Front Page - Mailbag - Support DCRTV - DCRTV Plus + "Da Judge"! NewsCourt@gmail.com DCRTV introduces a new feature: NEWS COURT. From time to time, we’ll critique the journalistic quality (or lack thereof) of Washington’s newspapers, television and radio stations. We’re on the lookout for sloppy journalism: bad writing, bad production quality, corner-cutting, blown opportunities, unjustified egos, news judgment determined by bare bones budgets and a love for low hanging fruit – and driven home by poorly trained, poorly paid, frantic deadline driven sausage factory employees. To be fair, we’ll mention good things from time to time. Why focus on train wreck journalism? It’s not news when a plane lands safely, now is it? But a crash – that’s news. We feel the same way about journalism itself. If you do it right, a job well done is your reward. If not – NEWS COURT is in session. The court accepts all evidence: air checks, clips, anecdotes. NewsCourt@gmail.com. latest items listed first 4/14 - NEWS COURT IS IN SESSION Episode 2: The Case of the Ego-Driven Mom, Charles Kuralt and the Tricycle Principle The Easter Egg Roll is a wonderful White House tradition. Dating back to 1878, when Chester Arthur was president (Larry King: “I remember it well”), kids frolick on the South Lawn, engaging in various contests, most of which involve pushing unhatched chicken embryos across the lush grounds with a big wooden spoon. It’s quite the spectacle and for an excited television reporter, an opportunity to do a colorful little piece showing cute kids and bunnies and maybe the President himself. Which brings us to channel 5’s Beth Parker. News Court has obtained evidence that Parker, a Fox 5 veteran, was dispatched to do a story on yesterday’s Egg Roll – and used it as an occasion to put her own daughter in the piece. Gratuitous use of yourself – using a family member as a proxy – is a violation. Ms. Parker: when you use your little girl (she is very adorable, News Court admits) in a story and claim it’s about her, it’s really about you, isn’t it? Some 30,000 people attended yesterday’s event – you should have focused on someone else’s child, not your own. VERDICT: GUILTY! OF VIOLATING THE KURALT RULE. The Kuralt rule, named for the late, great CBS correspondent, is described in this excerpt of “On Reporting.” We’ll let the master himself explain, using his famous “Tricycle Principle”: Well, one time the cameraman with whom I've worked all these years, Izzy Bleckman, and I were in his room at the Holiday Inn somewhere, I can't remember where, watching the local evening news as we frequently did before going out to supper. And there was a story on there about a children's tricycle race. It was a very appealing story about youngsters peddling away, trying to go fast. And as we watched, Izzy said, "You know, before this story's over, that guy is going to ride a tricycle. That reporter." And I said, "No, he wouldn't! It would just ruin it! It would turn an attractive story into a kind of joke." And we watched. And sure enough, at the end, the camera was close up, and this guy says, "Joe Dokes, Eyewitness News," and the camera widened, and he was on a child's trike, and he turned and peddled awkwardly away. And Izzy and I just looked at each other. And there was born the tricycle principle, which is very simple for a reporter. And it is simply, where possible, don't ride the tricycle. Keep yourself out of the story. The people who are watching it are not interested in you, they're interested in this tricycle race and these cute children. That is a principle that is violated more than ever, it seems to me. I understand why it is. Our young reporters want to get themselves on the air, they want to be part of the story, if possible. I think that's just the wrong way to do it. I think one should leave oneself out of the story. In my "On the Road" stories, I frequently didn't even appear. I tried not to appear, and if I did appear it was for some good reason. Mainly that the story wouldn't work as well without a little on-camera piece. NEWS COURT IS ADJOURNED. 4/13 - NEWS COURT IS IN SESSION: Case #1: “The Case of the Vexed VA Vixen.” We’ve been following the saga of that young kid at WAMU Radio, David Schultz, who ran into an overzealous flack at the Veteran’s Administration, Gloria Hairston and…well, you know how that went down. News Court levels the following charges: WAMU News Director Jim Asendio: weakness by buckling in to government thugs, namely, Ms. Hairston (who we hope is administratively punished for her out of line behavior). Asendio: defend your troops in the field. VERDICT: GUILTY! OF WEAKNESS. WAMU Reporter David Schultz: you haven’t been trained very well and need to stand your ground in a situation like that. Maybe the cops would have tossed you in jail for a few hours, so what? Going to the clink can be a real career booster. VERDICT: GUILTY! OF A MISSED OPPORTUNITY. WAMU itself, led by Mark McDonald, has a major budget crunch and can’t afford to hire more experienced journalists who would have been quicker on their feet in a situation like this. McDonald: Hire kids and this is what you get. VERDICT: GUILTY! OF BEING PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH. WTOP’s Mark Segraves: trying to ride the coattails of a high-profile story that he had absolutely nothing to do with. The court is not impressed with the cynical self-promotion of yourself as some kind of First Amendment Vicar. VERDICT: GUILTY! OF SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION. NEWS COURT IS ADJOURNED. We can be reached at: NewsCourt@gmail.com This page is produced by an independent DCRTVer. While DCRTV Dave does edit the page, he does not produce the content.