August 19, 2004

(Updated) KOIN 6 News: Liars Or Incompetents?

Station Repeats Falsehoods From Francesconi Ad As Facts

Note: This post has been updated. Any and all updates appear at the end of the original post.

This will be relatively brief. In its story on Francesconi's negative ads, KOIN's late-night news did one thing up front which provided a distorted and incorrect context, and then proceeded to get a rather ciritical piece of information entirely wrong, thereby helping Francesconi to deceive its viewers.

First, they attempted to contextualize the story as being about charges that both Francesconi and Potter are going negative. That's untrue, but it's not the major sin committed by the "reporters" at KOIN.

Rather, as they got around to the story about Francesconi's first negative ad, the "reporter" asked rhetorically, "And what is it that Potter did?" Her answer to herself and KOIN's viewers? That Potter reinstated an officer after that officer had fired 32 23 shots at a suspect.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Let's go back to the statement from the Portland Police Association which we included in our previous post:

The first ad, which deals with a police officer involved in the non-fatal shooting of a suspect, is misleading or false in at least the following respects:
* It implies that Tom Potter was the chief of the Portland Police Bureau at the time of the shooting. In fact, Charles Moose was the police chief.
* It implies that Tom Potter had something to do with restoring the officer to his job after the shooting. In fact, it was an independent arbitrator who ruled that the officer had been wrongly fired.

Let's go back to the Willamette Week article from yesterday:

The $1,700 ad buy, which ran on KPOJ four times a day last week during morning and evening drive time, blames Potter for an 11-year-old nonfatal police shooting, even though Potter had left the Portland Police Bureau by that time.

It's bad enough that Francesconi is running around claiming that he's just trying to bring Potter's record into the campaign despite the fact that he's actually lying about Potter's record -- or, at the very least, creating ads that are quite clearly intended to give people the wrong impression of the facts.

It's bad enough that KOIN bizarrely decided to contextualize the story as being about negative campaigning from both candidates, despite the lack of such campaigning on Potter's side, and despite KOIN not offering up any evidence of negative campaigning on Potter's part.

No, none of that is bad enough. KOIN had to go one step further and help Francesconi do his dirty work, by repeating the lies of the ad itself as facts to their viewers.

God damn it. What the bloody Hell is wrong with you people? Do you give a flying rat's ass about journalism? Please, KOIN 6 News, tell us. We really want to know.

Are you liars, or are you just incompetent?

August 20, 2004

Update

Our readers have pointed out in the comments to this item that KOIN finally posted the story to their website, complete with errors. In the event they up and change it without admitting their mistake, we've made a pdf copy for backup purposes.

August 20, 2004

Update

Be warned, because we are about to have another mental hemorrhage here.

In their noon newscast, KOIN 6 News just did it again. Here are the two elements of their continued participating in Francesconi's deceptions and distortions. After relating the shooting incident, the anchor said: "Francesconi's opponent Potter was Police Chief at the time." And he closed the report with: "Francesconi accused Potter of negative campaigning of his own."

As to the first, we've already covered it. And, in fact, our readers have been slamming KOIN with email complaints. As to the latter, they offered no analysis of Francesconi's accusation to see if it could even remotely be considered ture, they simply left it hanging out there as the final words of the story.

We know you're all already fired up. But that's it, we need to smack them down, and do it hard. They've had the chance to correct their utterly fallacious approach to journalism, and they refuse. It's time to go on the warpath: The garbage that KOIN 6 News is passing off as reporting must be stopped, and stopped now. Get everyone you know to hammer them with more emails and calls. If they don't retract this nonsense -- prominently -- they're going on our permanent BS-detecting hitlist.

Posted at 11:29 PM | PermalinkComments (40) | TrackBacks (1)
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Comments (40)

  1. Jack Bog on 19 Aug 2004

    And/or.

