Re: Email to CBS News outlet in Dallas Texas

[maury <maury@webtexas.com>]

Thanks all. The greater likelihood seems to me to have been a rather blatant

case of political campaigning. The Texas legislature is scheduled to vote on

an authorization for the waste site tomorrow (Tuesday). Radio KRLD (24 hr

news) has continued running the so-called news item all day. The same issue

was a big one a couple years ago and the fear mongers won. Also our proximity

to the Comanche Peak nuclear plant tends to generate a little more discussion

here than might other be the case.



I believe the news personnel knew exactly what they were doing. Am in the

process of trying to learn if the station has an ombudsman, but I think they

do not. The suggestion is a good one.

Thanks again,

Maury Siskel             maurysis@ev1.net

==================

John Jacobus wrote:



> Stewart,

> I am not sure if I would call this a quesiton of

> balanced news coverage but an example of ignorance.

> Of course, with the hightened state of fear in our

> country (Code Yellow today?) I am not suprised of the

> the over response (an obvious understatement) of the

> police.

>

> I applaud your efforts.

>

> --- Stewart Farber <farbersa@optonline.net> wrote:

> > Hi all:

> > Anyone intent on disputing the questionable balance

> > in news coverage in any media

> > outlet [whether print or electronic] should

> > determine who in the organization is

> > fulfilling the assigned and vital role of

> > "Ombudsman". This individual has the

> > responsibility to investigate any situation where a

> > reader or viewer feels there

> > has been bias in news reporting.

> >

> > As an example, I was able by getting the ear of the

> > Ombudsman at the Boston Globe

> > in one case [after the reporter said its not his job

> > to correct even blatant

> > errors of fact], to be given space for an op-ed

> > column [vs. a 100 word brief

> > letter-to-the editor] once I clearly documented the

> > nature of both factual errors

> > and errors of emphasis-clear deficiencies and bias

> > in Globe reporting. The case

> > involved a front page, banner headline, above the

> > fold, inflamatory story about a

> > stolen 2 microcurie Co-57 button source which led to

> > the Massachusetts State

> > Police to seal off a square mile of South Boston. A

> > medical technicians car had

> > been stolen and when his toolbox was found emptied,

> > THE COBALT SOURCE WAS

> > MISSING!!

> >

> > Front page Boston Globe photos showed the Mass.

> > State Police running around with

> > Civil Defense survey meters looking for a trivial

> > Co-57 exempt quantity radiation

> > source [ a few micro-R at one foot] the police could

> > never have seen even if they

> > were standing on top of the source, while the Boston

> > Globe reported that anyone

> > handling this "cobalt radioactive source" could

> > suffer radiation sickness and

> > radiation burns!!!

> >

> > Also, as a general rule while using 4 letter

> > expletives [for what the deficient

> > reporting may resemble in content or odor]  may make

> > the writer feel better in

> > criticizing some example of biased news coverage, it

> > will only get the editor or

> > reporter [who will never ever correct their even

> > blatant error of fact],

> > irritated and your letter tossed, and especially an

> > e-mail instantly deleted.

> >

>

> =====

> -- John

> John Jacobus, MS

> Certified Health Physicist

> e-mail:  crispy_bird@yahoo.com

>

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