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Wednesday, July 25, 2007

¿Univision de su lado?

If your surname is Villaraigosa, the answer to that question appears to be a resounding “si.” Just as dramatically as the rise of citizen journalism has altered the way we obtain news and information, the rise of Los Angeles’ politically advantageous language barrier has enabled City leaders to sculpt and hone their messages.

Once upon a time, one speech would be delivered, and subsequently translated by Spanish-language media word-for-word. With Mayor Villaraigosa, came a major paradigm shift. Now, as any bilingual Angeleno will tell you, uniquely crafted messages are delivered to each of two Los Angeleses.

Today, we learn, sometimes it doesn't end there. Eric Longabardi of ERSNews reports that if some English-speaking media outlets have been lobbing two years worth of softballs, one weekly Univision program has engaged the Mayor in a game of T-Ball with an oversized bat.

Unbelievable stuff here, including emails from Univision to Villaraigosa Deputy Press Secretary Diana Rubio containing questions the mayor would be asked, days in advance of his televised Q&A appearances on KMEX/Univision 34 that were billed as “impromptu” exchanges.

* Update
Longabardi appeared on John Ziegler's radio program to discuss the story he broke. He refused to go along with Ziegler's assertion that a culture of faux journalism exists within Spanish-language media.

According to Eric, the email messages were leaked to him by journalists at Univision who were concerned about how the decisions of a few people in management were affecting the integrity of their profession.

I think it was extremely important for him come out and set the record straight and I thank him for doing so. One of the side effects of our language barrier is that people in English-speaking Los Angeles (admittedly, myself included) are susceptible to developing preconceived notions of the Spanish-language media. I learned a lot today.


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65 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said:

he needs to go...I mean seriously, needs to go.

July 25, 2007 2:47 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

...so does his entire gang - local and state level...

July 25, 2007 2:56 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

If the public was led to believe that the questions and answers were impromptu, then that isn't too honest though I have a feeling this happens all the time.

The animal people had our own convention in 2005. We did not give the candidates the questions. We just told them to bone up on the animal issues which are of course overpopulation, making the shelters nokill, finding a new general manager and the like. Antonio didn't do too well at all. He was boo'd a couple of times for making inappropriate comments about meat to a room full of vegans. He's not too smart. Here's that video antonio gets boo'd

Walter actually spoke better than any other candidate but most of us didn't think he stood a chance at winning, sorry Walter.

July 25, 2007 2:57 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Bring back Jimmy.....

Hey what is up with Telemundo?

July 25, 2007 2:57 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

No news here, if you've seen him at any press conference, he reads the prepared statement as if it's the first time he's seen it. He's like a zombie circus act in front of a camera, hollow words, empty shell of a carcus, but those stupid teeth sure do shine!
Most TV interviews are not impromptu, as long silences and dead air kill TV.

July 25, 2007 2:59 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Did Mirthala feed Mayor Villar?

Besides tne sex.

How about Padilla? Nunez?

July 25, 2007 2:59 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

How bad could his answers be without studying or preparing? This is embarrassing and I have a feeling a lot more stuff is going to come out. I hear AV fired and let go so many disgruntled employees a lot of them want to talk. Did they sign confidentialty agreements?

July 25, 2007 3:08 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Get the speech at rally where Antonio speaks in Spanish and none of the English journalists knew what he was saying. John & ken KFI played it over and over and people would be shocked to know what he was telling the illegals in spanish.

July 25, 2007 3:09 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Who are they fooling with this misnomer "journalistic ethics." There's no license to practice journalism. You don't lose your license or get fined. It's just some b.s. to make people thing that reporter's shit don't stink.

July 25, 2007 3:11 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Bring back Jimmy.....

Or, he'll start crying on us.

July 25, 2007 3:13 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

At least Jimmy H cries in English......

Villar will be crying like a stuffed pig after Corinna gets his ass in divorce court.

Anyone have copies of the divorce papers?

July 25, 2007 3:17 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

AV doesn't even know what he's saying in Spanish. It's not his first language. He's taking Spanish classes just like Delgadillo. Once, he tried to answer a question in Spanish and he flubbed it. The crowd laughed at him then corrected him. He can only read Spanish off paper. I could probably run into him in City Hall and let loose a stream of Spanish obscenities and he'd probably only understand the word "puta." Then he's say "yes, please."

July 25, 2007 3:23 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Ok I'm confused isn't KMEX -Univision the competitor against Telemundo??? Or is it the same company? Salinas thought she was getting the inside scoop but doesn't look like it if these are two different companies.

July 25, 2007 3:26 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

My question is, will the Spanish speaking Univision audience feel at all insulted that they were duped into watching what amounted to an informercial?