  2. The One True b!X on 19 Aug 2004

    By the way, for those that caught it: Yes, I was so exasperatedly angry when I wrote this that I failed to use the editorial "we" in the final sentence. It's since been corrected, but I wanted to cop to it in case anyone saw it.

  3. The One True b!X on 19 Aug 2004

    Then there was KATU's coverage, which included pollster Tim Hibbits arguing that losing the police union endorsement might be good for Francesconi because Portland liberals don't like the police.

    I won't even go into how overly-simplistic that is. But I will say this: If Portland liberals are stupid enough to ignore Francesconi's distortions and deceptions but think "oh, cool, he lost the union" and therefore vote for him, then Francesconi deserves to win.

  4. doretta on 20 Aug 2004

    Jack, I envy your ability to write so succinctly.

    If the adage about never attributing to malice what can be explained by stupidity holds in this case, that would be strong evidence of the misleading nature of the ad then, wouldn't it?

  5. tomhiggins on 20 Aug 2004

    Bix,

    I have seen you get angry on rare, very rare, occasion when it was not of worth. You study, you research, you ponder and then you craft thoughts like very few I know.

    Your anger here has raised my awareness of what looks to be a failry insulting tactic by a local news agency. I would hope that they respond rather than simply turn a snub toward yours, and now my, concern on thier value as a news reporting agency.

    Once again your dedication to the details proves the value of a true independent journalistic endevour in this town.

  6. Spine on 20 Aug 2004

    Well, that's just great. Thanks, KOIN. Takes me right back to the Dean campaign.

    It would be good to have the name of this reporter, so anyone with a taste for "rapid response" can contact her and demand an on-air correction.

  7. doretta on 20 Aug 2004

    I've noticed before that Tim Hibbits seems to have been seduced by the dark side of TV "journalism."

    After last Friday's candidate visits he was punditificating on who "won" the visit to Portland. "I have to give the edge to President Bush, he seemed to have a little more energy in his presentation." (That's a paraphrase. I don't have a transcript but that is certainly the gist of what he said.)

    It seems even pollsters secretly aspire to be theater critics. That is what passes as "journalism" on TV these days.

    You'd think a guy with some genuine expertise (Hibbits/polling) would be embarrassed to have such flights of fancy committed to videotape for posterity. I guess the money outweighs the humiliation.

  8. Mark on 20 Aug 2004

    don't worry b!x. francesconi apparently wants to take every "i" and turn it into a "we." perhaps he can help you edit.

  9. Chris on 20 Aug 2004

    God, it really is too late for me to be posting a comment (perhaps I'm sleep-posting), but from what I remember of KOIN's coverage of the primary race, it's anchors (namely Jeff Gianolla) repeatedly made pro-Francesconi editorial comments following what were essentially solid, neutral reports from the field. I wonder what kind of effect that will have on the upcoming televised KOIN mayoral debates? I understand Mr. Gianolla is moderating.

  10. Lea on 20 Aug 2004

    Ye Gods and Goddesses and little Green Gremlins.

    Not only did KOIN's anchor say that on-air, it's still on the website: http://www.koin.com/news.asp?RECORD_KEY[news]=ID&ID%5Bnews%5D=563

    There should be a special place in hell for those who pretend to inform the public without checking the facts.

  11. JS on 20 Aug 2004

    Everyone who has a problem with KOIN's coverage should contact them. We can't expect better coverage if we don't raise a ruckus when we see something is wrong.

    Share feedback with KOIN at webnews@koin.com

    AND/OR (hat-tip: Jack)

    Station Manager Dan Salamone, who is "responsible for the leadership of news, promotion and news production."
    dsalamone@koin.com

    AND/OR

    Executive News Producer Aaron Beckman.
    abeckman@koin.com

  12. Baloo Ursidae on 20 Aug 2004

    They're liars. We've established this back right after Columbine when the Beaverton School District almost went after KOIN for defamation after it ran a negative story on the science and tech school.

  13. cab on 20 Aug 2004

    Not sure if they are liars or just lazy reporters. They NEVER go deep into any subject and are as up to date on the news as a teen age football star.

