>> Welcome to
ECTVN! If you have a news tip from the world of TV news, e-mail
us.
|
.::New York, NY::. |
In DepthHow They Covered It: Governor comes out, resigns 
Aug. 13, 2004 -
Following their initial reports, the Big 3 affiliates cut into programming a couple more times before going live, along with WNYW/Ch. 5, WWOR/Ch. 9, WXTV/Ch. 41, and WNJM/Ch. 50, with Governor Jim McGreevey's press conference. It had been scheduled for 4:00 pm but did not get underway until almost 4:30. McGreevey's shocking announcement, that he is gay, had a homosexual affair, and is resigning in November due to subsequent pressure on the office, was thus delivered into thousands of television homes - the story substantiated and arguably the biggest fireworks over just two hours after WNBC/Ch. 4's first report.
WCBS/Ch. 2 and WABC/Ch. 7 stayed with coverage after the speech, with punditry and reaction - Ch. 7 sent Michelle Charlesworth to Greenwich Village to talk to a gay activist while their Nina Pineda sought reaction from people on the street in New Jersey - while WNBC/Ch. 4 and WNYW/Ch. 5 recouped for their 5 p.m. newscasts. The story received extensive coverage through that hour and into the 6 p.m. shows, with a lot of speec replay and reporters like Ch. 4's Aimee Nuzzo and Ch. 7's Jeff Pegues playing the waiting game at the offices of impending successor Richard Codey, who wasn't there.As for who got the story first, that honor seems to go to Ch. 4 and reporter Brian Thompson with their cut-in before 2:40. The story was on the Big 3 station websites in some form by around 3:15, but Chs. 2 and 7 seemed to have trouble getting confirmation on the resignation, with the Ch. 2 site citing "a broadcast report in New York." Ch. 7 was saying on TV and the web just that McGreevey would be addressing his future in the speech, though Ch. 7's site by our account was the first to mention the name Golan Cipel, the controversial aide McGreevey apparently had an affair with. There was some debate over whether to release Cipel's name.The story hit the Daily News website around 3:30 with one sentence from the Associated Press and upcoming details promised: "A source close to Gov. James E. McGreevey has told The Associated Press the governor is considering options including his resignation." The New York Post site was still dark on the story around 4:00.The story also received top play on the Philadelphia stations - Ch. 2 and CBS counterpart KYW/Ch. 3 shared a web story early on with Ch. 2 linking to video with Ch. 3 anchor Marc Howard and the speech also falling conveniently during the regular 4 p.m. newscasts of Ch. 3 and WCAU/Ch. 10. News of the stunning resignation was also carried at the top of all three network newscasts. All were using a photo of Cipel posted on the website from "Gannet" (Ch. 4's spelling) newspapers in New Jersey from an earlier story. Frequently-used angles were McGreevey's public career and previous scandal; political, popular, gay activist, and Woodbridge, N.J. (where McGreevey was mayor) reaction to the announcement; and the story of successor Codey.Home |