July 25, 2007 3:31 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

3:17 here is what's on lasuperiorcourt.org

no documents, i'm sure they're just not posting them
Case Summary


Case Number: BD467444
CORINA VILLARAIGOSA VS ANTONIO R VILLARAIGOSA

Filing Date: 06/12/2007
Case Type: Dissolution of Marriage (General Jurisdiction)
Status: Pending


Future Hearings
None

Documents Filed | Proceeding Information
Parties

HERZOG WENDY ANN - Attorney for Petitioner

PHILLIPS STACY D. - Attorney for Petitioner

VILLARAIGOSA ANTONIO R. - Respondent

VILLARAIGOSA CORINA - Petitioner


Case Information | Party Information | Proceeding Information
Documents Filed (Filing dates listed in descending order)

06/15/2007 Response
Filed by Respondent

06/15/2007 Declaration-Uniform Custody Minor'
Filed by Respondent

06/14/2007 Declaration-Uniform Custody Minor'

06/12/2007 Petition
Filed by Petitioner

06/12/2007 Summons-Family Law
Filed by Petitioner

06/12/2007 Declaration-Uniform Custody Minor'
Filed by Petitioner


Case Information | Party Information | Documents Filed
Proceedings Held (Proceeding dates listed in descending order)
None

July 25, 2007 3:36 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Start emailing these people at NBC/Telemundo - ask them if there are these kinds of problems with their news as well and WHEN are we going to hear their announcement that they are going to FIRE this Salinas woman:

"M ABUD" manuel.abud@nbcuni.com

"A CORRAL" al.corral@nbcuni.com

"C ERNESTO" carlosernesto.covarrubias@nbcuni.com

"R LONG" robert.long@nbcuni.com

"R LUENGAS" ruben.luengas@nbcuni.com

"R MORALES" rick.morales@nbcuni.com

"E MOURELO" ernesto.mourelo@nbcuni.com

"L NAVARRO" lucia.navarro@nbcuni.com

July 25, 2007 3:46 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

THE SPANISH MEDIA ON ANTONIO'S SIDE:

Don't sound so surprised. It has always been this way. La Opinion has even gone so far as to deny competitors equal ad time - despite the competitors paying for it. Checks have been returned and requests denied, just ask Monica Lozano.

And then they interview Monica Lozano's live in boyfriend, David Ayon - one of Fernando Guerra's flunkies at LMU - to offer supposedly "objective" opinions on Antonio. It is all in writing, just check.

This is Parke Skelton's style of politics - take a complete lame brain and make sure that everything is planned and choreographed - a real puppet on a string. But being the dumbass that Antonio is, he still finds a way to screw up. It is the same with the community throw away newspapers and of course as we all know, with the Los Angeles Times.

Now we know why Antonio and Parke don't want to give up those Blackberry e-mails. He probably had up to the minute coaching for all those "live" interviews. And we joke about Bush receiving additional technical help in his debates.

July 25, 2007 3:49 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

This post shows that the writers of this blog have no idea how the media works, and neither does ersnews.

Univision has guests on all the time answering questions, and univision has a policy of giving those questions in advance for all their guests not just the mayor.

Also Univision never leads its audience to believe its playing a game of gotcha, but the questions come from its viewership, which means the questions will be more real then the anchor asking them.

That is what univision promotes, but of course if you have someone with an IQ of 10 you will believe anything this blog writes and ersnews says.

all wrong, never right, but will always lie or mostly just ignorant.

July 25, 2007 3:55 PM  

Blogger Zuma Dogg said:

ZD Campaign Strategy Check:
From San Fran Chronicle

Dick Helton, senior political reporter for Los Angeles-based KNX radio, asked Clinton whether she was concerned about the marital troubles of another key backer, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

"Dick Helton, this is Dianne Feinstein. I'm surprised at you for that question! My goodness,'' the senior California senator fumed, "Hillary's running for president. She doesn't need to get into this!'"

[OOPS...you may have avoided answering the question, but the people won't be upset with the reporter for aksing, they will associate the negative attribute in their mind to the person who didn't feel their response would have put the reporter in his place.

It's a manipulation/diversionary tactic using "criticism" to go on the attack when the discussion isn't going your way. The advesary switches it to something personally wrong with your behavior, as in, "I'm surprised at you for that question! My goodness, Hillary's running for president. She doesn't need to get into this!"

Meanwhile, the only way you can truly neutralize the question is to say something like, "No, I am not concerned about that issue as it relates to his work, on the job. Of course it isn't an easy process for Antonio to go through, but the mayor has tremendous energy, as an executive -- and a great team that he has assembled around him, and that's why we are working together.]


Helton answered that "with all due respect,'' the issue was significant to many voters.

"I echo my friend Dianne's comments,'' Clinton said.

Clinton then expressed her support for the mayor of the country's second-largest city who is serving as one of her four national campaign co-chairs. [Does Clinton only have FOUR campain co-chairs? I thought it was a laundry list. That SF Mayor Newsome will most likey be added to, any minute.]

Clinton said, "... I will continue to welcome his support.'' [How does someone not welcome support? Is there a chance she would come out and publicly "denounce" support? That would be hilarious. "Good evening America, I would just like everyone to know that I no longer welcome Antonio's support, and please vote for Barack Obama."]

