A media critique... and then some! 12/19/01 - Wednesday Wednesday Letters  are UP  Coming Friday -We start an  interview with  KNBC reporter Conan Nolan, who recently returned from Pakistan. Links to Recent Issues 12-17-01 Monday's OTR 12-12-01 Wednesday's OTR 12-14-01 Friday's OTR OTR can use your help to keep publishing. If you like it, feel free to send ten dollars to Ron Fineman PO Box 42364 Bakersfield, CA 93384    OR you can send $ electronically by clicking on the PayPal logo Thanks to our latest contributors...Gary Frieden and Timothy Hemphill Your help is very  much appreciated! Send your opinions to BRUIN74@aol.com.

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GERALDO'S LACK OF INTEGRITY -WILL FOX FIRE HIM?

In a recent OTR poll, 30 percent of our readers had doubts about whether Geraldo Rivera would report on a US blunder in Afghanistan if he were the only reporter who knew about it.  It looks like I asked the wrong question.  The Baltimore Sun reports that Geraldo Rivera reported he became choked up as he recited the Lord's Prayer over the "hallowed ground" where "friendly fire took so many of our men and the moujahedeen." It turns out Rivera had been nowhere near that bombing site. Geraldo blames the "fog of war" for his mistake. He later admitted he had been several hundred miles away. He says he confused that incident with another case of friendly fire that took place in Tora Bora. However, The Sun reports that incident didn't happen until at least three days after Rivera's report. 

  I became concerned about his reporting as soon as I heard his clear U.S. bias, which is why I asked the poll question mentioned above. I never imagined he would claim to be at a site he had never been to, and therefore deceive the audience.  Does anyone really buy his "fog of war" excuse?  Especially if the incident he says he was confused about had not even happened yet? Obviously, Geraldo Rivera has an agenda. Based on the facts I am reading, I believe Rivera purposely lied to the public in carrying out his agenda. There is no place for that in honest journalism. If Fox has any integrity, they will fire him. 

ANOTHER SILLY WEATHER LEAD

So it rained the other day. It was a quick moving storm, and it didn't dump a lot of rain. Yet some stations actually led with this. Maybe the worst job was what I saw on KCBS. Christina Penza, who knows how to go after a serious news story, was stuck with the day's "big" story.  As she showed some rain falling from the morning she said "A little bit of this, quickly leads to this on the 101-cars cautiously crawling." The implication was that cars are moving slowing because of the rain. But hold on. Cars are moving slowing in one direction, but zooming by in the other. Clearly, the slowing was because there was a lot traffic in that direction. If the rain were really causing caution, then the cars would be much slower on the other side.  The way it looked to me was a reporter with a nothing story, trying to find an angle that really wasn't there. Sure there were traffic accidents, just like there always are. She talked to some people about the rain, just like everyone else does, and that was about it.  Once again TV news perpetuates the stereo-type of LA people appearing to be in awe when a little rain falls. When there are really big storms, like we had with El Nino, then you've got a genuine weather story.  With what is going on in our world today, it is hard to believe that Friday's rain was the most important story of the day.

I THINK THEY NEED MORE REPORTERS

If you have any doubt that KCOP is running on empty, consider a three and a half minute story they ran Monday Night. It was re-run of a feature Kent Ninomiya did on Laila Ali before her hyped fight with Joe Frazier's daughter last June. KCOP has routinely repeated feature story many weeks after they have first aired. But in those case, these old stories stand up, because they're not dated.  But this story was clearly dated, as Ali talked about what she would do to Frazier.  Ninomiya references the fight coming up on June 8th. The only thing close to a peg to run the thing was a story related to the new "Ali" movie. But of course that is about the father, not the daughter.  I only hope someone in upper Fox management was watching. They might consider the running of this story which should never have run again, as a cry for help. Because it is clear, KCOP does need it.

CROWE VS BURBANO

Carlos Amezcua says Russell Crowe is a jerk. Crowe apparently thinks Burbano needs to take Journalism 101. I have a feeling they're both right.  Apparently, Crowe told Burbano that he thought she'd ask him a stupid question at the premier of his latest movie. From what I can gather, Sam Rubin played the tape of the interview recently. I never got to see it, so I don't know what she asked or exactly what he said.  Yesterday morning on the KTLA Morning News, Burbano was filling in for Rubin, and the crew was talking about it.  In defense of Burbano, Mark Kriski said "when you come down the line you expect to have reporters who don't know what they're talking about ask them stupid questions." Hopefully Kriski will not consider switching careers to being a defense lawyer. But credit to Burbano keeping a sense of humor; she went along saying "I resemble that remark."

The fact that Burbano would make someone think she lacked journalistic training obviously comes as no surprise to OTR. That's been pointed out here more than once. However, I imagine that Crowe was out of line. Even if Burbano asked a question which showed a lack of knowledge about him, or the movie or I don't know what, he could've made his point in a much more polite way. I have to believe that rudeness was not needed. But let's remember the news media are very much responsible for feeding the  egos of such stars with all of the attention that is showered upon them. Come on. We help to create and feed these ego monsters. That doesn't excuse it when one gets out of line. But wouldn't it be interesting if local stations stopped routinely covering every big premier, and every movie press junket? Those stars would have a LOT more to lose than the TV stations. It will never happen of course.

Bottom line here....credit to KTLA for exposing how rude a star can be, even though it may have been embarrassing to Burbano. And despite the arrogance of the messenger, Burbano should take stock of her ability and background, and consider working on improving her journalistic skills instead of her acting career.

MORE BAD EDITING FROM KTLA

On their 10pm news, KTLA was running a story about a teenage girl who had killed another teenage girl because she had been drinking and driving. She was talking to a group of students, and it was a pretty moving story. This young woman is explaining what a stupid mistake she made. She says "I will live the rest of my life knowing that my stupidity k...."  

Right there the sound bite is abruptly cut off, in mid-sentence! How in the world does that get on the air in the #2 market in the United States?

A LITTLE INFORMAL, AND REDUNDANT TOO

On KCBS, Ann Martin read a story about Clamitha Dilliard accused of being responsible for the death of a man who died in a fire in a home she owned. At the start of the story, she said that Dilliard was both the "caregiver and landlord" for this victim. Later she said "the fire happened in a south Los Angeles home that belonged to Clamitha."  Rather informal for an accused killer, huh?  But you have wonder why a news writer would first call her a landlord, and then later say the home belongs to her. Too often, and this goes for many stations, I get the feeling that no one ever copy reads a story. But I know what some of you anchors are thinking...'you should see some of the stuff that we do catch.'

STILL LOOKING FOR TALK SHOW NOMINATIONS

I know this isn't LARadio.com, but I figured enough of you who live in LA were interested in talk radio too.  Maybe not. I'm taking nominations to do a poll on who has the best talk radio show, and so far, only two people have emailed in. If you folks aren't into it...so be it. But I figured I'd give it one more try. If you'd like to nominate a talk show host, I'll take up to three from you. You can reach me at BRUIN74@aol.com. 

Also...our current poll question...do you think Yasser Arafat is serious about stopping the violence against Israelis? Please head to the poll section on the menu.

BROADCASTEZE VIOLATION OF THE WEEK

Who: Rick Chambers

Where: KCOP

What: a posh Beverly Hills "eatery"

Yeah, whenever I go to strange city, I ask "where I can find a good eatery?"

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Ron's disclaimer: Like all reporters I have opinions.  I do the best I can to make sure that nothing I say here has any effect on my objectivity in covering stories.