The Big Liquor Law Flip-Flop

[Liquor Laws, Again] While driving to work this morning, I heard Salt Lake Tribune political reporter Robert Gehrke  on KSL radio's Doug Wright Show. Wright had invited Gehrke to defend his reporting on this story, dated Feb. 3. Why? Because the night before, on KSL's Nightside Project, Senate President Michael Waddoups did a 180-degree reversal on his earlier position supporting a bill to establish a statewide database of information culled from bar patrons' drivers licenses. 

Waddoups told Nightside Project co-host Ethan Millard the notion of scanning bar codes on drivers' licenses and storing personal data on people for law enforcement purposes is something "we're not even talking about yet," and that "no one's even buying into it at this point."

Lie.

It was a complete flip from his comments two days earlier to the Trib's Gehrke. In that interview, Waddoups discussed the possibility of even extending the data base to restaurants--so they could cross-check information with bars and private clubs to help regulate overserving liquor.

When asked about the varying accounts of his position in the Salt Lake media, Waddoups responded: "Let me give you a bit of advice. Don't believe everything you hear in the press."

Today the public learned that both Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem, and Waddoups have dropped their as-yet unwritten proposals on establishing a drinkers' database.

With KSL's Wright, Gehrke stood by his work on the liquor law stories, and said he quoted Waddoups accurately earlier in the week. 

Whew. 

What I like most about all of this chaos in the past few days is that the watchdog role of the press on this issue worked. It worked like a charm. Valentine and Waddoups conjured up a very bad idea for a law. Members of the local press found out about it early enough in the legislative session to write about it and write some more. The idea that government would have private information on where citizens choose to spend their legal, free time on some database gave people the creeps. It enraged them. Because if there's one common thread between the left and the right, it's that government has no right to snoop into people's personal lives while they're behaving legally.

This is exactly how the press is supposed to do its job. The legislators saw this thing for the potential quagmire it is. They flipped. (BTW, Waddoups has a record for doing so on liquor laws.) Thank god it happened early in the session, when citizens could actually express their rage with it all. Otherwise, we'd have the thing crammed down our throats.

One final note: Gehrke is one of the most thorough and professional reporters in this state, and it's quite clear that Waddoups hung him out to dry. (Holly Mullen)

Sweet Stuff

[Just Desserts] Here's a link to a clip of City Weekly Dining Editor Ted Scheffler's appearance on KSL-TV's Studio 5 discussing "Desserts Worth Going Out For." 

http://studio5.ksl.com/?nid=71&sid=5107653

Media Bullseye on West High

[Lazy Media] A story about the rise in cheating, shoplifting, plagiarism and other ethical and criminal misdeeds among high school students (64 percent reported cheating on a school test in the past year; 36 percent acknowledged using the Internet to plagiarize someone else's work) got the Utah mainstream media (MSM) scrambling for that all-important "local angle."

KSL radio reporter Mary Richards got herself straight over to Salt Lake City's West High School--a whole two blocks from the broadcast studio, and interviewed a freshman who was shocked by the news. OK, fine.

Call me an oversensitive mom. Both of my children are products of West High. The oldest graduated in 2006; the youngest will finish in the spring. As sure as you can count on tulips popping up every April, every time the Salt Lake City MSM needs a local prop for some horrendous national teen-trend piece, a reporter trots on over to West to illustrate the issue. Why? It's two blocks from KSL Broadcast House. It's 3/4 of a mile from KUTV's studio. It's three blocks from The Salt Lake Tribune and about 1/2 mile from the Deseret News.

Meanwhile, the image of West as some lab for social miscreants* builds. In the cheating and shoplifting story, the freshman wasn't targeted as a criminal. She was, though, associated with the national story through her comments. I'm pretty sure West High comes across in this city/state as THE ONLY place for roving thugs, gangs and troubled teens--largely because downtown reporters are too lazy to drive more than a mile to get their angle.

BTW, East High School is only three miles from KSL's studio. Highland High is a whole five miles away. And Skyline High? Downtown-based reporters would have to hop on the freeway to get there, but it's only a 15-minute ride. (Holly Mullen)

*Those social miscreants in the above photo are not from West High, but if you follow the local news they could be.

