2 posts tagged “investigative journalism”

I am all over the map today. Hang on.

Media as Tools

The Savannah Morning News ran a love letter to itself and other newspapers today.

Walter C. Jones attempts to make the case that it was good old fashioned, hardnosed, Woodward and Bernstein type journalism that got to the bottom of the Mark Sanford Mystery Tour.

“Mark Sanford might have finished out his tenure in office and mounted a stellar campaign for the White House without anyone learning of his extramarital affair, separation from his wife and lies to his staff and colleagues - if only tenacious newspaper reporters had not been on the job.”

Well thank GOD! I mean, really, we might have had a philanderer in the White House! The horror!

Beyond the dubious assumption that Sanford could have contended for national office, what Jones describes has nothing to do with Journalists doing their jobs. It is more about Journalists being used as tools for the political gain of Sanford’s rivals.

“The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C., had been probing into his behavior after receiving copies of romantic e-mails…”

“The paper's break came when alerted by Sanford's political enemies…”

“That story most likely generated the tip from an unknown individual that Sanford was returning to Atlanta on a flight from Argentina…”

So basically, what you’re saying is, the paper was led around by the nose and handed the story complete with email evidence to back it up? Where is the reporting in that? They simply went where the Governor’s enemies sent them and reported what they saw. There was no investigation.

There is no evidence that laws were broken, there is no evidence that the Governor lied to the public. So why is this news exactly?

He did lie to his employees but when did that become a crime? What Mark Sanford did is a sin but, then again, so is misplaced pride in oneself so perhaps SMN needs to say a few Hail Mary right along with the Governor.

Miley Gets a Break

I’m sure Miley Cyrus did not wish any harm on Michael Jackson but his death has resulted in a cessation of the STALK MILEY campaigns promoted by two local media outlets.

All news of the tween dropped from the local headlines on Friday and was replaced by “I once held the door open for Michael Jackson’s best friend’s playcousin” remembrances of the King of Pop.

These “We Miss Michael” stories are also not real news, but the Savannah Morning News and others  apparently feel they need to report something and there isn’t much actual news coming out about his death so they fill up the space with the pabulum.

And because nature abhors a vacuum some in the industry have found a way to combine the Miley/Michael stories into twisted rumors.

Media General’s worm has turned once again.

When last we reported on WSAV’s Deadbeat Dad, things were looking up.  Back in January the stock reached the peak of $3.45 a share it then dipped to a buck 25 in March but managed to climb back to near its 09 peak again in May then the bottom fell out again this month with a drop back down to a buck 88 in suspiciously high volume on Friday.

Of course all this looks like a midget jumping in the bottom of the ravine compared to the stocks highs of yesteryear. Oh to return to the good old days before Marshal “Morty” Morton pushed the company off the cliff of $60 a share with his winning strategy of “Everything BUT What We’re Good At!”.

Now we get word out of Tampa that the company is so strapped for cash its Florida Flagship put a Gay Bashing infomercial on in early prime. I think it is clear that they were simply not in a position to say no to the money. I guess we've moved on from the days when MG could refuse to run an ad simply because it included the sponsorship of a competitor. or when they could nitpick the ads of candidates and refuse what they see as attacks. Next they'll be advertising hard liquor and sex lines... oops.

I was planning to do a follow up on yesterday’s post last night after seeing the coverage WSAV did about their mistake.

I’m glad I waited because one of my fellow bloggers summed it up nicely.

Vallesfam wrote:

“Well, I just read Holly's story today about the couple and saw that it seems that WSAV initially raised suspicions about the whole "I'm preggers" thing.

That makes me a little less mad about the situation but not completely because all of those suspicions should have been raised before the first story!

 Journalism 101 right?

The next time someone calls and tells reporters they are dying of a tumor - ask for proof dammit! I mean, I'm just saying...”

I realize in the current climate of downsizing in big media that fewer people are asked to do more and more to the point that some things are bound to fall through the cracks through no fault of any single person.

I have to say that the report I saw about WSAV’s subsequent investigation of the quint woman was thorough and impressive. That the reporter immediately started asking tough questions and trying to get independent verification of the woman’s claims is, as Vallesfam said, “Journalism 101”.

I have to believe that the reporters' concerns were drowned out by the “needs of the day” meaning a producer had a show to fill and this oh so cute story about a really pregnant poor lady with a funny accent was all marketing could talk about, so a bold faced lie made it to air.

I will give credit though, if not for the WSAV and Island Packet/Beaufort Gazette reporters asking questions, I bet the Sheriff  would have never known about the scam.

Maybe such a public embarrassment will teach all news organizations a lesson, but I doubt it.

Addendum 11:55 am: The Beaufort Gazette actually apologized to their readers!!! The thing reads like they are trying to justify lying in print but hey, compared to the way the SMN does it and hardly ever corrects or admits their lies, the BG gets big kudos from me.