When did news become entertainment? At what point did the media decide to entertain when they should be educating?-or is it me?Why have so many news organizations ,here and nationally,gone to the 'homeopathic'approach-watering NEWS down till there's little to no essence?
Judging from your emails, many of you find my attempts to enter the Mahoning County Criminal Justice (so-called) Working Group-ENTERTAINING. Now I understand that my part of the media that I work in is the entertainment medium. When I first entered radio I believed that there was an audience that was yearning to be educated via entertainment-that we could learn something and not be bored doing that--that media doesn't need to play to the lowest common denominator falling into what I call "limbo culture"-the lowering of the bar instead of raising it and reaching for it. Entertainment?-Last year's guests included Gore Vidal,Dr.Henry Heimlich,Mario Cuomo,Atty Floyd Abrams,Yale Law Professor A.Reed Amar,Nat Hentoff and many others, but what REALLY interested locals was an aging flower child in a chicken suit!Yes,it's been quite a bumpy road -maybe bumpy's an understatement-more like some Mahoning County roads after a bad winter-or as my Wife describes our marriage"..like a long ride in a car w/no brakes...".This past year back from exile or forced sabbatical as some of you say-has proven my point. The mere fact that I can survive a whole year at a station w/o being fired AND my recent partnership w/The Youngstown Vindicator/Vindy.com ,THIS Blog,the webcast,further proves that there IS an audience YEARNING for Truth,Justice-THE American way and a little fun along the road!--So why so much media black-out of the "Working Group"? How is it that the vast majority of media here remain silent while so many Elected/Public officials continue to meet in PRIVATE and spoon feed us what THEY decide is palatable?What comes first: citizen interest or media alerts? This area's been plagued by the furlough of prisoners,immediate release of jailed offenders many of them VIOLENT offenders who return to wreak havoc and hell onto whomever they choose or,whomever gets in their way. This doesn't happen in the neighborhoods of those on the Working(sic) Group. This happens to those most ill-equipped to handle these monsters: the inner-city poor and abused women and children-at what point do the rest of us care?-At what point does the media have an OBLIGATION to inform their audience? Certainly we don't want to upset your viewing of American Idol,re-runs of the Sopranos or your XBox time! At what point did the (non)Working Group decide to start WORKING? Well, the report ,their proposed plan was due to U.S.Federal Judge David Dowd LAST 31 December! The Group asked for and received an extension NOW due 01 May-next week. Why did these well-paid elected officials require facilitators from YSU? Why when I personally challenged Mahoning County Commissioner David Ludt to open the locked door of the Mahoning County Criminal Justice Working Group -forcing the meeting open to 'we the people' did he refuse? With whom did he consult?-Prosecutor Gains?George Tablack? Why when Bertram DeSouza challenged Prosecutor Gains to open the meetings,did Gains refuse? What could possibly be going on behind those closed doors? Gains said to me"Louie, there are public officials in that room that won't say what needs to be said if the media's in there".My response was"Maybe they shouldn't be public officials then." At Boardman Township Trustee Robyn Gallitto's swearing-in,Paul Gains said"There's no reason for him(me/Louie)to be in those meetings-there's nothing getting done in there anyway".That was last December when the Group's report was due.Why does Sheriff Wellington miss meetings?-After all, the Federal lawsuit IS a result of problems at the Mahoing County Jail which leads me to my last questions tonight as "it's late on in the evening..."
1) It's my understanding that the most recent issue of the jail lacking hot water stems from the lack of "mixer valves" in the jail which is IN the plans but WEREN'T in the jail! Why do they show in the plans yet YOU paid $40,000 to have them installed recently?-
2)Why does Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge R.Scott Krichbaum have "serious concerns " over the early release of HIS letter to Commissioner John McNally as Chair of the Group
and finally-for tonight:
3)Why did Commissioner John McNally say on my show in January: "If it were up to me,I'd let you in the meetings." Yet last week when I was forcefully removed from OUR courtroom, temporarily assigned for Judge Sweeney's use -why was John McNally the ONLY one to raise his hand when I asked "Who in this room objects to my being here?"
to be continued??? That question I CAN answer!INDUBITABLY!!!
~Louie