Group Wants MSNBC to Stop Airing Sex Slaves

/

A group is asking MSNBC to cancel the show "Sex Slaves in America".

Several organizations that advocate on behalf of both sex workers and survivors of trafficking have written a letter to MSNBC, urging them to cancel the show, saying it “exploits those in the sex trade” and misleads the viewing public about the realities of both sex work and trafficking. MSNBC previously cancelled a show called Slave Hunter that sounded even worse.

The Sex Slaves series has been running since 2013. The letter, which you can read in full here, is signed by the Sex Workers Project, the New York Anti-Trafficking Network, Freedom Network, Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive, and Florrie Burke, a longtime human rights advocate who specializes in combating trafficking. 

The organizations say that Sex Slaves in America sensationalizes (would a TV network really do that?) a sensitive, complicated subject:

The reasons why someone may engage in sex work can include choice, circumstance, and coercion. A dearth of economic opportunity, marginalization, and the inability to access basic resources can contribute to a person’s involvement in the sex trade. Especially for youth, the lack of resources such as safe housing, living wage employment, and education can create situations where engaging in sex work is one of few options. This show addresses none of these factors and instead promotes stigma, shame, and ignorance around sex work and human trafficking, turning a complicated and nuanced reality into public spectacle. 

They write that they’re particularly concerned with the way it seems to conflate sex work and human trafficking, and that it could compromise the anonymity of the women it films. Segments on the program’s Facebook page frequently show the faces of the women being arrested.

MSNBC has not commented on the letter. 

H/T Jezebel 

Miss USA Goes Low in the Ratings

/

The ratings for Donald Trumps Miss USA pageant were down dramatically.

Both NBC and Univision dropped the beauty contest after Trump made some derogatory comments about Mexican immigrants.

Trump took his pageant to the Reelz Channel and the ratings sucked. 

 fewer than a million television viewers watched Miss USA which was down dramatically from the 5.6 million people who watched Miss USA on NBC last year.

Olivia Jordan of Oklahoma was crowned Miss USA.

Look for her to be anchoring news soon on a Channel near you. 

Reporter Caught on Camera Kissing Sports Celebrity

/

Is it OK for a TV Reporter to be kissing a sports celebrity in the middle of her stand up?

KSWB (San Diego) Reporter Misha DiBono did just that as she fawned all over the sports star and kissed him.

Let's go to the video:

AMERICAN PHAROAH!! In Del Mar!!! and I get some kisses!

Posted by Misha DiBono on Tuesday, July 14, 2015

AM Raleigh Anchor moves to PM Raleigh Anchor

/

WRAL Morning Anchor Lynda Loveland can throw away the alarm clock, she's leaving the morning shift. 

Loveland is being bumped up to the evening shift to sit alongside Gerald Owens for WRAL News on Fox 50 at 4 and 10 p.m. and WRAL’s 5:30 p.m. news.

Loveland worked in the WRAL newsroom for 10 years before leaving the anchor desk for a morning drive radio spot on WRAL-FM.

After 5 years in radio, Loveland returned to TV and mornings at WRAL.

She is replacing Jackie Hyland, who left the station in June.

H/T TVNewsCheck

New GM Named at Texas Station

/

Sinclair has named a new GM at KVII and KVIH in Amarillo. 

Laura Wolf is the stations new General Manager, coming from KHQA in Quincy, Ill.

“With over 20 years of experience in broadcast sales and management, we are excited to have Laura leading the team in Amarillo,” said Steve Pruett, co-chief operating officer of the television group for Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., which owns KVII. “In her previous positions, Laura was a team leader, empowering her staff to work toward increasing ratings and revenues, while making an impact on the community.”

Last month, Wolf succeeded Thom Pritz, who left KVII in May after eight years with the station. KVII News Director Ryan Hazelwood and Business Manager Jacqueline Henderson declined to comment on the circumstances of Pritz’s departure Tuesday.

“I am ecstatic about the opportunity to lead the KVII team in the Texas Panhandle and return to my home state of Texas,” Wolf said. “With the Sinclair team’s depth and breadth of experience, we look forward to serving the Panhandle with not only engaging and informative news content, but also providing multimedia solutions for our advertisers in both television and digital media.”

H/T Amarillo.com

Longtime Greenville Anchor Leaving TV News

/

After 15 years, WYFF (Greenville) Anchor Beth Brotherton is signing off from the station and from TV news completely. 

Brotherton took to Facebook to tell viewers she is quitting TV news. 

She writes: "I am leaving WYFF. This icon of a TV station has been my home and my family for 15 years. I was 24 years old, unmarried, childless and idealistic when I began here. Now, I'm breathing down the neck of 40, have three beautiful boys and am a bit more of a realist."

As to her plans? Brotherton writes, "An opportunity has come along that is simply too perfect to pass up. I've accepted a job with the Greenville County School District. I'll be a spokesperson both on-camera and in the community and I'll be working with schools to help get good news out. The job will give me the chance to sleep past 2am, eat breakfast with my children and share their school vacations. It is a gift."

Now We Know Why it's Called The Five

/

I always thought that Fox News named the show "The Five", because it aired at 5PM. 

