My View

Written By Bob Longo, News Director, Channel 4 Action News

POSTED: 3:39 pm EDT July 20, 2004
UPDATED: 8:34 am EDT July 23, 2004

First things first. After just one week, I've decided to change the name of this column. "My View" is short and succinct. It also gives me the creative freedom to live dangerously close to the edge and write about a much larger variety of subjects than the old "Inside Action News" title would allow. Now, I still believe that viewers of TV news stations like WTAE and Web sites like thepittsburghchannel.com leave folks like you with a lot of unanswered questions about what they see and hear. And it is still my hope that I can occasionally help answer some of these questions and give people like you a better feel for who we are, why and how we cover the stories we do and what goes into the thinking before we do so. But I also think you are curious about other, larger issues and stories outside the Channel 4 Action News building. And I thought it would be fun to write about these with my own "take" on things. It's a good thing. And speaking of which....

What exactly do Martha Stewart and Howard Stern have in common? Plenty, I think. They are both HUGE media icons who have somehow, successfully managed to pawn themselves off on the public as typical commoners. Working bums like the rest of us who slave all day just to make enough money to put food on the table and pay the rent. But instead of being allowed to just go on their merry way and enjoy a nice Primanti's sandwich occasionally and a Buc's game or two, they are being picked on because of their success. They carry on about being unfairly targeted and persecuted by the big, bad federal government because of their celebrity.

Is there truth in any of this? You bet there is. They are successful. They are being targeted. But if you examine the facts carefully, you'll find they are not being targeted because of their success but rather, for their largesse. Their antics, financial in Stewart's case and moral in Stern's have pushed the bounds of right and wrong and more importantly, of our laws and governing guidelines.

You can disagree or agree that what they have done or not done is against the law or unconstitutional but the facts remain that what they are charged with doing; financial shenanigans and on-air obscenity, are outside the norm and are governed by laws and policies. Once you push that envelope, your success and star power often don't matter in a right and wrong sense. Being a celebrity only guarantees that you will have a bright spotlight on your actions. And thats exactly what has happened here. When you are a celebrity, your actions are noticed. When those actions push the envelope, expect criticism and sometimes...a little more.

Stern's recent reinstatement to a Pittsburgh radio station after being yanked off several months ago put him back in the local spotlight. He's used that glare to holler about the constitution and President Bush. Martha Stewart's recent sentencing has given her the spotlight. With her stock rising, she's told everyone who will listen of her innocence and shame of the system. Both stories have generated more input and e-mail than any I've seen here in 5 years. Oh, and the samples run the gamut. Take a look.

On Stewart:

"I hope at this "prison" they have a decent hairstylist, because she sure could use one."

"Because she is a high-profile businesswoman with loads of cash, someone wanted her taken down a few pegs...she will rise like the phoenix"

"I thought it says "Liberty and Justice for all". I guess it really means Liberty for the Haves, and Justice for the Have"

"Why should taxpayers pay to clothe and feed a multi millionaire??? Let her buy her way out of the prison term. Forfeit 5 months of her earnings straight to the US coffers, where we need it. "

"Had someone with less media presence committed the same offense, they would have received the maximum the law allows."

And on Stern:

"While I personally think that Stern's show is unfunny and boring and I can't stand to listen to it, the government censorship made me more sick than he ever could."

"this doesn't have a whole lot to do with Constitutional Rights or how much the viewers 'missed' Howard Stern --this is about the bottom line in advertising revenue"

"I never laughed so hard in all my life. Howard is unique and if you don't like him don't listen. I am a grandmother of seven and I love him."

"I hope to see Howard Stern and his conceited, chauvinistic show moved to another station on AM radio perhaps ..."

If you want to weigh in, go ahead. we have links here on thepittsburghchannel.com that allow you to voice your opinion on these and other topics. Some of those are aired on WTAE's Action News. Its a pretty neat way to get a feel for how people are thinking. Not scientific mind you, but interesting. You get a say. Kind of like celebrities like Stern and Stewart.

And in the end, they'll get plenty to say because we're fascinated with them. Without us, they would be....like us. But don't feel too bad for them because sooner rather than later, both Stewart and Stern will see and feel the scales of justice tip one way or another. And because of their celebrity and their success, they will come out the other side richer, more famous and bigger and better than ever. Now, if that were you or I, would we be able to say the same?

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