    As for Hibbits, he obviously can't stand Portland. Its so obvious, but you can't expect anything else from channel 2. The people who brought you deep thoughts with the cathlic priest, 2 minute hate with Lars Larson, and now a more non-threating republican Ron Saxton. 2 does have an agenda, to find out what it is you can read Brainstorm magazine.

  14. JS on 20 Aug 2004

    Here's a sample email to KOIN for any complainers too lazy/busy to write their own...

    I take issue with several parts of KOIN’s coverage of negative ads in the Portland mayor’s race. In your television coverage of this issue on August 19 and an article posted on your website August 20, you provide an inaccurate context and misstate at least two critical facts.

    1) Jim Francesconi is the only candidate airing negative ads. To imply that both candidates have resorted to negative ads, at this point, is incorrect.

    2) As police chief, Potter did not “reinstate an officer who was demoted after shooting at a suspect 23 times” as you report in an article on your website entitled, “Negative Ads Creep Into Mayor's Race”. In fact, Charles Moose was police chief at the time of the shooting, not Tom Potter. In fact, it was an independent arbitrator, not Tom Potter, who ruled that the officer had been wrongly fired.

    Please review the relevant facts and the statement from the Portland Police Association and adjust/correct your coverage accordingly.

    Thank you in advance for your time.

    Sincerely,

    XXX

  15. no one in particular on 20 Aug 2004

    cab wrote: As for Hibbits, he obviously can't stand Portland.

    Just a few minutes ago, I was reading this article in Slate (spotted via BlueOregon) where Hibbits talks about exactly how much he hates Portland.

    Portland's Democrats have become extreme "latte leftists," "pathetic" rich wackos and oddballs, Hibbits tells me. His town is turning into San Francisco, he complains. "San Francisco's politics no more represent America's than some rural county in Utah. Now [Portland is] heading off in the same direction."

  16. Cab on 20 Aug 2004

    God forbid an area has some uniqueness. Do we all need to be mainstream heartland Americans? Hibbits is like a stepford wife to the American Proganda Machine. I'm damn proud we "fly with our own wings." Its a shame parts of the state no longer practice the Oregon Slogan

  17. The One True b!X on 20 Aug 2004

    There's mroe on Hibbit's true opinions in this Brainstorm NW article from after the primary election.

  18. The One True b!X on 20 Aug 2004

    One other thing about Hibbits. On last night's KATU newscast he all but defended Francesconi's ads, saying that he needed to do something to draw attention to the Mayoral race.

    Yeah, some attention. Despite TV media being present at this week's forums on homelessness and on arts and culture, all the coverage I saw (and while I may not have seen it all, I'm betting I see more of it on more stations than the average Portland voter) was about cornering the candidates to get statements about Francesconi's ads.

    Nothing about homelessness. Nothing about arts and culture.

    So thank you Jim Francesconi for distracting attention from the issues through your use of deception and distortion, and thank you local TV media for falling into that trap.

    (Can you tell I'm still simmering? Heh.)

  19. The One True b!X on 20 Aug 2004

    By the way, just in case, I have today's particular KOIN report on tape.

  20. Jeff on 20 Aug 2004

    On the Hibbits business. Here's a choice selection from that Brainstorm article.

    *

    And how does Hibbitts describe Oregon’s one-ideology city? “Brain dead,” says Hibbitts.

    “Portland is an intellectually boring city. We have no intellectual debate here, just different shades of liberalism. I haven’t seen any indication that a significant number of Portlanders think there is something wrong with this ideology. They want to blame it on the individual, see the mayor as the scapegoat.”

    *

    We now return you to your host's previously mentioned brain hemmorage...

  21. The One True b!X on 20 Aug 2004

    By the way, if anyone of my readers would like to come decompress with us, we will be going to this evening's outdoor showing of The Goonies at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Event at 8:00, with the movie starting at "dusk."

