A Fun Exercise in Local Journalism: Putting KCBX News's Ethics to the Test
[Note: Greta
Mart is the news director at KCBX.]
Hello Greta,
Howya been? I hope all is well.
Hey, I'm just contacting you with this email because I think
you're about to have as much fun with it as I am. It's a great
exercise in journalism, so great, in fact, that I've decided to
publish this email on my blog, at this link:
Check it out. This email is already posted on my blog, even
before I hit the "send" button. Cool, huh?
This GREAT exercise in local journalism starts with a quote from
an email that you sent me about a month ago, where you write:
"... there is unambiguous separation between the news
and management departments at KCBX, our Central Coast coverage is
solely determined by myself and reported using professional and
ethical journalistic standards."
Here's where this gets fun: I'd like to put that take to the
test, and the reason I'd like to put that take to the test now, is
because I'm seeing some excellent local stories that KCBX News isn't
covering, and some of those stories involve KCBX itself, and not in a
good way, so, now I'm not so sure that this, "unambiguous
separation between the news and management departments at KCBX,"
is accurate, so, let's have some fun, and put that to the test.
Here's how:
About eight years ago, I exposed how KCBX
host, and then-SLO County Parks Commissioner, Rick Mathews, was
using his then-Saturday morning show, Freedom Jazz Dance, on
KCBX to promote political fundraisers for then-SLO County Supervisor,
Jim Patterson, the exact same person that appointed Rick to the SLO County Parks Commission, where Rick
then used that position to help funnel hundreds of thousands of public dollars to the SLO County
Botanical Garden, where he has professional ties through his business,
Madrone Landscapes, which is also a
sponsor of KCBX.
Those excellent posts are archived at these links:
Highly recommended reading.
[I've always loved that story, and, eight years out, it's
still a super-interesting, meaty, fun story. I'm enjoying
re-visiting it. (By the way, Debbie won
that election, which meant, come January 2013, no more Rick on the
SLO County Parks Commission, which meant he REEEELLY wanted Patterson
to win that election.)]
But, here's where this already-great-story gets even
better.
Shortly after I exposed that story, I made KCBX General Manager, Frank Lanzone, aware
of my initial post on the subject, and he wrote to me that Rick had
"broke an FCC rule" when he promoted those fundraisers over
the KCBX public air waves.
In fact, so egregious was Rick's FCC rules violation, that,
immediately after I exposed that great story, Rick was actually
forced -- repeat: forced! -- to announce on his next show a
fundraiser for Jim Patterson's challenger in the 2012 election, Debbie
Arnold.
Greta, think about this question for a moment. It's flat-out
great: Why did SLO County Supervisor, Jim Patterson's, appointed Parks
Commissioner, Rick Mathews, announce, on KCBX public radio, a
fundraising event for the candidate that is opposing the county
supervisor that appoints Rick to his Parks Commission seat?
I mean, huh?! On the face of it, that doesn't doesn't make
any sense.
Well, turns out, the answer to that great question is... uh,
well, great: He was forced to! By KCBX
management!
And, not only was he forced to make that announcement, but
there's also this delicious detail: Rick was ALSO forbidden --
repeat: forbidden! -- from announcing any more fundraising
events for his public office appointer, Jim Patterson.
Absolutely hilarious.
Now, I'm assuming that ALL of that direction -- where Rick was
forced to announce a fundraiser for Debbie Arnold, and
forbidden from announcing any more events for Jim Patterson
-- came from Frank. After all, he's the one that told me:
"The bottom line is Rick and KCBX made a mistake. We broke
an FCC rule. We will announce a fundraiser for Debbie's campaign on
one of Rick's upcoming shows. We owe her that air time. By
law."
So, Greta, here's where this excellent exercise in journalism
gets back to your quote, where you write:
"... there is unambiguous separation between the news
and management departments at KCBX, our Central Coast coverage is
solely determined by myself and reported using professional and
ethical journalistic standards."
I see that KCBX has a Board of Directors:
I have had this question for the past eight years: Did Frank
Lanzone ever make the KCBX Board of Directors aware of Rick's
egregious FCC violation, from March 2012?
I have a slight-journalistic-hunch that he didn't, and I would LOVE to resolve that slight hunch.
So, let's put that "unambiguous separation" to the
test: Please show me a document (some sort of KCBX BOD meeting
minutes, or something like that would be great) that shows that Frank
actually DID make the KCBX Board of Directors aware of Rick's FCC
violation.
If you email me a pdf file that shows that document --
knowing that I'm going to publish it on my blog, AND put it in its
excellent context -- then I'll report that this:
"... there is unambiguous separation between the news and
management departments at KCBX..."
... is solid.
I will also support your take if you notify me that KCBX does not
posses that document, which would actually support my
"slight-journalistic-hunch."
However, here's the dealio: If you don't (or can't) pull off
either one of those options, and just completely ignore this email, I
am going to report that this:
"... there is unambiguous separation between the news and
management departments at KCBX..."
... is not accurate.
See? Toldja this was gonna be a fun exercise in journalism.
So, again, here's the test (and it's a simple request): You send
me a simple, time-stamped, 1-page document that shows that
Frank actually DID make the KCBX BOD aware of Rick's egregious FCC
violation from March 2012, and I'll believe this:
"... there is unambiguous separation between the news and
management departments at KCBX... ."
I will also, on my blog, give KCBX News BIG credit for doing
either one of those two options that I've outlined above.
If not? Well, that's a different story entirely, isn't it?
If you have any questions -- and questions whatsoever involving
this email -- please just ask.
As always, much thanks,
Ron
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sewerwatch.blogspot.com
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posted by Ron at
10:35 AM
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