| Related Links |
GLAAD and GLAA criticize sensationalism at Fox 5
Katherine Green
News Director
WTTG
5151 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20016
Dear Ms. Green,
We are writing on behalf of our respective organizations, the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance (GLAA) and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). After much discussion and review of tapes of your Thursday, November 11, 1999, newscast, we would like to request a meeting to discuss this and other aspects of your coverage of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
As you recall, WTTG Fox 5 led their 10pm newscast on November 11th with a report regarding an alleged sex sting operation at George Washington University. We found the segment highly sensational and are concerned that this "lead" story was centered around the premise that men were soliciting men for sex and this was "illegal." This is unnecessarily sensational and factually incorrect. On the contrary, soliciting another man for sexual relations is not illegal in the District of Columbia and was not the focus of the operation by GWU.
Also of great concern is the treatment of one of our representatives by your staff following the broadcast. Immediately after the report aired, a GLAA officer called FOX 5 Newsroom to voice a complaint. The person who answered identified himself as "one of the producers" and said he could take a complaint. He listened to what the representative had to say and when asked about the station providing some sort of correction, balancing opinion or retraction, he was told that it would not be possible because "it does not affect our target audience."
GLAAD, GLAA and surely the thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied members of the Washington, DC Metropolitan area would heartily disagree that we are not part of your target audience — or would be very concerned to find out that indeed we are not.
In the interests of all concerned, GLAA and GLAAD would like to request a meeting with the news directors, producers and editors of WTTG in an effort to discuss our differences and also discuss ways that we can work together for fair, accurate and inclusive coverage of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied community. Both GLAAD and GLAA are more than willing to be a resource and work with WTTG as we do with all of the local news stations that provide coverage of events and issues in the Washington, DC viewing area. We hope to hear from you at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Cathy Renna
Director of Regional Media and Community Relations
GLAAD, Washington DC Media Resource Center
Bob Summersgill
President
GLAA