A big story broke in Portland yesterday. Jim Francesconi lost the endorsement of the Portland Police Association partially because of two negative, untruthful and misleading adds he was running about his opponent, former police chief Tom Potter.
Reading the Portland Tribune this morning I came across a story about this development in th Portland mayoral campaign. The story makes a huge mistake. It repeats the false accusation from the ads, and then does not refute them. In fact, it gives the last word on both charges to the Francesconi's campaign manager. Here are the choice quotes:
"McLoughlin’s demotion should have stuck, Armstrong said."
"Armstrong said a more severe penalty of the earlier complaint might have prevented the second shooting."
Last night the KOIN 6 News at 11 reported on this story. First they tried to spin the story as a tale of two negative campaigns. Since Tom Potter has not campaigned negatively this is not true. Then they made the biggest mistake. They stated as a fact something that one of the Francesconi ads had only falsely implied.
Now it is a good thing that I read the Portland Communique. If I didn't I may never have seen the full press release from the police union where they step by step refute every claim of the Francesconi ads. I also wouldn't have heard about the KOIN screw up. Also I wouldn't have got to see b!X get justifiably upset and repeat the word "Wrong" 13 times.
Just for the record, I fully support Tom Potter for mayor and that definitely influences my writing in this posting.
Posted by Noah Brimhall at August 20, 2004 08:32 AMAlso I wouldn't have got to see b!X get justifiably upset and repeat the word "Wrong" 13 times.
Yeah, can you tell I had something of a mental hemmorage last night?
Posted by: The One True b!X at August 20, 2004 11:37 AMare you married yet?
Posted by: alan at August 20, 2004 11:55 AMI'm not married yet, that's coming Sept. 18th. Look for some posts on that soon.
Posted by: Noah Brimhall at August 20, 2004 03:57 PMBelow is the text of the letter that I sent to the top four individuals at Koin 6:
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To Whom it Concerns,
I am writing concerning a story your station broadcast on the August 19th 11pm news and similar story broadcast on the August 20th noon new, which also appeared on your web site as of August 20th. This story (entitled "Negative Ads Creep Into Mayor's Race") is patently false as well as misleading in at least two points.
First, you state that both the Francesconi and the Potter campaign has gone negative, yet only report on Francesconi's negative campaigning. In fact, Potter has yet to go negative.
Second, and more troubling, you implied that Tom Potter reinstated a police officer who shot a suspect 23 times. Once you stated "What Potter did was reinstate an officer who was demoted after shooting at a suspect 23 times." What Potter actually did is reinstate an officer, who years later shot a suspect who was threatening other officers with a gun. This officer was later exonerated of any wrong doing. During the noon news on August 20th, one of your anchors said "Francesconi's opponent Potter was Police Chief at the time." This is completely not true.
I am appalled at your lack of truthfulness and you inability to report on this story in a reasonable way. Perhaps you and your reporters should consider reading "The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect" by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel. The authors in this book suggest 9 elements of journalism of which you have failed on 5:
-Journalism's first obligation is to the truth.
-Its first loyalty is to citizens.
-Its essence is a discipline of verification.
-It must keep the news comprehensive and proportional.
-Its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience.
If you do not correct your earlier misstatements, you will failed on one more:
-It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise.
Please air a correction. Research materials from the Portland Police Bureau, the City of Portland and the Portland Police Association. Find the truth in this story and report it. You owe it two your audience and your profession.
Thank you for your time,
Noah Brimhall