by George Nagy on Thursday, October 25, 2012
I
did some research and there seems to be a 'news blackout' in L.A.
folks. There was a huge local story that went completely ignored by all
the local media-unless you count examiner.com. I know why it was ignored, but more on that later...
You know the L.A. City Council-the one ALL local tax payers fund to do our business. Well did you know that the L.A. City Council unanimously ENDORSED Prop 37!? Well, you may have-but only if you saw it on the Examiner or heard it from a friend or one of the Yes on 37 proponents. That's the point-news that big should be in the paper of record and shown on local news! The L.A. Times ran a Prop 37 story the same day & couldn't even be bothered to MENTION IT! Of course they editorialized against the initiative, and certainly any endeavor in the state absolutely can't have their 'endorsement' taken seriously when they're compromised due to their status as a commercial publication, sorry Charlie...
Now when a story breaks that affects 000000.1 percent or less of the Los Angeles population (inner family murder, hit-and-run driver, and you know, major stories like a star's scandal) you'll see these headlining. When the L.A. City council decides to take a ground-breaking stand on an issue as big as a food labeling law-an issue that affects every person in L.A., and reverberates nation wide, you'd think it would merit at least a couple paragraphs in the L.A. Times, on the TV news channel's websites, and 2 minute's worth of TV news coverage, but sadly, no-not a peep. How could this be? Well, either REAL news has been cancelled, or someone in management made a 'marketing decision.' e.g., the political ads being paid for by the foes of Yes on 37. Those for Prop 37 can't hope to compete when the anti-choice advocates are spending about $1,000,000 a day, ergo, 'news blackout' for any story that has a positive spin for concerned consumers. This is pathetic because IT'S ELECTION TIME! Firstly, the initiative's opponents are not going to stop making media buys ANYWHERE, it doesn't matter if you piss 'em off printing/showing anybody's endorsement-they will STILL buy time because they can't afford not to saturate EVERY market! And even if they didn't, it's friggin' Christmas for media salesmen right now, these guys have campaigns that can't give you money fast enough! What the hell's your problem?
As an American, a citizen, an Angeleno, and a TV news reader/viewer, I'm upset and disgusted that the major local news outlets decided this wasn't news. I mean, I know it's a business-but that business is SUPPOSED to be keeping us 'informed' is it not? (Stop laughing.) Shouldn't they at least try to keep their flimsy scam and not be such blatant, cynical sellouts? They've obviously decided to call a blackout on any story that sheds the tiniest bit of positive light on a proposition thats ONLY reason for being is to give every Californian the right to know what's in our food.
You know, with all the nationwide hubbub about Prop 37, you'd think that the major media chains in L.A. would have done a lot of stories on the initiative-but you'd be wrong. As of 6:00 AM today, this is the count since 9/15:
ABC Los Angeles: 1 video story. (Obvious anti-37 bias.)
CBS Los Angeles: 1 video story, 1 "Get The Facts" page. (Both obvious anti-37 bias.)
KTLA Los Angeles: 1 Video story. (Obvious anti-37 bias).
L.A. Times: I count 5 stories, 1 OP-ED, 1 "No on 37" editorial.
And the winner for Golden Raspberry for local political coverage: IT'S A TIE!
KTTV Los Angeles and NBC Los Angeles: 0, nada, bupkiss! (At least no bias.)
In my over 4 decades as an Angeleno, I have easily never seen such blatant disregard for civil issues and our right to know important information at the hands of so-called "news people." A few of the news stations had enough time to do a heart-warming story on Orange County Quintuplets last night, and of course since all of us in L.A. know the family personally, this is a far more important story than a major victory for truth-in-labeling advocates! Look, the news divisions are taking sides. I can't make it any more plain. They wouldn't publicize the council vote because it was UNANIMOUS. There would be no member available to give an anti-37 soundbite. They have no interest in us being informed about real issues-hey everybody look, their goes that whacky LiLo, she so crazy! Whaddya' say? Let's all forget about this nutty labeling thing and follow her around till her next car wreck... What? Oh, nothing, pay no attention to that news editor behind the curtain ignoring boring sociopolitical issues affecting us all-you don't need to hear about that, there's no bleeding or craziness going on in that stuff!
C'mon news people, shouldn't we be advised of this story since it is a legitimate one when you realize it's not often that the L.A. City Council votes unanimously to support ANY measure-let alone THIS one with such wide-reaching ramifications? Throw us a frickin' bone here, especially after the voices for truth are being drowned in a sea of chemical-infused money fueling untoward fear, multiple distortions of facts, and plain lies.
