VNR follow-up
Here's what WNEP news director Dennis Fisher had to say about the video news release scandal.
Take it as you will. It doesn't sound like WNEP will be discussing the matter further, so I'll leave it to you.
On February 22, 2006, Newswatch 16 mistakenly used text and video from a public relations firm without disclosing the source. The story concerned a New England Journal of Medicine study of the dietary supplements Glucosamine and Chondroitin. A related story appeared on WNEP.com.
The material came from a Video News Release, or VNR, produced by MultiVu, a public relations firm hired by a company that makes and sells dietary supplements. Our reporter thought the material was from the New England Journal of Medicine. She made an honest mistake.
Our policy requires us to disclose the source of the materials we use in our news reports, and to properly attribute everything. In this case, we failed to do that.
We have a duty to our viewers to present the news accurately and fairly, and to properly attribute the sources of all the materials that go into our reports. We take that responsibility very seriously, and we recognize our error. We sincerely apologize to our viewers.
Dennis Fisher
WNEP-TV News Director
Take it as you will. It doesn't sound like WNEP will be discussing the matter further, so I'll leave it to you.
posted by Howard Beale at 2:21 PM
21 Comments:
coughbullshitcough
Do you really think a slip up such as this VNR episode will stop WNEP from racking the crap out of BRE and YOU? Don't think so. Joe continually crosses the line...other nightside anchors stumble through scripts and yet...WNEP is king. Call me crazy...but don't even waste the oxygen thinking it's going to cost the BIG 16.
If the Jim Renick/Keith Taylor episodes didn't hurt 16, this sure won't. Especially after Fisher's wussy mea culpa. 28 could've made real headway after the Renick story but they went a little too easy.
Someone's gotta take the fall. Jill might well end up as executive producer in charge of Hatchy Milatchy archives.
From post 5:44pm: "Joe continually crosses the line.."
Joe who?
I don't think this will have any effect on WNEP ratings. I do think Dennis Fisher muddied the issue. Based on his explanation, WNEP will run VNR's. We're just assured that the handouts will be identified. There's nothing in his statement that says the accuracy and fairness of any VNR will be checked by managers or reporters. Just what television needs, another news director who wants to fill the hole and doesn't care how.
She is a minority, female, and over 50. And I mean absolutely no disrespect by any of the above; facts are facts. Do you really think they are going to mess with her? There are attorneys out there who'd drool in their lager at the very thought of that civil suit. I'd say a million plus would be a slam dunk, without ever getting near a court room.
If they're going to "scapegoat" someone, Ms. Garrett would be a very poor choice. If she blundered, all well and good, an apology should suffice.
Forgive my ignorance, but who is Keith Taylor?
Joe who? Snedeker! C'mon, he's 16's franchise player. More widely known than even their anchors.
And as far as becoming executive producer in charge of Hatchy Milatchy archives, that sounds like a dream come true. I'd sign up in a second.
If the comments on WNEP's message board are any indication, the viewers don't care about the VNR scandal. Either they didn't notice the fake news, or they don't care about it, because hey, "I LOVE ANYTHING WNEP DOES!!@!"
I'd like to think there are intelligent people watching local news. But it seems the majority of them would be happy with a newscast full of video news releases, as long as Ryan Leckey was anchoring.
People can be such dumbasses.
In the end it all boils down to why channel 16 is the viewers choice.
Late 60's, early 70's WNEP decided to depart from what viewers saw on all three local stations at news time, namely the bland blue or gray background with a guy with a haircut and a suit reading the news. Cut to commercial, come back, the sports guy is sitting in the same chair.
WNEP attempted a big-market look and style. Interesting set and Gary Essex's helmet hair-do and toothy grin. And like a baby duck imprints "mother" on the first thing it sees of any interest, 16 took the lead by default and the mold was set.
It's by far more about what happened 35 years ago then what it is today.
The only way WBRE and WYOU will ever beat WNEP will require WNEP closing it's doors and going out of business.
WNEP also broke the mold by covering things outside of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area, while their competitors were sticking to the metro area. To this day, many people still see WBRE as "the Wilkes-Barre station" and WYOU as "the Scranton station." Both stations have tried to expand outward into the market (i.e. Williamsport and the Poconos), but it was too little, too late.
That, and the people who watch WNEP tend to care more about familiar faces and good looks, than they do about solid reporting. The VNR scandal only proves that. Nobody gives a shit that "The News Station" ran what amounted to fake news, but if Ryan Leckey sits in the anchor seat, Talkback 16's message board collectively swoons.