  22. doretta on 20 Aug 2004

    Now there's an exercise in intellectual rigor, Hibbits blames a left-ward shift by Democrats on the fact that moderate Republicans aren't getting elected in Multnomah County?

    Apparently he hasn't noticed that the Republican Party has been working very hard to make moderate Republican politicians an extinct species. Moderate Republicans still exist but it's become nearly impossible for them to remain moderate and get past a Republican primary anywhere in this state.

  23. cab on 20 Aug 2004

    Hmm Hibbits has been spending way too much time in Lake Oswego's Brainwashing office and the channel 2 set. His conclusions make no logical sense. I guess his mind is so full of the new and vibrant debate coming from that capital of ideas that is lake oswego. Its kind of funny, but you can see when he is about to say the word "Portland" because he starts to quiver and sweat. Independent, Non-Partisan my ass.

  24. JS on 20 Aug 2004

    Goonies in Pioneer Courthouse Square...a cinematic adventure.

    I wonder how many Corey Feldman lookalikes will be in attendance?

  25. Justin on 20 Aug 2004

    I take my Nancy Drew comment back... KOIN deserves to be called out on this one.

  26. The One True b!X on 20 Aug 2004

    One other thing about Hibbits' comment that so-called police-hating liberals will now support Francesconi because the union yanked its endorsement: It won't happen, because most "police-hating" lefties in this town also happen to hate Francesconi. They won't be swayed from that just because the union pulled its endorsement.

    In reality, with these remarks Hibbits is trying to help Francesconi generate positive results from his negative ads, by planting the idea in viewers' minds that "police-hating" lefties should support Francesconi.

    That's not impartial, non-partisan analysis. It's aiding and abetting.

  27. Kari Chisholm on 20 Aug 2004

    Folks, just talked to Dan Salamone - the station manager - and asked him if he'd be issuing an on-air correction about this statement:

    "What Potter did was reinstate an officer who was demoted after shooting at a suspect 23 times."

    Salamone's response: "We don't believe there was anything wrong with our story."

    I said, "Well, it's just a basic calendar thing. Potter wasn't even chief when the guy shot 23 times."

    Salamone: "I'll say it again. We don't believe there was anything wrong with our story."

    I said, "That's it, then?"

    Dead silence.

    I thanked him, he thanked me, and that was that.

    I'm sitting here trying to figure out a charitable explanation. Is there a way to read that KOIN report any other way? I want to give 'em the benefit of the doubt, but Salamone's refusal to explain the report leaves me dumbfounded.

  28. The One True b!X on 20 Aug 2004

    That's infuriating. Especially since the later story aired today at noon specifically used the phrase, "Francesconi's opponent Potter was Chief of Police at the time."

    Is this going to have to become an all-consuming mission? I really can't stand the idea of letting them get away with this.

  29. Spine on 20 Aug 2004

    Ugh. Sounds to me like KOIN wants to model its coverage of Francesconi's ad on the ad itself. I suppose Salamone thinks that KOIN's statements can be selectively parsed such that one is unable to determine exactly when Potter did what. I can understand that kind of weaselly manipulation being used in a political ad, but why would a news organization do such a thing? It doesn't make sense...unless, of course, they--gasp!--have some kind of agenda.

  30. Spine on 20 Aug 2004

    Actually, screw that. There's no way to parse KOIN's statement in any way that resembles truth, is there? I had been thinking that KOIN was perhaps blurring the two incidents involving the officer: the earlier excessive-force incident and the shooting incident.

    But the officer was not dismissed after the first charge, was he? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought he was simply the subject of an excessive-force complaint. So although he was cleared of that charge, he wasn't "reinstated" by Potter or anyone else following that incident. It wasn't until after the second incident that he was dismissed and then reinstated--and Potter was gone by then, as we all know.

    So KOIN's statement is a lie, period.

  31. Spine on 20 Aug 2004

    Okay, I think I've suffered from KOIN-induced confusion.