Well, what can we do G.J.? I'm glad you asked me that true believer. I'd love nothing more than if you went to your window, opened it up & screamed: "Enough with the bull2'#!t, I want the truth, I can handle the truth, I'm not an imbecile, I know when I'm being lied to, and I know you're hiding the truth from me! Enough with the 'infotainment.' Screw Pennacchio and his weak Disney pimpin' jive, GIVE ME THE NEWS!"............
Yeah, I didn't think you were gonna' do that-but it felt good to get that out anyway. But seriously folks, if you care about this, please call & write your local assignment editors, news managers, or producers-studio janitors if you have to. Let them know-politely-you're 'mad as hell' because they ignored the big unanimous council vote on Prop 37. Tell them in no uncertain terms you're viewership is in jeopardy if they don't give a NON-NEGATIVE 2 minutes on the council vote-without any naysayers to spin it, and to stop with the anti-bias. Explain in your own words why well-balanced coverage of Prop 37 is very important to you and your family. Call them daily. If you can't do any of that, constantly post on their Facebook/Twitter pages. Ask them when they plan on telling their audience-100% of which eat food incidentally-that the L.A. Council voted unanimously in favor of endorsing Prop 37. C'mon, lets make it a game, see if we can shame them into covering some real news for a change, whaddaya' say?
IF YOU CALL:
Be courteous: Don't call within 90 minutes of a broadcast. Ask if they're busy with breaking news or on deadline, and if the answer is yes simply say you'll call back later & hang-up.
Be quick and concise: "I watch your news show all the time, do you have a minute?" Etc.
Be polite: I can't emphasize it enough. If you come off as a zealot, you get lumped in the 'kooky' can, and ignored. Thanks, good luck, Godspeed and GO PROP 37!
KABC: (818) 863-7777 http://abc7.com https://twitter.com/ABC7
KCBS-KCAL: (323) 460-3316 http://www.cbs2.com https://twitter.com/KCBSKCALDesk
KNBC: (310) 520-8477 http://www.nbcla.com https://twitter.com/nbcla http://www.facebook.com/NBCLA?ref=ts&fref=ts
KTLA: (323) 460-5333 http://www.ktla.com https://twitter.com/KTLAnewsdesk
FOXLA: (310) 584-2025 http://www.myfoxla.com https://twitter.com/myfoxla
Don't forget to donate. http://www.carighttoknow.org/
We REALLY need dollars and dialers, here's why: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-prop37-food-poll-20121024,0,2778912.story
You know the L.A. City Council-the one ALL local tax payers fund to do our business. Well did you know that the L.A. City Council unanimously ENDORSED Prop 37!? Well, you may have-but only if you saw it on the Examiner or heard it from a friend or one of the Yes on 37 proponents. That's the point-news that big should be in the paper of record and shown on local news! The L.A. Times ran a Prop 37 story the same day & couldn't even be bothered to MENTION IT! Of course they editorialized against the initiative, and certainly any endeavor in the state absolutely can't have their 'endorsement' taken seriously when they're compromised due to their status as a commercial publication, sorry Charlie...
Now when a story breaks that affects 000000.1 percent or less of the Los Angeles population (inner family murder, hit-and-run driver, and you know, major stories like a star's scandal) you'll see these headlining. When the L.A. City council decides to take a ground-breaking stand on an issue as big as a food labeling law-an issue that affects every person in L.A., and reverberates nation wide, you'd think it would merit at least a couple paragraphs in the L.A. Times, on the TV news channel's websites, and 2 minute's worth of TV news coverage, but sadly, no-not a peep. How could this be? Well, either REAL news has been cancelled, or someone in management made a 'marketing decision.' e.g., the political ads being paid for by the foes of Yes on 37. Those for Prop 37 can't hope to compete when the anti-choice advocates are spending about $1,000,000 a day, ergo, 'news blackout' for any story that has a positive spin for concerned consumers. This is pathetic because IT'S ELECTION TIME! Firstly, the initiative's opponents are not going to stop making media buys ANYWHERE, it doesn't matter if you piss 'em off printing/showing anybody's endorsement-they will STILL buy time because they can't afford not to saturate EVERY market! And even if they didn't, it's friggin' Christmas for media salesmen right now, these guys have campaigns that can't give you money fast enough! What the hell's your problem?
As an American, a citizen, an Angeleno, and a TV news reader/viewer, I'm upset and disgusted that the major local news outlets decided this wasn't news. I mean, I know it's a business-but that business is SUPPOSED to be keeping us 'informed' is it not? (Stop laughing.) Shouldn't they at least try to keep their flimsy scam and not be such blatant, cynical sellouts? They've obviously decided to call a blackout on any story that sheds the tiniest bit of positive light on a proposition thats ONLY reason for being is to give every Californian the right to know what's in our food.