But, now I see the real reason for the name. Geraldo almost put FIVE into Eric Bolling's mouth. 

This me the best 2 minutes of the show since it hit the air:

'I'd Knock You Out Right Now!': Fox Hosts Nearly Come to Blows on Immigration A Fox News debate on immigration got pretty personal and ugly today, devolving into a shouting match over who's "exploiting" the death of Kate Steinle more.

Former Atlanta Anchor: Don't Count Me Out

/

Former Atlanta Anchor Amanda Davis, who ended up embarrassing the hell out of WGCL says not to count her out. 

Davis was busted for DUI (again) the weekend before she was supposed to appear on WGCL as a commentator. Davis was the first up in WGCL's highly promoted franchise, "Just a Minute."

After her arrest the station pulled her appearance from the newscast.

Davis was bounced from WAGA after her first DUI arrest. Months after that first arrest, Davis sat for an interview and basically said that said that she was doing well and blamed the viewers from abandoning her.

Then she was busted for DUI again.

Davis was recently spotted attending the memorial service for Reginald Eaves, who was remembered as “the first black person in several high positions in Atlanta” and as one of the “architects of New Atlanta”. It was well-published when Eaves, Atlanta’s first Public Safety Commissioner, was forced to resign in a test-cheating scandal. He later went on to be elected to the Fulton County Commission. Davis told CBS Radio Atlanta, in speaking about Eaves, “he’s an example of someone who could rebound from anything.”

Davis preferred not to talk about her latest arrest. 

TV Salaries Gain Some Ground

/

The latest RTDNA/Hofstra University Annual Survey found that local television news salaries rose by 1.9% in 2014. That's up by 0.3 from a year ago, and with inflation an extremely low 1.6%, that means that TV news salaries gained slightly in purchasing power last year.

Interesting is that Photographers are out earning Producers and Social Media Producers and Digital Content Mangers are out earning both Photogs and Producers. 

Here is the RTDNA's list of what TV positions are making what? Find your job and you will be able to figure out if you are under or overpaid.

If you're Underpaid, march into the bosses office and demand a raise right now.

If you are overpaid, keep your head low and watch out if the station starts having layoffs.

Here's the list:

research_2015_salary_tv.png

Man Arrested After Threatening to Kill Reporters

/

A Waco man who police say threatened two state district judges and television reporters in more than 14 voice mails was arrested.

Cops say the man, Joe Washington,  was unhappy with a ruling in his child custody, made calls to KXXV with threats. 

KXXV employees reported harassing and threatening phone calls to the Waco Police Department on June 15 and contacted the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office on June 24 when the threats became more explicitly aimed at station employees and Menard.

“The revolt starts right there, and it’s coming,” one of the messages said, according to the affidavit. “You’re about to lose some family members.

“I’m going to pray two of your staff’s children die,” Washington reportedly continued. “It’s gonna get ugly.”

Some of the threats included in the affidavit made specific mention of one reporter’s children.

“What if they died? You never know what’s going to happen,” Washington allegedly said.

“Your children die too! Watch this! (Expletive) with my son? (Expletive) your judges! you’re going to find out something. Watch your children die,” he said, according to the affidavit.

Washington reportedly used “spoofed” phone numbers so that it would be more difficult to track.

Washington was arrested on a charge of retaliation on account of service and released the next day after posting a $20,000 bond, jail records show.

H/T Waco Trib

GM is Out in Topeka

/

No one is saying much, but longtime WIBW General Manager Jim Ogle is gone from the station. 

The resignation was confirmed by Jon Janes, the station’s news director. The station was releasing no further information about the circumstances involved.

The Topeka Capital-Journal tried unsuccessfully to contact Ogle Monday.

Always interesting when a TV station that makes a living prying into other people's lives, go silent when someone does the same to them. 

Ogle has been at the station since 2006. 

Could Former San Francisco Anchor Return?

/

Friends close to former longtime San Francisco Anchor Dana King are getting the word out that should good possibly looking to return to KPIX.

 King would "strongly"  consider coming back to the CBS O&O as a primary anchor "if the situation was right", sources told Rich Lieberman. 

It's been nearly three years since the veteran anchor left PIX --the reason, officially, was that she wanted to leave the TV News business and teach school and pursue her passion: the art of sculpture.

Lieberman. says the real reason was that King was tired and wanted to leave under her own terms and that she and news boss, Dan Rosenheim, didn't exactly see eye to eye. That's not such an unusual occurrence in the world of big-market TV News.

Since leaving King even pursued politics vying for a seat on the Oakland City Council. She lost. She is currently living in Oakland and maintains a low-key presence but, according to one source, still has a thirst for Television Journalism. 

Both sources cautioned that a return "would have to be 'where the stars align" --"Look, she misses the drive, the excitement--it's still in her blood, but whether or not they, (KPIX) have interest is another story."

Of course, bringing King back to KPIX as main Anchor would leave Veronica De La Cruz, under a solid contract, twisting in the wind. 

So while this seems like a former Anchor that left and and now wants back in, don't count on it happening.

But, as they say, stay tuned....