FOX29 INVESTIGATED a tip that an aide to city councilman Wilson Goode was abusing her position. The tipster said that the aide regularly arrived hours late to work, and frequently left early.When the FOX29 reporter asked the aide - who earns $90,000 per year - about the allegations, the aide said that the reporter was a racist. The aide actually held up signs during council session accusing the Fox reporter of being in the KKK.
Watch the video by clicking here. Then answer the question: is this good investigative journalism or is this a nonsense story with racial undertones?
17 comments:
Hahaha I just saw this story seconds before logging onto the blog on Philly.com... I won't lie... This was one of the most ridiculous stories I have ever watched. Compared to every other story that could have been covered this week, they took all of this time to cover an investigation that seems to have no relevance. The underlining point of the investigation is important, however... I was really confused and struck by how involved this story was. I don't think it was right to cover this story as extensively as Fox did. What about all of the other news worthy events that occurred this past week?
I'd say it is a decent story, on a slow day it is something to run. It involves tax payers money (her salary) and could lead to some form of further action against the government paying workers who are not really working. not quite the most compelling story but her reaction is quite hilarious
Although this is something that might get a rise out of certain people, I wouldn't call this good investigative journalism. I'm sure there are plenty of other scams of this sort from more prominant figures causing people wasted tax money that would be far more relevant to the general public. This is obviously a story that a journalist came across somehow, not something they went looking for, and if so shame on them. There is so many other things taking place in this country that deserve more attention than some pathetic yuppy using racism as a cop-out. Investigative journalism, or at least my idea of it, would be having someone look further into say the lavish lifestyle of a corporate executive and how much they actually work for the money they make in comparrison to the underdogs who keep the corporation on it's feet. If this is the best contreversy in wasted tax dollars and poor excuses for it that they can come up with, well that's just sad.
I'm astounded that a city councilman and his aide would both stoop so low as to pull the race card. Not once was race even mentioned throughout the entirety of the video, AND ONE OF THE ANCHORS WAS AFRICAN AMERICAN! I think that this was a newsworthy story considering her salary is paid by FOX 29 viewers. Also the story has a certain drama to it that probably drew a lot of eyes.
I disagree with the statement that this story isn't newsworthy. This is a local media investigating a local case of corruption that involves local people's tax money. If the reporter didn't follow a lead such as this he would not be performing his duty as a journalist to look out for the public good and be a government watchdog.
If you want a story on corporate greed or widespread corruption go watch a Michael Moore movie or read a journal that has the time to appropriately flesh out an issue like that. Kudos to Cole and shame on Bryant for playing the racecard.
i think it's a little nonsensical. they're being way too persistent, maybe reaching a little. "...hangs in the neighborhood for a little while..." wtf is with that? they lost me there. there is a story in this, maybe, but they're going after it the wrong way.
I`ll agree with above. The story really isn`t that deep, its a case of someone pulling the race card when they have nothing else to tug on. Its sad, and we`re tired of it.. but news is news, and I`m glad I read it. Been there, read that, got the tee shirt.
I think this is good investigative journalism. This is newsworthy and it's good that this woman's lies were revealed. To say that Jeff Cole is racist is ridiculous. The story would still be the same if Latrice Bryant was black or white or Asian. She wasn't doing her job, she was coming in way too late to actually do work, and she didn't deserve to be paid to sleep in.
The story was definitely newsworthy as the public has the right to know what their tax dollars are doing. Bryant and Goode played the race card because they had no reasonable defense for the accusation that they lied about their work hours.
I don't understand how an aide to a city councilman can make 90k. Maybe I should get into that field...
Honestly, we all can see what's really going on. But this isn't really good investigative journalism. This is more like unneccesarry stalking. I believe that the public would like to know something like this but to spend so mch time covering the topic is a bit much. And Miss Bryant's outfits...really need some retouching. She's an aid to a councilman for the city of Philadelphia, she should definitely carry herself in a more conservative manor while in the public eye. Just an off topic sidenote. Interesting story though.
-Najee
All of the blame for this mess fall squarely on the shoulders of Councilman Goode. There cannot be any abuse if he doesn't allow it. It's obvious that he's allowing his staffer to abuse the system. As for disrespecting a black woman. Thats kind of a racist statement on his part. We should not disrespect people period... white, black, blue or green. The fact that they are ducking only shows that there is something to hide. They should just fire everyone in city council or set term limits.
Seems like Jeff Cole is a bit miffed because Bryant accused him of being a racist. They told us the times of the footage, but there was no actual proof in the video to back that up.
I think the length of the story was unnecessary. It is news and deserves to be heard, but it didn't deserve to be nearly ten minutes.
And it doesn't matter if there's a black newscaster.. he works for FOX.
This is way out of line. Let's remember that this women held up signs accusing Jeff Cole of being a member of the KKK in CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. She should be pushed out of her job as an aid. As for the actual allegations against her, there is certainly no reason why it is racism and as a someone who works in a public office we have the right to check up on her.
I feel like wrong is wrong and that they"re just using the race card instead of owning up to what they did... The story is good invstigative journalism,,, Now wheter there were racial motives behind this story is irrelevant because if she was doing whatshe was supposed to be doing, **her job**, the investigation wuld have been a waste of time for Fox, but it wasn't because she was doing other things rather being at work,,, So now that she wasexposed maybe she'l step it uo and get it together,,,
I watched the story and find it interesting that a woman of that stance can get away with this! It's really frustrating to know that not much will come of such an extensive investigation and she deserves to be penalized by someone for lying and taking home the big bucks. I think Fox News did a great job with the investigating, although there may have been more pressing issues that they could have researched and made a difference by covering. For her to say Jeff Cole as a member of the KKK just seems like a cop-out to me, and shes just trying to deflect attention away from her own faults onto the man who unearthed them. Shame on you, Latrice. She should just own up to it because she is facing hard evidence that is now well known.
I don't think that this story would be as effective or morally 'right' if she had been seen doing all these things she did not want public while NOT on the clock. But since she was, I feel like it is fair game to exploit her for cheating the system.
It is ridiculous to call him racist or a member of the KKK. The facts are there that she was abusing her powers and not doing her job correctly, the reporter was merely investigating the truth. If she had not been at fault then there would be nothing to say. This has nothing to do with race and I can't believe she would stoop so low to say that.
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