You know, with all the nationwide hubbub about Prop 37, you'd think that the major media chains in L.A. would have done a lot of stories on the initiative-but you'd be wrong. As of 6:00 AM today, this is the count since 9/15:
ABC Los Angeles: 1 video story. (Obvious anti-37 bias.)
CBS Los Angeles: 1 video story, 1 "Get The Facts" page. (Both obvious anti-37 bias.)
KTLA Los Angeles: 1 Video story. (Obvious anti-37 bias).
L.A. Times: I count 5 stories, 1 OP-ED, 1 "No on 37" editorial.
And the winner for Golden Raspberry for local political coverage: IT'S A TIE!
In my over 4 decades as an Angeleno, I have easily never seen such blatant disregard for civil issues and our right to know important information at the hands of so-called "news people." A few of the news stations had enough time to do a heart-warming story on Orange County Quintuplets last night, and of course since all of us in L.A. know the family personally, this is a far more important story than a major victory for truth-in-labeling advocates! Look, the news divisions are taking sides. I can't make it any more plain. They wouldn't publicize the council vote because it was UNANIMOUS. There would be no member available to give an anti-37 soundbite. They have no interest in us being informed about real issues-hey everybody look, their goes that whacky LiLo, she so crazy! Whaddya' say? Let's all forget about this nutty labeling thing and follow her around till her next car wreck... What? Oh, nothing, pay no attention to that news editor behind the curtain ignoring boring sociopolitical issues affecting us all-you don't need to hear about that, there's no bleeding or craziness going on in that stuff!
C'mon news people, shouldn't we be advised of this story since it is a legitimate one when you realize it's not often that the L.A. City Council votes unanimously to support ANY measure-let alone THIS one with such wide-reaching ramifications? Throw us a frickin' bone here, especially after the voices for truth are being drowned in a sea of chemical-infused money fueling untoward fear, multiple distortions of facts, and plain lies.
Well, what can we do G.J.? I'm glad you asked me that true believer. I'd love nothing more than if you went to your window, opened it up & screamed: "Enough with the bull2'#!t, I want the truth, I can handle the truth, I'm not an imbecile, I know when I'm being lied to, and I know you're hiding the truth from me! Enough with the 'infotainment.' Screw Pennacchio and his weak Disney pimpin' jive, GIVE ME THE NEWS!"............
Yeah, I didn't think you were gonna' do that-but it felt good to get that out anyway. But seriously folks, if you care about this, please call & write your local assignment editors, news managers, or producers-studio janitors if you have to. Let them know-politely-you're 'mad as hell' because they ignored the big unanimous council vote on Prop 37. Tell them in no uncertain terms you're viewership is in jeopardy if they don't give a NON-NEGATIVE 2 minutes on the council vote-without any naysayers to spin it, and to stop with the anti-bias. Explain in your own words why well-balanced coverage of Prop 37 is very important to you and your family. Call them daily. If you can't do any of that, constantly post on their Facebook/Twitter pages. Ask them when they plan on telling their audience-100% of which eat food incidentally-that the L.A. Council voted unanimously in favor of endorsing Prop 37. C'mon, lets make it a game, see if we can shame them into covering some real news for a change, whaddaya' say?
IF YOU CALL:
Be courteous: Don't call within 90 minutes of a broadcast. Ask if they're busy with breaking news or on deadline, and if the answer is yes simply say you'll call back later & hang-up.
Be quick and concise: "I watch your news show all the time, do you have a minute?" Etc.
Be polite: I can't emphasize it enough. If you come off as a zealot, you get lumped in the 'kooky' can, and ignored. Thanks, good luck, Godspeed and GO PROP 37!
KABC: (818) 863-7777 http://abc7.com https://twitter.com/ABC7
KCBS-KCAL: (323) 460-3316 http://www.cbs2.com https://twitter.com/KCBSKCALDesk
KNBC: (310) 520-8477 http://www.nbcla.com https://twitter.com/nbcla http://www.facebook.com/NBCLA?ref=ts&fref=ts
KTLA: (323) 460-5333 http://www.ktla.com https://twitter.com/KTLAnewsdesk
FOXLA: (310) 584-2025 http://www.myfoxla.com https://twitter.com/myfoxla
Don't forget to donate. http://www.carighttoknow.org/
We REALLY need dollars and dialers, here's why: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-prop37-food-poll-20121024,0,2778912.story
