.
By 18, he was a college reporter covering bare-knuckle politics at Boston City Hall and the Massachusetts State House.
In his first "real" job, Ted was reporting in New Hampshire, interviewing all the presidential candidates in the year leading up to the nation's first primary.
As a newsroom manager, Ted has led news teams to produce award-winning, thoughtful and impactful news including continuous live coverage of hurricanes and tornadoes and the plane crash that killed Senator Paul Wellstone.
Ted has also managed award winning investigative series and co-anchored 21 hours of the Boston Marathon bombings and manhunt.
Ted's curiosity is heard in his interview style where his subjects open up and share personal stories that they themselves may be surprised to be talking about.
Behind Ted's Story...
The front porch is part of our foundation. It is a place where people used to sit and talk, share stories and exchange different points of view. No technology or short attention span. Just face to face. The front porch helped create a greater sense of community. It often started with a wave and a smile. A “hi, how are ya?” And before you knew it, neighbors with things to do and places to be stopped and were drawn together like a magnet to catch up and best of all, linger.
Today, life is different and the front porch is, at best, taken for granted. We rush into our homes, close our doors, and retreat to our entertainment centers. Isolated from community and even our own families.
Today, life is different and the front porch is, at best, taken for granted. We rush into our homes, close our doors, and retreat to our entertainment centers. Isolated from community and even our own families. We live á la carte isolated lives even when we’re together. Under the same roof, families do their own thing in different rooms using their own private technology. No wonder it’s so special during power failures seeing news stories of families playing cards and board games by candlelight. Once the power returns, the games get tucked away until next time.
The front porch may be the most important overlooked place in our lives. We're considering these questions and searching for answers:
How can we be so connected yet disconnected at the same time?
Why do we see our friend’s Facebook updates but barely talk even though we have cellphone service with unlimited calling plans?
What are we missing out on by living this á la carte isolated life?
If it’s like this today, how will we live as we get older?
What if we set out in search of front porch conversations? Can we rediscover hidden stories and ways to better understanding our changing lives? Will we find conversations missing in today's debates? So come along. We invite you to think about your own stories, whether it’s from your front porch, your kitchen table, wherever. Help get the conversation going and let’s see where it takes us.