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6/27/06 - Tuesday Tuesday Letters are up Inside LA TV - interesting insider thoughts from the two duopolies in town. Check out Recent Issues 6-20-06 Tuesday's OTR 6-23-06 Friday's OTR          Send your opinions to BRUIN74@aol.com.

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CNN  BIAS

As you may've heard, a group from Atlanta raised millions of dollars (one estimate puts it at 32 million) to buy papers of Martin Luther King which had been kept in the family basement all of these years. For example, the papers include a number of sermons he wrote which he never delivered, blue books from college, and a draft of his "I Have A Dream" speech. An attempt to sell the papers to the Library of Congress didn't work some years ago, and so the King family decide to auction off the papers.

Listen to how CNN teased the story on Saturday:  "An American treasure now safe and secure. Coming up, the deal that spared Dr. Martin Luther King’s  ‘I Have A Dream’ from being hocked to the highest bidder."

Hocked to the highest bidder? Do you get the sense that whoever wrote that tease, read by Carol Lin, felt that the auction was a bad idea? "Hock" which is another work for "pawn" was not even accurate, not to mention a pejorative in this case. And the tease clearly implies that if the papers were auctioned off, that they would no longer be safe and secure. I think it is a safe bet that whatever university or museum which would have bought the papers at an auction would have taken good care of them.   And so the graphic which said "Saving The Dream" was  also over the top. Obviously, someone at CNN wanted the papers to stay in Atlanta.

Carol Lin also seemed to show a little bias in her interview with Andrew Young.   

Young said "….And I was just thrilled that the mayor was able to get such a broad base of business leaders to buy into it and preserve it. Because this is the reason they are as wealthy as they are. Without Martin Luther King it wouldn’t be that way."

Lin: "Absolutely….."

Young:  "...This was about a legacy that Atlanta needed to buy into at the moment."

Lin: "Absolutely, absolutely."

I really don't think it is the place of an objective interviewer to agree with the subject, though I realize the first "absolutely" was a pretty non-controversial sort of agreement.  You might think that "absolutely" is a sort of transitional crutch for Lin. Well, could be. But when she questioned Dexter King about why the family was willing to sell his father's papers, I didn't hear an "absolutely" from her then. 

Her question implied that there was something wrong with the family profiting from King, and Dexter King really danced around the issue. However, Young said he didn't expect the King family to give everything away.  

I emailed Lin to give her a chance to explain.  She she could not talk to me on the record. 

A REPORTER WHO DOESN'T KNOW WHAT A BIG MAC LOOKS LIKE

It may've been ignorance, or it may've been laziness, but I thought KTTV's Liz Warren embarrassed herself  by mis-identifying what may be America's best known hamburger.  This was part a story of how the Center for Science in the Public Interest is after Starbucks for serving some very fatty drinks. The one in Warren's hand, according to the Center, has more calories than a Big Mac.

Of course there are far bigger screw-ups in TV news. Yes we are only talking about a hamburger. I get that.  But if I am watching a reporter who cannot get something so basic right, I have to wonder how they will handle more complicated issues.

When talking to the guy eating that hamburger above, Warren referred to it as a  Big Mac.  But when she did her voice track, she called it a "double patty burger." So it may be that someone informed her of her mistake before voicing the story. If so, then why keep in the mistaken reference?

The name of the very fatty Starbucks drink is a "Venti banana mocha frappuccino." Not too tough to remember, is it?  Yet Warren made herself sound like a candidate for the ditz patrol as she could not seem to remember it, even though it was the focus of the story.  At one point she called it a "Venti banana thing mocha Frappuccino" and at another point she said "The Venti whatever in there has more calories than that Big Mac." Thing? Whatever?  Does she thing it's cute? And when she told some guy about the "The Venti whatever" having more calories than a Big Mac, might he not have thought she was referring to one of their more basic coffee drinks? That just makes his reaction of surprise more questionable.

There were other problems with the story too. As you see the picture of the hamburger, you are also looking at an inaccurate graphic. I could not find any record of Starbucks filing a lawsuit. In fact Warren didn't claim that. Yet, there it was on the graphic.

