THEY SHOULD BE CHALLENGED

Najee Ali of Project Islamic Hope and Firpo Carr, a Jackson family friend held a news conference last week to defend Michael Jackson.   Ali came right out and said that the latest charge against Jackson was extortion. How you can have extortion without someone trying to get money out of Jackson I don't know.  If this boy's family had filed a civil lawsuit, he might have a case. But that hasn't happened. But in the story I saw by Carlos Granda on KABC, no one challenged them on this obvious missing piece of their 'Michael is a victim' puzzle.

In both the KABC version, and the KCBS version at 5pm,  Firpo Carr suggests it is odd that accusations against Jackson come ten years apart from little white boys.  The implication seems to be in part that it doesn't make sense for Jackson to molest white boys. Again, in the stories I saw, no one challenged this, including KTLA's Warren Wilson.  What should have been challenged?

I understand the point about "every ten years."  Why would a pedophile only molest every ten years?  Of course that assumes that everyone who is a victim is willing to come forward.  Remember, this latest case only came about when the boy told his therapist about what he says happened.

The "white boy" comment is more troublesome.  Why would Jackson not prefer white boys, if he is a child molester?  Look at him.  He's a black man who's turned his skin white and obliterated his African features. They don't think this guy wants to be white? It's pretty pathetic to be sure.  But certainly Carr should have been asked to address that.

KCBS's version at 5pm also wasn't logical.  The anchor lead-in into the soundbite was  "Some say the delay (in filing charges) is a sign the prosecution has a weak case." That was followed by Carr's questioning why Jackson would molest only little white boys every ten years, if he is a molester.  So as you can see, the lead-in had no connection to the sound bite.  For a story which is so high profile, you'd think more care would be taken when putting it together.

NOT THE WAY I WOULD'VE DONE IT

Curt Sandoval's sports was the only sportscast I saw on Saturday. And I think he handled the biggest story of the day all wrong.  Yes, the biggest story was Oklahoma's shocking loss to Kansas State. This was a 14-point favorite, the only undefeated team in the country, and they had the crap beaten out of them.  Even in SC country, that is the biggest story.  

Yet Sandoval led with USC beating Oregon State, and then covered LSU beating Georgia before finally getting to Oklahoma's loss.

Here is how I would have handled it:  start off by telling the audience that "USC beat Oregon State today, and LSU won too...but here is a shocker."  Then you go to the Oklahoma game, followed by USC and LSU.  That way, the locals know right away that their team won, but you still give proper priority to the biggest story of the day.

LET'S NOT OVER-REACT

I think all the SC fans and supporters need to better understand the BCS system, before anyone suggests throwing it out.  While USC can sure make a case for going to the Sugar Bowl, it should not be the slam dunk some seem to suggest.  Strength of schedule matters, and USC did not have a strong one.

 Look at it like this, they have the same record as Oklahoma and LSU, but played the weakest schedule of the three. And the one team that beat USC (Cal) is much weaker than the teams that beat Oklahoma and LSU.

On the other hand, I have always felt, and still do feel, that a college playoff system is the only fair way to determine a national champion. But short of that, the BCS system makes sense. Should it be tweaked? Maybe so.  Because I also felt that with Oklahoma's big loss this weekend, it should have been LSU and USC in the Sugar Bowl. I don't know the details of the BCS computer system, but maybe more weight should be added to a last game major loss.  But without understanding all the fine points of the computer system, I can only say maybe.

When I get a sense of entitlement from USC fans, that bothers me.  LSU and Oklahoma can make their own cases.  So bottom line...the BCS is much better than what we used to have, but we still really should have a playoff system.

PROFESSIONAL SHOPPERS?

In one of those day after Thanksgiving shopping stories, KCBS's Jennifer Davis said that a woman and her sister are "professional shoppers."  They may be good, but professional?  Can you really make a living by shopping?

 ETHNIC REFERENCING

As mentioned here last week, this seems to happen more on KTLA than anywhere else.  Walter Richards used a sound bite in a crime story in which it was said there were four of five Hispanics inside a car. So, we should all be on lookout for car full of Hispanics?   It wasn't until later in the story that Richards added a car description.  That description should have come right after the Hispanic reference.

HOW DOES HE KNOW?

WB network reporter Grant Rampy  said that most locals (in Baghdad) are unimpressed by what they've seen of democracy and they're fed up with occupation. Most? Just how did Rampy determine that?

According to a Zogby poll in October, more than 60 percent of Iraqis want the US to stay for at least another year, and most would like a government like the US.

I'm sure some Iraqis still have plenty to complain about.  But I think the Zogby poll tells us a lot more than some generalization by Rampy.

JUST READ WHAT IS THERE

The owner of The Comedy Factory was recently in the news, because apparently it was him to put the alleged victim in touch with Michael Jackson.  As Chuck Henry described him, he said "the local comedy store, ah, club owner."  That is confusing because there is a place called The Comedy Store, which is apparently what Henry had on his mind. And the way he stumbled, it appeared as if the story was written right.  So yes, even the veterans need to remember, just read what is on the teleprompter.

MORE THANKS

I'm glad so many of you are checking the Update Account Box at the top of this page.  It's not only good to see more money coming in, but it's also nice to know that many of you who I thought had stopped reading, are still there.  If you haven't re-subscribed recently, and it seems like it's been about a year since you signed up, please check. If you have - (negative) days on your subscription, you are overdue. Btw, you can get to Paypal by going to the tease page which is www.RonFineman.com.   

REDUNDANCY

Who:  Glen Walker

Where: KCBS

What:  HIV Virus

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