Energy Drink Terror!

[Media] So, did KSL pay for all of the evil, caffeine-loaded energy drinks featured in this fascinating video? And what became of them after the piece?



Maybe Duhg Wright's jacked up on 'em right now!



(Bill Frost)

Newsflash: KSL Notices Area Man

[Local TV News] In a stunning turn of events last night, KSL 5 actually gave up a whole 90 seconds to West Jordan comedian Marcus, a finalist on a little NBC series called Last Comic Standing. Apparently, no joke, KSL was heretofore unaware that a local was on a reality-competition on their own network. Seriously.

In last night's episode, Marcus was once again the first pick to move on to the next round; rumor/common sense has it that he'll be one of the Final 5 when the Last Comic Standing winner is announced on Aug. 7.

Check out your Local News Leader's piece on Marcus here; the two-minute replay (Marcus up first) below:



(Bill Frost)

Subliminal Testimony

[Gooey News] This just in: KSL 5 Eyewitness News' Randall Jeppesen must be bucking for celestial bonus points with his "Woman finds money she threw away in trash truck" story.

It's about a "Provo woman" (too important/compromised/ humiliated/whatever to be ID'd) who was late to the bank and had to take her company's deposit of $200K home with her where she accidentally threw it away. She realized her misstep only after garbage trucks carried off the week's trash.

Here's where it gets good: She caught up with the garbage truck and convinced the driver (tell me how anyone without a warrant can do this) to empty the truck's contents so she could dig through them.

She was quoted as saying: "I said to my friend, ‘We just need to say a prayer.'" (Apparently, no swearing allowed.) Blessed be, the magic happened. After searching for only a few minutes, she found the checks with just "a little bit of goo on them," KSL reports on its Website.

KSL summarizes with: "She calls it one of those faith-building moments."

Yes, Virginia, it was a faith-building moment for faithful viewers but a faith-destroying moment for anyone depending on KSL for real news.

PS: In other happy news, the woman was able to keep her job with her company (also unnamed). [Jerre Wroble]

Gary & Me

[Petty Politicians] In the spirit of filmmaker Michael Moore's Roger & Me, came a spoofy report earlier today by KSL radio's Tom Callan. Utah Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert kept avoiding Callan, who was trying to land a comment from the LG about his decision not to investigate a bribery allegation in the Republican state treasurer race.

When Herbert saw Callan coming his way, he deftly walked the other way--several times--at the state Capitol. Callan tried to dig up Herbert's public daily schedule, but had trouble getting it.

So he did what any reporter worth his/her salt would do: He reported it.

Pretty hilarious stuff. Now, KSL is reporting that Herbert finally talked to Callan. As you might expect, the public official--whom you pay with your tax dollars to avoid press scrutiny--gave Callan a little scold for his tenacious behavior. (Holly Mullen)

Rock & Roll All Knight!

[Dumb Press Releases] The cause is good, but you'd think a company that owns a classic rock station would know a band name or two:

"Salt Lake City, UT, June 5th – Utah’s Classic 103.5 The Arrow, a Bonneville Salt Lake Radio Group Station proudly presents the 57th Annual MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) Ride for a Cure on Saturday, June 7th. Registration is available at all of the Intermountain Harley Davidson locations. The MDA Ride for a Cure kicks off at 2 pm at the Salt Lake Harley Davidson location where participants will ride to Wendover, NV for an evening concert featuring Knight Ranger ..."

That's right: Knight Ranger. Is it the '8os band that gave us "Sister Christian," or a new project from David Hasselhoff? Frightening, or awesome?! (Bill Frost)

Poo and More Poo

[Swaddle 'n Sweep] If it's May it's television sweeps time, and last night, KSL co-anchor Deanie Wimmer had it covered.

In one of her memorable "staying safe" reports, Deanie took a sampling of swim diapers, pulled one at a time on each baby and plopped one child after another into a glass aquarium. The goal was to show which wrap might best protect us from another summer invasion of cryptosporidium, the creepy parasite that loves to leech out of shitty diapers and infect the swimming masses. For weeks at a time.