You can agree or disagree with the importance of the story. But Warren seemed to be having a little too much fun with what is undoubtedly a serious story to both the Center for Science in the Public Interest and for Starbucks. Warren never even got Starbucks side! Totally a one-sided story.

KABC did a much shorter version, yet they managed to get Starbucks side on their story. According to KABC:  "A Starbucks spokesman says the company is researching alternatives to those high fat frapuccinos."  How tough was that?

Warren also called her location "Belmont Shores" when she was really in Belmont Shore.  Could be that Warren has a problem with detail, which I think could be a problem if you happen to be a reporter.

HARVEY EASILY MOST POPULAR KCAL ANCHOR, LEE WORST AGAIN

Pat Harvey increased her GPA from last year and remains KCAL's #1 anchor according to OTR readers. Anytime you can get through this poll and have no D's or F's, you've certainly accomplished something. What is more telling is that Harvey is far more popular than KCBS lead female anchor Laura Diaz, which was also the case last year.  And though KCBS is more important to CBS than KCAL, it is odd that they still stay with Diaz.  (Pat, have you considered some passionate kissing with EP Jeff Soto? Never mind, I think his dance card is pretty full right now.)

 Seriously, you have to wonder why GM Don Corsini is so clueless, though I understand Corsini and Diaz have a friendship that goes back many years to KABC.  Whether that factors in, who knows? Or maybe they have scientific research which shows something different than what we've found here in this small sampling. I doubt it, but you never know.

As popular as Pat Harvey is, that is how unpopular Mia Lee is. She did badly last year, but dropped about half a point lower this year. You have to wonder if Lee's increasingly unnatural look has made things worse. And would you believe that if Harvey had left for KNBC last year, Mia Lee might well have become KCAL's main female anchor?

Dave Clark and Leyna Nguyen lost some ground from last year, while Sylvia Lopez, Harold Greene and Dave Gonzales increased their GPA. Mary Beth McDade, new to KCAL, has been filling in on the weekend while Nguyen is on maternity leave, and obviously is not catching on just yet. Last year Ann Martin (and Harold Greene) was in the KCBS poll, which Martin won. But going against Harvey and  Sylvia Lopez, she had to settle for third. Interesting that the top four anchors at KCAL are all females. Of course last year they had Dave Jackson and Kerry Kilbride, who came in 2nd and 3rd. Both are now gone.

GRADING SO FAR

Three Most Popular

1) Marc Brown (KABC) - 3.69

2) Pat Harvey (KCAL) - 3.4

2) Colleen Williams (KNBC) - 3.4

Three Least Popular

1) Mia Lee (KCAL) - 1.02

2) Cher Calvin (KTLA) -  1.44

3) Micah Ohlman (KABC) - 1.55

Btw....while Marc Brown looks like he's a good position to get the highest GPA for the second year in a row, I can guarantee that we'll have a different person with the lowest GPA. That "honor" last year went to Jennifer Gould, who is no longer with KCOP/KTTV.

TIME TO VOTE FOR KTTV ANCHORS

First, I appreciate your being more careful not to vote twice. It does save me some time.  As always please vote only for the anchors you are familiar with. Please click on the appropriate grade and then hit "send." The poll is open until Monday night at 6pm. Thanks!

Tony McEwing

McEwing - A

McEwing - B

McEwing - C

McEwing - D

McEwing - F

Jean Martirez

Martirez - A

Martirez - B

Martirez - C

Martirez - D

Martirez - F

Steve Edwards

Edwards - A

Edwards - B

Edwards - C

Edwards - D

Edwards - F

John Beard

Beard - A

Beard - B

Beard - C

Beard - D

Beard - F

Christine Devine

Devine - A

Devine - B

Devine - C

Devine - D

Devine - F

Jeff  Michael

Michael - A

Michael - B

Michael - C

Michael - D

Michael - F

Susan Hirasuna

Hirasuna - A

Hirasuna - B

Hirasuna - C

Hirasuna - D

Hirasuna - F

Robb Weller

Photo:  www.caucus.org 

Weller - A

Weller - B

Weller - C

Weller - D

Weller - F

DID THE WRITING MATCH THE REALITY?

