diff --git a/demotape.py b/demotape.py
index 59caee7..9a76e57 100644
--- a/demotape.py
+++ b/demotape.py
@@ -15,16 +15,9 @@ import ntpath
 import yaml
 from pathlib import Path
 import logging
-from systemd.journal import JournalHandler
-
-
-
-
-log = logging.getLogger('demotape')
-log.addHandler(JournalHandler())
-
-log.setLevel(logging.INFO)
 
+logging.basicConfig(filename='demotape.log', level=logging.INFO)
+logging.info("Starting demotape service at " + str(datetime.utcnow()))
 
 config_path = Path(__file__).parent / './config.yaml'
 with config_path.open() as file:
@@ -33,13 +26,13 @@ with config_path.open() as file:
 try:
     if sys.argv[1] and os.path.exists(sys.argv[1]):
         ROOT_PATH = sys.argv[1]
-        log('Root path for downloaded streams: ' + ROOT_PATH)
+        logging.info('Root path for downloaded streams: ' + ROOT_PATH)
     else:
-        log('destination path does not exist')
+        logging.info('destination path does not exist')
         sys.exit()
 except IndexError:
-    log('Script needs a valid destination path for recorded videos as argument')
-    log('For example: \ndemotape.py /path/to/videos')
+    logging.info('Script needs a valid destination path for recorded videos as argument')
+    logging.info('For example: \ndemotape.py /path/to/videos')
     sys.exit()
 
 
@@ -61,9 +54,9 @@ def generate_channellist():
                 'url': 'https://stream.wien.gv.at/live/ngrp:bv' + district_str_lz + '.stream_all/playlist.m3u8'
             }
         channels.append(channel)
-    log('channels:')
+    logging.info('channels:')
     for channel in channels:
-        log(channel['name'] + ' ' + channel['url'])
+        logging.info(channel['name'] + ' ' + channel['url'])
     return channels
 
 
@@ -77,33 +70,33 @@ def check_stream(url):
             # no livestream
             return False
     except (ValueError, KeyError):
-        log('some connection error or so')
+        logging.info('some connection error or so')
 
 
 
 class MyLogger(object):
     def debug(self, msg):
         #pass
-        log(msg)
+        logging.info(msg)
 
     def warning(self, msg):
         #pass
-        log(msg)
+        logging.info(msg)
 
     def error(self, msg):
-        log(msg)
+        logging.info(msg)
 
 
 def my_ytdl_hook(d):
     if d['status'] == 'finished':
-        log(timestamp() + 'Done downloading!')
+        logging.info(timestamp() + 'Done downloading!')
     else:
-        log(timestamp() + 'sth went wrong' + d['status'])
-    log(d)
+        logging.info(timestamp() + 'sth went wrong' + d['status'])
+    logging.info(d)
 
 
 def download_stream(channel, dest_path):
-    log('download_stream')
+    logging.info('download_stream')
     ytdl_opts = {
             'logger': MyLogger(),
             'outtmpl': dest_path,
@@ -122,42 +115,42 @@ def download_stream(channel, dest_path):
     ytdl = youtube_dl.YoutubeDL(ytdl_opts)
 
     try:
-        log(timestamp() + " Downloading: " + channel['url'])
+        logging.info(timestamp() + " Downloading: " + channel['url'])
         ytdl.download([channel['url']])
     except (youtube_dl.utils.DownloadError) as e:
-        log(timestamp() + " Download error: " + str(e))
+        logging.info(timestamp() + " Download error: " + str(e))
     except (youtube_dl.utils.SameFileError) as e:
-        log("Download error: " + str(e))
+        logging.info("Download error: " + str(e))
     except (UnicodeDecodeError) as e:
-        log("UnicodeDecodeError: " + str(e))
+        logging.info("UnicodeDecodeError: " + str(e))
 
 
 def process_channel(channel):
-    #log('entered function process_channel with ' + channel['name'])
+    #logging.info('entered function process_channel with ' + channel['name'])
     while True:
 
-        log(timestamp() + ' checking ' + channel['name'])
+        logging.info(timestamp() + ' checking ' + channel['name'])
         if check_stream(channel['url']):
-            log(channel['name'] + ': stream online! Downloading ...')
+            logging.info(channel['name'] + ': stream online! Downloading ...')
             dest_dir = ROOT_PATH + '/' + channel['name'] +'/'
             # create directory if it doesn't exist
             if not os.path.exists(dest_dir):
-                log('creating directory ' + dest_dir)
+                logging.info('creating directory ' + dest_dir)
                 os.makedirs(dest_dir)
             dest_path = get_destpath(channel) # dirctory + filename
             download_stream(channel, dest_path) # also converts video
-            log(timestamp() + " Uploading video " + dest_path)
+            logging.info(timestamp() + " Uploading video " + dest_path)
             upload_video(dest_path)
         else:
             waitingtime = random.randint(50,60)
             time.sleep(waitingtime)
 
 
-    log('end processing ' + channel['name'] + ' ... (shouldn\'t happen!)')
+    logging.info('end processing ' + channel['name'] + ' ... (shouldn\'t happen!)')
 
 
 def upload_video(videofile_path):
-    log('uploading %s' % (videofile_path))
+    logging.info('uploading %s' % (videofile_path))
     credentials = config['webdav']['username'] + ':' + config['webdav']['password']
     webdav_baseurl = config['webdav']['base_url']
     filename = ntpath.basename(videofile_path)
@@ -169,7 +162,7 @@ def upload_video(videofile_path):
             delete_video(videofile_path)
             return true
     except:
-        log('Error while uploading %s to %s' % (file, webdav_url))
+        logging.info('Error while uploading %s to %s' % (file, webdav_url))
  
 
 def delete_video(file):
@@ -177,7 +170,7 @@ def delete_video(file):
         os.system('rm -rf "%s"' % (file))
         return true
     except:
-        log('Error while deleting %s' % (file))
+        logging.info('Error while deleting %s' % (file))
 
 
 def get_destpath(channel):
@@ -198,12 +191,12 @@ def main():
         try:
             data = future.result()
         except Exception as exc:
-            log('%r generated an exception: %s' % (channel, exc))
+            logging.info('%r generated an exception: %s' % (channel, exc))
         else:
-            log('%r page is %d bytes' % (channel, len(data)))
+            logging.info('%r page is %d bytes' % (channel, len(data)))
 
 
-    log('end main (this shouldn\'t happen!)')
+    logging.info('end main (this shouldn\'t happen!)')
 
 
 main()