The crucial ingredient to Deanie's on-camera science experiment was oatmeal. She mixed the mush with inky dye, slipped a gob into the diaper and lowered the kid into the tank. Kid kicked away, and soon enough, we were treated to close-ups of little oat chunks slipping from the diaper. Deanie called them "floaties"--the scientific name, I guess. Probably Latin.

Anyway, since I'm long past pulling toddlers with loaded diapers out of the public pool, I didn't much care which diaper best passed the test. But I did enjoy co-anchor Bruce Lindsay's reaction when the camera cut back to him for happy talk.

Typically buttoned-down Bruce paused, smiled and let out his inner imp: "Thanks Deanie," he said. "I think you've permanently turned me off of swimming and oatmeal." (Holly Mullen)

Masters of the Obvious

[Media] Today's best "no-shit" headline. (Holly Mullen)

KSL...Huh?

[TV and Nasty Stuff] OK. We're sitting here watching TV. Tonight, in prime time (7:30 to 9), KSL is running Saturday Night Live: A Tribute to Chris Farley.

So far, we've laughed at the late Farley and Adam Sandler in one of the classic send-up commercials, advertising "Schmitt's Gay Beer," with hot gay guys romping in a swimming pool with Sandler and Farley. And now, there's a great skit with the ample Farley and a young Patrick Swayze, doing a bump and grind audition to become Chippendales Dancers. Oh, and now Farley, David Spade and Sandler are dressed in '50s-era drag and sharing french fries in a malt shop.

Yeah, we saw it all years ago. It holds up nicely.

And still, KSL won't show Saturday Night Live in its current incarnation. For that, you have to (for years now) go to the CW, on Saturdays at 10:30 p.m.

Because, as KSL maintains, it's all about holding the line on morality for its viewing audience.

BTW, KSL--did we mention Farley died of a drug overdose? (Holly Mullen)

Breaking Legal Ground?

[FLDS Raid] The towns of Eldorado and San Angelo, Tex., are swarming with reporters after state authorities last week swept into the YFZ Ranch and removed 416 children of FLDS polygamists.

One of the best analysis pieces I've seen yet came last night on KSL television. John Hollenhorst reported that Texas law enforcement and social service authorities are fully aware of the grand scale of this child protection action--the largest ever in Texas. They're doing so because, based on interviews with children so far and other evidence sought through detailed search warrants, authorities believe the entire FLDS culture thrives--exists, even--on a foundation of routinely abusing children.

The theory is this: Young girls are taught from the cradle to submit to the demands of their husbands. Their marriages are arranged, and typically, a much-older husband "grooms" the young girl from an early age for his sexual gratification. FLDS boys don't fare much better. They learn from childhood to use girls and women in the same manner as their fathers and other men they are taught to emulate.

Texas officials have hopes of rooting out child abuse that is deeply ingrained within FLDS culture. It will be a huge legal challenge; as of this moment, attorneys for several of the men at the Eldorado compound are arguing their civil rights were violated during the raid and continue to be ignored. Read Hollenhorst's intriguing take on the legal maneuvering here.

What do you think? Is the Texas approach to breaking down an entire culture appropriate? Does it make legal sense? Is the FLDS system so morally bankrupt it should be eradicated?

(Holly Mullen)

Adventures in Hair

[Hair Hazards] I, for one, always appreciate news reports that work to suck you in through sheer titillation or the always dependable gross-out factor. Then they issue that stern warning of "graphic content," and kindly advise that you might want to turn your eyes away.

What, are you kidding?

This story, for instance. Aaack. (Holly Mullen)

Amanda, Gimme Something More

[Soundtracks] I heard this little riff between jocular KSL radio show hosts Amanda Dickson and Grant Nielsen, at 6:28 a.m.:

Amanda: We saw a weird movie over the weekend.
Grant: Whadja see?
Amanda: There Will Be Blood.
Grant: Oh, that film has gotten something like eight Oscar nominations.
Amanda: It had this strange music behind it, sort of like The Shining. A weird movie. Weird.
Grant: Would you recommend it?
Amanda: I don't think so. It was really weird.