    It was Officer McLaughlin, the subject of the second Francesconi ad, who was demoted and reinstated. Not Erickson. Erickson's firing was final, as far as I know.

    Any way you slice it, KOIN's wrong.

  32. Pliny on 20 Aug 2004

    Well then, sounds like a good time to start noting the sponsors of KOIN's "news" programs. Let them know they're susbdising Francesconi's campaign.

    Don't get me wrong - I'm not suggesting any sort of conspiracy on the part of KOIN, just blatant favoritism.

    Of course, Francesconi's record of serving business interests just might have something to do with KOIN's lack of dilligence where the truth is concerned.

    Ghu, I have got to stop reading Indymedia...

  33. Kurt on 20 Aug 2004

    whenever i see/read/hear stuff from hibbits, i don't really see him as the wacko some tend make him out here. what he does more than anything else is talk in the language of 'spin'. spin is a very vital aspect of the world of political players and gadflys alike and as such, if you're in the system long enough to get more or less 'institutionalized' it should come as no shock to anyone that you wind up talking like the american equivalent of a apperatschik.

    when he's talking about francesconi actually benefiting from the loss of the police union endorsement, he's not giving us a common sense response (that being 'well, that kinda screws him, don't it?'), he gives us what the francesconi campaign is likely to spin out of this in order to convince themselves that this is no big deal: 'yeah, we won't loose votes! we'll gain them because now the hardcore liberals who hate the police will see that we have no sacred cows! booyah!', etc.

    i suspect if the shoe was on the other foot, he'd be out there hustling ideas and opinions on just how the potter campaign could make such a setback palatable to themselves and whatnot.

    this is just the sort of thing people in his position do. i know this because i've been there and believe me: when i came to realize that i was basically talking in motivational slogan, i got the heck out of politics and stayed out. but other just live and breathe this sort of nonsesne and that's their bag, i guess. it wasn't mine.

    lastly, a comment or two on his anti-portland-ism: again, i kinda-sorta know where he's coming from on this. frequently, given the circle of people you interact with and talk to in this arena, you'll find that opinions incredibly polarized in the metro area and diversity of thought, expression and discussion is almost at a premium. why is this? well, in my opinion it's because the people in question are deadly serious about who they are and what they believe in. that sort of stern belief tends to lend itself to cases of what one can only describe as fanaticism and lest anyone think i'm pointing the finger at the far left in portland alone, think again -- the far right is as bad (if not worse)-- and given their somewhat marginal status in this area, even more prolific in their (often bizarre) expressions.

    the natural dichotomy we have here is of two camps, heavily polarized, with powerfully motivated people on either side, not very interested in giving even an inch to the other camp-- which tends to leave little room for healthy debate or actual compromise. those caught in the middle either fall in or fall out.

    that said -- once you travel outside the circle of professional/semi-pro political activism, the situation changes considerably. healthy debate CAN be had -- even with advocates of policies on either side. and such a debate can be had in a civil, non-threatening and yes, intellectually stimulating fashion (again, imo.)

    lastly, i'd also like to echo what doretta said about moderate republicans just being ground into dust in the metro area. the oregon republican party is in many ways a source of utter contempt for me and the fact that they've sold their soul almost in whole to the far left and left those who have some conservative core values but are socially progressive flapping out in the hurricane -- well, to me that's just inexcusably stupid. i suspect that you COULD get elected as a progressively centrist republican in MC -- you just could never get nominated to run in the first place (well, unless you lied like a madman early on).

  34. doretta on 20 Aug 2004

    Spine,

    As I understand it, Erickson-of-the-23-shots was fired by Moose then reinstated when an arbitrator found that he was improperly fired and not at fault in the shootings.

    The sexual harrassment guy was never fired. As I understand it, Tom suspended him for a month but either reversed or failed to uphold (not clear to me which) a demotion.

