Rick Griffin
Forget about submitting an air check for a disc jockey job with a radio station. Karen Harlow, who has worked in radio for 30 years, tried something different.
For seven hours on Wednesday, June 1, from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., Harlow, who likes the nickname “Cha Cha,” created a social media buzz by using a scissor-lift that hoisted her 30 feet above Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, next to a billboard for XPRS-FM 105.7 MAX-FM. She stood next to a banner that said: “MAX, Need a Job. Hire Cha Cha.”
According to Mike Shepard, VP of programming and operations with Broadcast Company of the Americas, operator of MAX-FM, Harlow was interviewed the next day and started her new job on Friday, June 3, as host for the 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. shift. She replaced Christina Martinez, who relocated to Modesto in late May.
“When they offered me the job, I said, ‘sweet home, San Diego,’” Harlow said. “I’m here from back in time. Get ready, it’s going to be fun and awesome.”
The native San Diegan and San Diego State University graduate previously worked in San Diego with XHTZ-FM Z-90 for 12 years and KHTS-FM Channel 93.3 for 10 years. She was previously in Los Angeles as an anchor and reporter on KNX-AM 1070 Newsradio.
Local Media Reacts to Telemundo Staging Trump Protest Shot
Telemundo, a Spanish-speaking TV network with a San Diego affiliate, XHAS-TV/Channel 33, became the target of criticism after Donald Trump’s recent political rally at the San Diego Convention Center. A cameraman wearing a Telemundo shirt was caught staging a shot with protesters. Deliberately staging a scene is considered unethical.
Video from Andrew Marcus of Rebel Pundit shows the cameraman arranging the protestors posing with the Mexican flag. When Marcus called out, “Is that the media staging a shot? Is Telemundo staging a shot?” the camera-wielding Telemundo journalist answered, “Uh, probably.” Telemundo reportedly has not aired the cameraman’s footage. Lourdes Sandoval, Telemundo news director in San Diego, said the videographer was a freelancer and not a Telemundo staff member.
Brent Bozell, president of Media Research Center, a media watchdog group, said in a statement: “Telemundo should be commended for not using the clip, but this doesn’t change the fact that there is evidence of a deliberate attempt to stage the news — a clear case of advocacy replacing journalism on the campaign trail. Telemundo must immediately apologize to Donald Trump, fire the cameraman and anyone else involved in order to retain their viewers’ trust and confidence. No one trusts any supposedly fair media outlet that chooses one side or one candidate over another.”
Among other viewpoints expressed by leaders in the local journalism community:
“Journalism ethics require one to provide a fair, unaltered account of events and issues,” said April Harter Enriquez, 2016 president, San Diego Press Club. “Journalists are not there to be part of the event; they are there to be the eyes and ears. The public’s trust cannot be earned if a shot is staged.”
KNSD/NBC 7 San Diego’s J.W. August, who has more than 35 years of experience in TV news and is a board member with San Diego’s Society for Professional Journalism chapter, said, “While I recognize the passion this election is creating, it still remains a principal of good journalism to maintain objectivity. This would include not participating in political support or protest events for causes or candidates. I certainly have opinions on many political issues but as journalists we need to separate those feelings out best we can. Editorials should remain on the editorial page.”
Bey-Ling Sha, Ph.D, professor and director, School of Journalism & Media Studies at San Diego State University, said, “Journalists have the ethical obligation to report the news as it actually happens, authentically in reality. Obviously, staging something is by definition neither authentic nor real. The problem with this kind of ‘staged reporting’ is that it erodes public trust in the veracity of news and results in public distrust of journalists, which in turn creates cynicism about all news media organizations and news media content.”
Dean Nelson, founder and director of the Journalism program at Point Loma Nazarene University, said, “The news media have, unfortunately, done other things like this over the years. I was told of one local television reporter who always had an old shoe in his trunk so that if he was at the scene where a pedestrian was hit by a car, the reporter could throw the shoe into the street so that it looked like the victim was knocked out of his shoes. That’s unethical and wrong. Still, in my observation of journalism practice over the decades, it is a very rare occurrence for a reporter to manipulate events.
SDX Explores Digital Trends
SDX, formerly the San Diego Ad Club, will host “Exploring Digital Trends,” a creative workshop from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 9, at the San Diego Union-Tribune’s new office at 600 B Street in downtown San Diego. The workshop is open to the public.
Presenting will be Hyper Island, a Sweden-based global school offering business consulting services that enables individuals and organizations to act upon opportunities created by digital and technological evolution. Topics will include trends affecting business, technology, talent and human behavior, how to future-proof your business and new perspectives on digital and tech trends.
Cost to attend is $20 for members, $40 for non-members, $15 for students. Continental breakfast is included. To RSVP, visit www.sandiegox.org.
Scatena Daniels Adds Staff and Clients
Scatena Daniels, a San Diego communications agency that serves nonprofits and foundations, has announced it has been named agency of record for San Diego Family Care, which represents seven nonprofit community health centers in Linda Vista and City Heights, and the Easton Foundations, operators of the Easton Archery Center of Excellence in Chula Vista.
The agency will assist San Diego Family Care with media relations for an upcoming grand opening of a new health center facility in Linda Vista, and the Easton Foundation with the 2016 SoCal Showdown, a qualifying event with 600 participants competing for membership on the U.S. Olympics archery team.
In addition, the agency announced the hiring of Kristen Schweizer as an office manager and project specialist for social media. Previously, Schweizer worked for a theatre company. She has a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts from San Diego State University. She also is a stylist for Stitch Fix, an online personal styling service for women.
Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.