But don't take Amanda's word for it. Like most great films, Blood relies on deep integration with the soundtrack to make its artistic point. Actually, the music is one of the finest features of the film. The composition brains behind the soundtrack (which is, like the musical scores of all of director Paul Thomas Anderson's films, haunting and searingly memorable long after you leave the theater) is Radiohead's guitarist Jonny Greenwood. He explains his thoughts a little more completely than Amanda does, here, in a dual interview with Anderson.

And here, an added bonus: A big-ass interview with brilliant actor-hottie Daniel Day-Lewis. And here, another interview with supporting actor Paul Dano.

I do this in the interest of offering a bit more to go on than simply "weird." And that is Greenwood, left, in the above photo. Anderson is on the right. (Holly Mullen)

Dick Nourse as Shill

[Media] A little more than a month has passed since KSL-Channel 5 anchorman/god Dick Nourse retired amid weeks of ballyhoo and buildup to the final broadcast.

Retirement benefits at Bonneville International Corp. (mother ship of KSL television and radio) must not be so hot. Either that, or Dick really did realize his worst fears about joining the pasture of retired talking heads: he's bored and beside himself and has too much time on his hands.

Nourse has recently become a shill for some wacked-out, survivalist, nutritional supplement company called Lifecaps. And you can go here to hear that famous Nourse booming baritone hawking pills that he calls a "revolutionary food capsule that could save your life" in the event of a natural disaster or other sign of the coming apocalypse.

Radio ads running on--where else--KSL, feature Nourse's testimonial: "I'm Dick Nourse. For 40 years I've covered every natural disaster and scientific breakthrough know to man..." And then he launches off into description of this "survival capsule" that could save your life.

Lifecaps Web site is just this side of tin-foil hat territory, and is tough to navigate. Can't discern where the home office is, and the company founder offers a long and rambling discourse of his amazing nutritional "inventions." But--sweet!--there's a certain Utah County scam charm to the whole thing. According to Nourse, the pills are "completely caffeine free," and if you "have 15 percent of body fat or more you could live off Lifecaps and water for days, maybe even weeks."

So that takes in about 90 percent of Utah County residents, eh?

Hmm. Apparently no one ever told Dick how fiercely a local legend must protect his "brand." I must say I pictured him pitching something more along the lines of life insurance or reverse mortgages, ala Robert Wagner or Wilford Brimley. (Photo courtesy of KSL.com)

(Holly Mullen)

What Sucking Up Won't Get You

[Politics] The 10 p.m. newscasts in Salt Lake City last night naturally led with results of the Iowa Caucuses.

KSL's Alex Cabrero pulled the fun assignment of dropping by all the parties (if you could call them that; Democrat Bill Richardson's "party" consisted of two couples sitting on two couches in a living room) at various Utah campaign headquarters for the presidential candidates.

Things were positively hopping at HQ for Democratic winner Barack Obama. It looked like a can of twentysomething sardines packed into Obama's west-side Salt Lake headquarters. I might add it was great to see some new, fresh faces--not the usual party hacks, political science professors and other talking heads to size up a candidate's performance. This may in fact be the political year when new, fresh and untried means something to voters. Of the entire lot, Obama symbolizes as much.

Most interesting was that Utah's adopted Republican son Mitt Romney, finishing a distant second to Mike Huckabee in Iowa, offered up no point people to chat with KSL. You can go here for Cabrero's slightly snarky characterization of the Romney outfit in Utah. A campaign spokesman curtly told him there would be no on-air comment from the Romney machine [ouch, we are all licking our wounds], thank you very much.

So, how's that for a big screw you from the Romney people, who have received nothing but constant slobbery wet kisses from KSL and really, the rest of the Utah mainstream media for at least a year now? Just shows where you might finish for all that sucking up: sitting on your hands at your 10 p.m. live shot, sans video of the guy (or at least his handlers) you were just certain would land on top. (Holly Mullen)

Happy Landings

[Castner Update] Our analysis of the quick heave-ho KSL Nightside Project's Michael Castner got from uptight management is still generating a river of response. It seems a lot of people have managed to read the Kremlin Wall and are having none of KSL station management's explanation of budget cuts.

