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TheBuzz Erika Engle |
Former lawmaker
decries dearth of
local news coverageINDIANA-based Emmis Communications Corp. owns two top-rated TV stations in Honolulu, controlling 50 percent of local TV newscasts. Rick Blangiardi, the company's Hawaii senior vice president, was honored this week by the U.S. Small Business Administration with a journalist-of-the-year award for expanded business coverage on both KHON-TV and KGMB-TV.
But all is not well with local news coverage, according to the observations of former state legislator Jim Shon, which were contained in a recent complaint letter to the Federal Communications Commission.
"One of the disturbing trends in local news is the lack of it. Specifically, several insiders are reporting a memo circulated to news departments telling them not to interview government or elected officials because surveys say it is boring," Shon wrote.
He questioned whether "the FCC is concerned about the obligations of local stations to report on public affairs. Today, most of the local news consists of traffic accidents, crime, weather and sports."
Shon told TheBuzz, "If I compare my experience when I was a legislator, which ended in 1996, the amount of coverage that the Legislature got was enormous compared to now."
Blangiardi and Mike Rosenberg, president of local ABC affiliate KITV, vehemently disagreed with Shon's assertions. Blangiardi said he knew nothing about the memo referenced by Shon. The memo did not originate from KITV, said Rosenberg.
KHNL and KFVE-TV General Manager John Fink could not be reached for comment.
"Personally, I resent the criticism. It's uninformed, unfair and biased," Blangiardi said. "No day is perfect in our business but we do sincerely endeavor to cover the news of the day."
Both KHON and KGMB had crews on hand after 11 p.m. Wednesday night when the Hawaii State Teachers Association contract settlement was reached, Blangiardi said.
"We have pulled away from just covering meetings with a bunch of people sitting around a table, but we certainly are covering all the poignant political and public issues when appropriate," Blangiardi said.
"Our local newscast is not a forum for elected officials to show everybody they come to work each day."
The term BOPSA, for a bunch of people sitting around, was said to have been used in the memo.
KITV government reporter Denby Fawcett "has probably done stories from the Legislature just about every day it's been in session," Rosenberg said. The station's news also covers City Hall on a regular basis, he said.
"What we do when we talk about a bill is talk to the people the legislation is affecting," Rosenberg said. "This is not less of an effort on our part; it's more of an effort."
Corporately, New York-based Hearst-Argyle Television Inc., which owns KITV, has been lauded by the Alliance for Better Broadcasting for its political coverage during election seasons.
War coverage pulled
Meanwhile, television viewers in at least two of the top 50 U.S. markets will be denied access to tonight's "Nightline" tribute to fallen U.S. soldiers in Iraq.Maryland-based Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., which owns eight ABC affiliates among its 62 stations across 39 markets, has prohibited the stations from airing the show, accusing ABC News of trying to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq.
ABC News issued a statement denying any political or ratings motivation, describing the broadcast as an expression of respect.
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Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at: eengle@starbulletin.com