  35. raging red on 21 Aug 2004

    Isn't all of this in public documents that can clearly refute KOIN's story? Someone needs to get going with a photocopier and a highlighter. (Of course, it is infuriating, because they're supposed to be the journalists.)

  36. Alan DeWitt on 21 Aug 2004

    Unless we're all terribly mistaken, they seem to be repeating false claims after being shown that they are false. Is that not suffcient for a libel case?

  37. the prof on 24 Aug 2004

    Right on, Kurt. Hibbitts has cut uncomfortably close to the bone for many ehre. If Tim Hibbitts truly "hated" Portland, he could be out of here in a moment. Perhaps he rues what Portland politics have become and what they might have been (a sentiment shared by many I believe).

    Nothing in the Brainstorm NW seems particularly surprising to me. I also have been stunned to watch businesses leave the city, unemployment stay stubbornly high, and the city leaders complain that Forbes magazines rankings are "just perception." Hello??

    "Unique"? Our uniqueness was our blend of moderate politics, environmentalism, community spirit and can do ethic. Now we reflexively oppose development (even as we endure the highest unemployment in the country), play violin while our public schools are going down the drain, and have a political leadership who don't seem to have seen a white elephant (PGE Park, Armory, OHSU Tram) that they don't like.

    We aren't unique, that's Hibbitts's point! We're turning into a junior version of San Francisco, with the family alienating bad schools, expensive real estate, and high taxes to boot.

    If that's where you want this city to go, OK. But don't criticize the messenger here.

    By the way, Hibbitts (and most commentators) don't get paid to appear on TV, they do it for free.

  38. Cab on 25 Aug 2004

    The school problem has more to do with the leadership in Salem and is a problem Country wide.

    Portland employs thousands of clark County residence daily and Clark county still has a higher unemployment rate then PDX, but all you read in Brainstorm Mag. is the promiseland that Clark county is when compared to pdx.

    As for development, no doubt Pdx is picky, but that doesn't mean its anti-development. Our residential development is exploding, our mainstreets continue to grow and small businesses are springing up all over the city. Take a walk around our city sometime and you'll see we are far from falling apart. Yes walmart, costco and home depot are not welcome, but the lack of these big corp giants adds to our uniqueness. As for High taxes, its just not the case. We are middle of the road. The lack of a sales tax give the illusion of high taxes.

  39. Michelle on 25 Aug 2004

    Take a look at the Society for Professional Journalists Code of Ethics (http://www.spj.org/ethics_code.asp). The very first item, under Seek Truth and Report it, is "Test the accuracy of information from all sources and excercise care to avoid inadvertent error."

  40. the prof on 30 Aug 2004

    Cab,

    Sorry, can't agree.

    I do know the tax figures which you are referring to, but those are looking are statewide, far as I know. On those measures, we rank in the top 1/3 if I recall correctly. On a county basis, I suspect we rank higher. Local property taxes are high on comparative national (and regional) basis, combined with higher property values. Sewer/water is highest in the country. Garbage pickup is pricey.

    I disagree on schools. It is a problem in many areas, but we were in a position in the past where we were a national leader among urban districts to a point where we have the shortest school year in the country, where athletics, art, and music have been removed from middle schools and many high schools, and where our SAT numbers are declining. Schools everywhere may be in trouble but we are on a steeper slope.

    You say we are not anti-development and anti-growth, yet you avoid the stubborn unemployment that has plagued the city and area for years. And Vera and other city leaders pretend like the "awards" we continually receive from business magazines are just "perception."

    On WalMart, Costco, and HomeDepot, that adds to our uniqueness, perhaps, it also adds to our hostility to middle and lower income residents. They shop at those stores and they work at those stores.

Trackbacks (1)

  1. Hmmm... on 20 Aug 2004

    Think concerns about Hibbits in reaction to the Slate article are only being raised here in my own little comments thread? Nope. Check out these two comment threads on BlueOregon and The Portland Communique for more buzz.... BlueOregon, on Jesse...