As I posted under the initial VNR thread: Ship Ryan Leckey to 22/28 and he is forgotten. Viewers don't follow him, station doesn't use him in non-TV appearances, and whomever takes his spot becomes the "it" guy.
J. Riley
Howard: I never expected that many viewers to care about the VNR's, but what do staffers have to say? Hey WNEP people, are you okay with running unchecked information and the video from a VNR? Your news director is (with attribution). What happened to integrity and quality control at WNEP?
It's by far more about what happened 35 years ago then what it is today.
That is without doubt the most profound statement made to date on this blog. You can write paragraph after paragraph about WNEP and their runaway and forever success, but that statement says it all. Then Howard added what might be the second most profound statement to date.
To this day, many people still see WBRE as "the Wilkes-Barre station" and WYOU as "the Scranton station."
The "Great Divide" between the two major cities and counties in this market remains, it's as wide as it was 30-40-50 years ago. If that gap ever narrows, it'll be decades from now.
RYan Leckey....HAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HA
HA
Ryan Leckey seems like a nice guy, but a little bit too "fake" for the news junkies.
As far as the idiots who sit at home every night and, unfortunately, pay our bills, they love him because they don't know the whole story... he's a Guy Smiley prototype. Like the last guy wrote-- hahahahahahahahaha !
I also remember Wnep being helped as all ABC stations and the network itself was the the Olypmics.
NEP was also the first to start shooting video tape instead of film, which changed the way the news looked. WYOU was still using film into the later part of the 70's....
16 may have also been the first in the area with live trucks....they just seemed to be first with all the toys...
Let's get beyond all of this and begin a real discussion.
Since somebody wrote about the puppy dog theory and reporting in another post...
Who are the lead reporters in this market? Who are the reporters who leave competitors in a tailspin? Who can turn a hot piece and deliver when pinched and under-the-gun? Who can connect with those who could give a flying shit at-home and just watching?
I'm inclined to separate sexes here, but won't. Beales, maybe you could put this in an individual column (only a suggestion).
Let's get a good list going...
WBRE was first with live trucks. There's a shooter still with them who can make that claim to fame.
YOU ARE ALL MISSING THE POINT. AS A LONG TIME INSIDER AT WNEP, I CAN TELL YOU THAT SINCE THE THE "NYTSR" TOOK OVER, IT IS ABOUT THE POLITBUREAU WHO RUNS THE PLACE. IF YOU ARE JUST A COMRADE AT THE REPUBLIC, YOU ARE TREATED TO A POTATO A DAY AND A ROLL OF TOILET PAPER A MONTH. THE FLAT FACED WEASEL WAS BROUGHT IN AS A HATCHET MAN, AND HE IS DOING A GREAT JOB OF CHOPPING DOWN THE TREE. A PERSON WROTE, "ALL HE CARES ABOUT IS FILLING HOLES WITH ANYTHING, EVEN IF IT IS FAKE NEWS." THIS WRITER HAS NO IDEA HOW RIGHT HE OR SHE IS. WITH THE ADDITION OF THE 7 O"CLOCK REPEAT OF OLD RE-HASHED NEWS, MORE STORIES HAVE TO BE INVENTED THAN EVER BEFORE. WATCH IT ONCE, IF YOU CAN STAY AWAKE THROUGH THE DRONING OF THE ANCHORS TRYING HARD TO MAKE IT "DIFFERENT." WE AT THE STATION ARE WAITING FOR THE 4:00 AND
7:30 ADDITIONS OF REVENUE BOOSTERS, SINCE THAT IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT. NO ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, JUST MORE WHIPS, WEILDED BY KIRCHEN AND FISHER, ON THE BACKS OF THE GOOD COMRADES AT THE "NEW YORK TIMES SOCIALIST REPUBLIC." ...AND WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG, THE INVESTIGATION STARTS AS ALL THE MANAGERS GATHER TO SEE WHO THEY CAN BEAT INTO SUBMISSION TO EITHER TAKE THE BLAME OR RAT ON SOMEONE ELSE (INNOCENT OR NOT)TO BE BLAMED FOR MANAGEMENTS IDIOTIC DECISIONS TO KEEP ADDING WAYS TO FORCE THE WORKFORCE TO SPREAD THEMSELVES THINNER, THUS CAUSING A DISASTER TO ONCE AGAIN BE DEALT WITH. THIS IS WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE. IT IS NOT THE HAPPY LITTLE CLARK WEATHER FAMILY AND ALL THEIR LITTLE COUSINS YOU ARE LED TO BELIEVE 16 IS.
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