WAVE 3 TV - Louisville, KY - Runs Hit Piece on Michael Moore

[Roland99]

My local NBC affiliate has been running a hit piece on Michael Moore this week. Why, I really have no idea. It's ratings month, though, right?

The reporter, Eric Flack, isn't very well-liked in this town and now the station is running this "Special Report" that interviews people calling Moore a liar and works to debunk Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11 by showing the parts that Moore took out of context (which, admittedly, he has done that in a few parts). The "reporter" states he's tried to contact Moore by appearing at his "$2 million house" when Moore wasn't there and trying for a month to get a response via email.

It's a complete and utter character assassination piece! I really don't know how to word a letter to the station (which will be copied to the FCC and to Media Matters). I'm just dumbfounded that they've done this.

What I can't understand is:

1) How is this news?
2) Why is this worthy of a "Special Report"?



Part 1
Michael Moore's Hometown Feels Betrayed, Scorned
http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=2928401

Part 2
Some Say Michael Moore Omits Facts, Distorts Truth
http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=2934376

There's a link to the video clip there, too.


"Some say"...interesting phrasing. Anyone seen Outfoxed?


Online Reporter: Eric Flack
[e-mail]

Online Producer: Michael Dever
[e-mail]



WAVE 3 Television
725 S. Floyd Street
Louisville, KY 40203
502 585-2201 (main)
502 561-4115 (fax)

[DBoon]

1. So instead of taking things out of context

Michael Moore should have just made things up like the swift boat liars, thereby ensuring his credibility in their eyes?

[TryingToWarnYou]

4. I hate to break it to you but...

Both outright lying and representing facts taken out of context are both forms of dishonesty.

[bloom]

2. Maybe some right-wing think-tank is sponsoring it

or maybe he is trying to get their attention.

(Maybe he wants Gannon's job.)

[Roland99]

3. I've left a msg with the news director

They just started running the Noon news so I doubt I'll hear from him for a while...if I do

[tom_paine]

5. Moore is an Enemy of the PARTY, which means an Enemy of the State

in Bushevik eyes.

That alone justifies ANY action, up to and including murder, taken against him, in the eyes of Imperial Fellow-Travellers.

[Roland99]

6. This is the letter I wrote

Good afternoon.

First, I just want to say you have lost a long-time WAVE 3 viewer.

I am truly at a loss for words as to how WAVE 3 decided this "Special Report" needed to be done and broadcast during the week of Feb. 7, 2005. With the hypocrisy and deception being waged by the Bush administration (esp. now that news is out of the planted "reporter" James Guckert, aka Jeff Gannon, who had access to classified CIA documents), one would think WAVE 3 could actually produce a news segment that contained actual news! This "Special Report" had one motive, to defame Michael Moore. Even your headline of Part 2 of 2 "Some Say Michael Moore Omits Facts, Distorts Truth" is straight out of Roger Aile's FOX News playbook. The phrase "Some say" is a convenient way to interject opinion and subjectivity into what should be a completely objective newscast.

As it stands, WAVE 3 has fallen into lock-step with the right-wing propaganda machine and is proferring infotainment in lieu of news. WAVE 3 has become that which was decried by Jon Stewart in his recent interview on C-SPAN re: the paucity of responsibility in the media to hold our government and corporations accountable for their actions and their statements.

I realize this is ratings month but is the dollar held in higher esteem by WAVE 3 than the truth? From my viewpoint, that is most certainly the case. And it most certainly must be in violation of your FCC license to broadcast such blatant personal attacks.

Do you want to create a true "Special Report"? Why not focus on how the Bush administration has destroyed decades' worth of work by environmental groups and previous administrations in favor of corporate lobbyists? Or, how about working to uncover the propaganda being spread now about Iran. The same rhetoric that led to the unjust Iraq invasion is now being spread about Iran. Can you say, draft? How about a "Special Report" that hits home, focus on how developers in this area are dead-set on urban sprawl before the roadways are upgraded. Ever drive down KY 146 or KY 22 at rush hour?

Stop being a part of the problem with today's media and start being an actual *news* channel.

Regretfully yours,



I CC'ed:
[e-mail]
[e-mail] (WAVE 3 Parent Company)
[e-mail] (VP of Strategic Development)
[e-mail] (CEO)
[e-mail] (President)

[Roland99]

7. And the response received...

<removing personal email from reporter>

[Roland99]

8. And my reply to that.... :-)

Dear Eric,

While I agree that it is important to hold those in the public eye accountable, a simple matter of perspective is desperately needed. What was served by your character assassination piece? Not one thing. You're simply poking at the animal behind the bars and increasing animosity by revealing your right-wing bias.

You state the other party refused to answer your criticism. Why not take a moment to assess this from Michael Moore's viewpoint. You're a reporter for a small-town (yes, we're a small town) news station. Moore probably gets hundreds upon hundreds of requests, criticisms, etc. daily. He has people making actual movies attacking him personally. Do you honestly think he cares to give you one moment of his time? Tell me you're not that arrogant, please.

If you want to hold those in the public eye accountable, try to focus on those that actually influence our lives directly. Those people would be the ones that create legislation, enact that legislation, and rule on that legislation. It would also involve those who create products that we use everyday in our lives (food, vehicles, clothing, consumer electronics, etc.) It does not involve people that make films for Hollywood.

Keep the proper perspective and drop this vindictive, partisan bull****.

Yours,


P.S. Eric? I don't mean this in a mean vein but seriously consider investing in a spell-checker.