In my interview with Castner the day after he was fired, he lamented about what he'll do between "opportunities."

"I've been doing some kind of radio show my whole adult life," he said. "You wake up one morning and you have no audience. What do I do? Go out in the back yard and talk to the ducks?"

Well, it hasn't come to that ... yet. Tonight, Castner launches his own podcast. He's promising lively interviews and will include some of the old personalities from his Nightside broadcasts who no longer have an SLC forum, either. (Holly Mullen)

Beast Bleeding. Again

[Polygamy ad Nauseum] Caught KSL's less than ground-breaking expose on the profligacy with which food stamps are treated on the Utah-Arizona border by our polygamous neighbors.

This story, much like KSL's repeated harping on about Warren Jeffs' suicide attempt in jail and self-confessed acts of "immorality" 30 years ago--long after every other news organization has already rung it dry--leaves a decidedly sour taste in the mouth. It's almost as if KSL is waving in the face of its LDS audience why they should be grateful they're not tied up with extremists like the FLDS.

Dragging out the hoary old chestnut of the food stamps story just adds to this sense of sermonizing, of saying "aren't you lucky you're with the one and true church and not these dubious characters down south?"

While "bleeding the beast," as the practice of ripping the state off for all you can get is well known, it doesn't seem to stop KSL from attempting to stir up a little controversy. That these women at the end of the day have children to feed, and that despite countless stories going back a decade or more on this subject the authorities have chosen to do nothing, doesn't seem to get in the way of what Channel 5 still see after all these years as a good story. (Stephen Dark)

Michael Who?

[Radio Daze] KSL Radio's Nightside Project will go on the air tonight as usual, at 7. The only thing missing will be its host, Michael Castner.

After a much-heralded 17 months on the air in the 7-to-midnight time slot, Castner got canned yesterday morning (as first reported on this blog by City Weekly's Bill Frost). The official reason given to a bleary-eyed Castner at an 8 a.m. meeting: Budget cutting.

But Castner and others are wondering what it all really means, which is rather like trying to read the Kremlin wall. In an e-mailed statement, KSL program director Kevin LaRue called the move a "restructuring." He added, "the program’s talented and popular host, Michael Castner, will be leaving the Nightside staff to pursue other opportunities."

Though as of Friday afternoon, none of those "opportunities" had shown up yet for Castner, who has hired a media employment lawyer to work out a severance deal with the station. "We're in the middle of a ratings book, and we're number one in this time slot in the market. The math just doesn't add up as far as budget cuts go," Castner said in a telephone interview.

So tonight, Nightside goes on, but with a skeleton staff. "Politics Guru" Ethan Millard and reporter Alex Kirry will take over as co-hosts, a station source says. Chase Lauritsen will produce the show. No word on whether live chats with other regular "gurus" -- of TV and movies, personal finance and relationships -- will continue.

Increasingly, the show had been built almost exclusively around Castner, and, says one source, "there's a big hole left to fill." There's also loud rumbling about whether the layoff was more about Castner's acerbic, "in your face style." The subject of a City Weekly cover story on July 19 of this year, Castner once riffed on a show about wearing a t-shirt in high school that showed a baby with his hands down his pants, obviously playing with his "man junk."

Perhaps reality finally hit: Chatty moments about masturbation on the big 1160? Oh my heck, no! (Holly Mullen)

Castner, Out!

[Radio] This just in: Michael Castner, host of KSL Newsradio's Nightside Project since its inception over a year ago, is no longer with the evening team--which now boasts about as many original members as Night Ranger at the Peppermill in Wendover. From MichaelCastner.com:

"I will no longer be hosting the Nightside Project as of today. More news coming. Thanks for your support. Feel free to drop me an e-mail! I could not be prouder of the team I worked with and the show that I helped create. We had a great time and these guys--Paul, Ethan, Paul, Chase and Alex (not ever in the same order! lol)--have become like brothers. And of course Matt and Chelsea were part of our family. Nothing will ever change that."

Conspicuously absent from the note is is his original Nightside wingman Jon Dunn, who left KSL earlier this year--where's the love? (Bill Frost)