By Doug Porter
Facebook Post (Since deleted)
Nobody likes to hear bad news about people important in their lives. Lately a lot of folks have been piling on KPBS for its role in bringing accusers in the Mayor Filner harassment scandal to the forefront. But if you want to see some really mean coverage designed to denigrate, you need to move down the channel listings a bit.
Our local ABC affiliate, KGTVs 10News has sunk to a new low. They’ve published embarrassing photographs of a woman purported to be Mayor Filner’s press secretary taken at her bachelorette party last weekend in Las Vegas.
Reporter Itica Milanes tapped John Dadian, Republican political consultant to say church lady type things so the story had an air of authenticity. (An earlier version of the story incorrectly said Dadian had worked for Carl DeMaio)
Not long after the “story” was published an alert viewer captured a screenshot (since deleted) off Facebook posted by Derek Wixon bragging about how the young woman in the photo was coerced by a GOP dirty trickster into posing for the photo.
In case you had any doubt about the bias of the local news media and KGTV in particular, theis should resolve any doubts. Despite being told they were being gamed by a political operative, they’ve left the story up.
I strongly urge you to contact KGTV’s General Manager [jeff.block@10news.com] or News Director [ joel.davis@10news.com] or directly via their web page at http://www.10news.com/about/
UPDATE: The San Diego GOP’s “Private Investigator” Derrick Roach has chimed in on the comments on the story at channel 10, trying to keep the narrative on track for his bosses. Many people think it’s none of 10’s business what a young woman does in Las Vegas on a weekend. But not the very appropriately named Mr Roach:
Doug Porter
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Doug — in your desire to universally bash the local media, you ignored that no other publication in town has covered this non-story.
Additionally, on twitter, there are many members of the local press denouncing 10 News for this.
I think we now can clearly see your bias.
Ben – KOGO was all aflutter about this story during this morning’s drive time.
KOGO Morning Show
Doug and Ben:
I don’t read twitter, so this is the first I have heard of this story. I find it quite informative and pertinent. Thanks, Doug!
Thank you Doug and @SDFreePressorg, I do follow Twitter and would not have known about this story otherwise. @10newsMilanes or Itica Milanes should be fired and owners of ABC 10news, The EW Scripps Company @EWScrippsCo who prides themselves on being fair and unbiased hard news, should know how San Diegans feel about tabloid journalism. I’d like to think San Diego deserves better than Ms. Milanes.
The EW Scripps Co. Corporate Headquarters:
312 Walnut Street 2800
Scripps Center
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: 513-977-3000
Fax: 513-977-3090
http://www.scripps.com
I wear my bias as a badge of honor and never deny it. I’m PROUD of it. And, better than most, I’m HONEST about it. Sorry it took you so long to figure that out.
Just what I thought when I read that criticism of your bias. Poor guy does not know the difference between a news story and an editorial–but, then, neither does the media…
Doug —
Fair point. Nothing wrong with having a bias, just as long as you’re willing to report honestly & question your own bias when facts point the other way. In this case, I think you failed on both levels. The overwhelming attitude of the local press was that this was not appropriate.
Articles like this only harm your credibility.
Ben
Disagree.
Ben – I think you missed the point, my friend. The reason that the San Diego Free Press even exists – and we’ve been up for a year and some months – is because of the bias of the local print and TV news.
We highlight the forgotten neighborhoods of San Diego because they aren’t in the headlights of downtown developer and hotel interests. Plus we – proudly – as Doug puts it – give a progressive slant to the news and happenings around this cow-town. Why? Because it’s about time there’s an alternative to the daily drumbeat off of Papa Dougie’s agenda. The other Doug – the one who owns the monopoly daily.
Actually, it doesn’t. Quite the contrary, Ben. Publishing a clearly biased freak out piece about a woman in Vegas for her bachelorette party doing something that can be seen on any given Friday night in Downtown San Diego at pretty much any bar in the Gaslamp is so far beyond the pale that it demonstrates just how non-credible KGTV is as a source for news. I’ve seen far worse in some of the most conservative locales across the country, in particular the Midwest. Ever hear of “suck for a buck?”
What’s next? A staffer for a Democratic public official is not allowed to drink a beer in a public establishment, while Repub staffers have the A-OK to do whatever they want? I’m pretty sure there might be some pretty incriminating photos of Republican staffers doing some pretty “ethically questionable” things. But of course we’d never hear about them.
So, we have to call out the worst of the local print and TV news. And despite some of the goodness of some of their reporters, 10News has been after Filner since Day One of his election. Very undemocratic, too I must add. That’s small “d” Ben.
There must be a press that is gutsy enough to hold the government’s feet to the fire and at the same time expose who’s really pulling the strings in the city. Who is that man behind the curtain? It’s the role of the fourth estate, remember?
“To comfort the afflicted, and to afflict the comfortable” – believe that’s the wording?
Has to be more than just words – has to be a mandate, has to be lived, has to be DONE. Every day. By this, the media lives – or dies.
From Itica Milanes’ 10News post: ” While this behavior is not unusual at bachelorette parties, Dadian said public figures are held to a higher standard.”
Hmm, is that sort of like: While this kind of “reporting” is not unusual for sleaze tabloids, respectable journalists are held to a higher standard?
rak:
TOUCHÉ!
If ANCHORMAN has taught us anything, it’s that San Diego journalism has fallen from some lofty heights. 10 News is making Ron Burgandy look like Edward R. Morrow.
Yep, it’s Carl. Just got a robocall from Carl DeMaio (Tuesday 6:45 pm) saying he would be in La Jolla tomorrow so I could come and sign the petition to recall Mayor Filner. And I could get blank copies also if I wanted to circulate the petition. So here we go!
Judith, maybe he’ll throw in an autographed free copy of his best seller (not) Pathway to Prosperity!
Thank you so much for covering the stories MSM will not do. We are at the mercy of media monopolies who will only report what big money tells them to cover.
ABC 10news showing their true colors. A lot of people in the community have had contact with the lady in the picture and she is well liked. There will be a nice little backlash against 10news and people will not forget this.
BREAKING STORY!!
The latest sleaze ratings are out and TMZ has fallen in the rankings, being replaced by
TNZ (TenNewZ). You heard it here first!