First you need to read the story as it was described by  KTTV anchor Tony McEwing:  "A violent on court brawl. It happened at a basketball game in Kansas .  Five minutes into this game. I mean this game was barely underway.  You can see the two players going at it down the court  here, and then the punches start to fly.  One player is knocked unconscious."  And later he said  "That fight actually took place in March."

Now that you've read that, please have a look at the video.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

Based what the video shows, I think it was not a brawl or even a fight. It appears to be a vicious attack by one player on another.  As the two are going down court, we see the guy who got knocked out giving the other player a forearm.  I don't know if that started it or if there was more before the video clip. Regardless, I didn't see anything that warranted the attack you just saw.

While doing an internet search, I did find this statement from an AP story by the coach of the boy who is being investigated.

Kris Maples, who coaches Wichita Showtime, told The Wichita Eagle on Friday that he and his player have been interviewed by Harvey County Sheriff's detectives. He declined to identify the player but said he thinks Coulter Vestal provoked the fight.

"It wasn't a vicious attack or a malicious attack. It was retaliation," Maples said. "No doubt it escalated more than it should. Did my player overreact? Obviously. But their player elbowed mine in the face twice. That's what provoked it."

And just to correct McEwing, it is the District Attorney who files charges, not the police.

CORRECTING THE RECORD

The only LA TV reporter I saw in Sacramento last week was Jeff Michael of KTTV/KCOP.  However, I am told that Conan Nolan was also there for KNBC.  Though that makes me ask, why didn't KNBC use Nolan in their Wednesday 11pm coverage?

It appears that all of the 11pm newscast are too dependent on whatever happened since the 6pm news, and don't give due respect to big stories which were reported earlier. I  realize they don't want viewers to tune into the 11pm and say "I already saw that story, no reason to watch old news." But certainly there must be a happy medium.  And how about the people who didn't catch the news earlier?

SPELLING COUNTS

Given the typos I manage here all too often, this can come under the category of "pot calling the kettle black." Nevertheless, when I see something this bad on an LA TV newscast, where there should be someone available to catch the mistake, it's pretty darn embarrassing.   

But after going to video, someone obviously noticed the mistake.

Too bad no one noticed before it hit the air.

OVER-SUSPECTING, AGAIN

This from KCAL on a crime at a motel -  'Two suspects, one with a gun – one other with a heavy exercise dumbbell -  invaded the office…."

This was on TAPE. They are more than suspects.  The story also quoted the motel manager by saying "he said the suspects ransacked the motel for 40 minutes…." 

In a separate story, Craig Feigener reported that a woman chased after a man who stole her purse, yet he called him  a "suspect."

I understand that reporters want to use the term  "suspect" once an individual has been identified by name.  But two anonymous guys on tape, with guns, are criminals. The man being chased by a woman was a purse snatcher.

All I am asking for is some common sense.

I WOULD'VE WORDED IT DIFFERENTLY

KABC's Sid Garcia covered the story of father who left his small child alone in a car in Palmdale on a hot day.  The man was cited, but not arrested.   A deputy said "it’s about 96 degrees out today and there was no parental supervision."  We could have used more explanation of why the man was not arrested.   Garcia did say "Windows were cracked just a bit to allow air to circulate inside."  

Cracked  just a bit? Have a look.

Since Garcia was reporting from Encino, I wonder if he even saw the  Palmdale video he was referencing. That window is obviously open more than a crack.  Though I think the bite Garcia used tipped viewers in that direction, coverage on other stations made it clear that that was the reason the man was not arrested.

HOPE IT DIDN'T TAKE HER LONG TO COME UP WITH IT

What is the most over-used of all teases? I am talking about the sort of tease where the most non-creative reporter can think they are clever for a few seconds? I guess the picture gives it away. KCAL reporter Kimberly Ball said:  "Offices all around the country have gone to the dogs."  Ugh.  It was National Take your Dogs to Work Day. Must every story related to dogs result in a "going to the dogs" tease?

You have to wonder, did she even realize what a trite tease it was? I guess either way, she can't win, can she? 

WHO ARE YOU?  

I invite all you to write in and tell your fellow readers a little about yourself. What you do for a living, why you are interested in TV news and anything else you'd like to include about yourself.  You can email to Bruin74@aol.com .