...Feinstein said, adding Clinton will "reverse the politicization of the justice department, and nominate mainstream Supreme Court justices.'' [Reverse the politicization??? How about "eliminate" the policicization? I don't want "ANY" politicization, on either side (and if you are "reversing" you are "sides").]

In California, which will hold its early presidential primary on Feb. 5, Clinton also has the official support of Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez of Los Angeles. [I HOPE SHE HAS HIS SUPPORT, HE IS ONE OF THE MYRIAD OF CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIRS!!! I HOPE HE DOESN'T SUPPORT OBAMA??? HOW COME THE SF CHRONICle doesn't mention his position in her campaign?]

Clinton, in the next month, is also expected to announce the official endorsement of another key mayor, San Francisco's Gavin Newsome. [Look for laundry list to include one more co-chair.]

So these are some of the traps and pitfall you can avoid when implement Robbin's NAC, Bandler/Grindler's NLP, Ericksonian "Pattern" practictioning and Ries & Trout "Strategy" into your propoganda spin! It's fun and can prevent you from losing your election because you are installing negative embedded commands into the minds of your current supporters and a preventing yourself from picking up undecided future supporters.

STRATEGY...FOCUS...MORE EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATION YOUR MESSAGE THROUGH CONGRUENT WORDING/LINGUISTICS (AND TONALITY IN HILLARY'S CASE)!!!

At least public funds aren't the only thing you are wasting and being inefficient and innefective with!

And me personally...I would never send out letters quoting LA Times with inaccurate information regarding $1.8 BILLION dollars. [So add that to Di's list of things to see Tony Robbins or Dave Elliott about!]

July 25, 2007 3:59 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

3:55

That is not how it works - especially when you are promoting a supposedly live question and answer session. If this were the case I'm sure there wouldn't be that feud going on between Barack and Hillary right now.

The show was to take live questions from the audience. Of course, this is the audience that knows Antonio and his history. So in order to avoid those questions on his drug use, his son he gave up for adoption, his philandering habits and his outright lies during his campaigns, the station offered him a sterile list of questions. If this was their intention all along instead of naming the program "Antonio a su lado" - Antonio on your side they should have named it "Como dice Antonio" - as Antonio says and make it into a commentary session instead of a fake live question and answer session.

Just another example of a scripted, manicured and phony Latino made out to be our leader.

July 25, 2007 4:07 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

3:55 -

The operative word here is "impromptu."

If that's how they promoted it, then ERSNews is absolutely correct to raise the issue.

If "impromptu" really means "staged" when it comes to Univision, I'll plead ignorant and an IQ of 10.

Otherwise you are wrong.

July 25, 2007 4:12 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

3:55

I have a working knowledge of print and television newsrooms.

There is no respectable news organization willing to sacrifice their professional merit by protecting a local politician, rather than reporting on him/her.

The journalists job is to deliver "the best obtainable version of the truth." Political stump speeches and press releases are NEVER treated as news. The events and circumstances under which they were made is news. Bu the content must be fact based nad from an impartial, credible source.

A politician cannot credibly report on him/herself. You are a shill from downtown. Your job is to brown nose.

You're doing a great job.

July 25, 2007 4:15 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

WHAT THE HELL IS ZUMA DOGG TALKING ABOUT1!

July 25, 2007 4:18 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

This is not only true for Antonio, but also for Fabian Nunez and I'm sure Hillary will be getting the same treatment when she makes the rounds through the Latino community.

In 2002 Fabian Nunez was running against a little known opponent, former Roybal Allard rep Pedro Carrillo. An independent expenditure committee was formed to support Pedro. This committee bought a full page ad in La Opinion against Fabian detailing his criminal history - all facts were corraborated. The full page ad was paid for and submitted then Monica Lozano pulled the ad and returned the check. If any reporter wants more details on this issue just contact Ricardo Torres, he was the attorney for this committee.

"Manufactured" candidates in the eastside have always had tons of money on their side along with the full support of the media. Is it any wonder all competition was stunted in these supposedly democratic elections. The same thing happened when Antonio ran against Nick Pacheco in 2003. True Democracy is a farce in Latino politics.

July 25, 2007 4:25 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

"True Democracy is a farce in Latino politics"

Just as it is in Mexican, Central American and South American politics.

Just as it is in the corrupt Gateway Cities of Cudahy, Lynwood, Maywood, etc. etc.

July 25, 2007 4:36 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

4:36

The only difference is that multi-national corporations are responsible for the lack of true democracy in Latin America, always getting their not too bright, greedy leaders to fall right in line while in L.A. County it is labor unions, developers and lobbyists that get their not too bright, greedy leaders to fall right in line.

Just proof that true political democracy cannot exist without educational and economic democracy. The poor and uneducated will always be victimized while they are made to cheer for "one of their own."

July 25, 2007 4:42 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

4:42- brilliantly stated!

July 25, 2007 4:45 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Anyone pull the declaration(s) from Corinna in the divorce action against Latin Lover boy?

They should be public at the County.

July 25, 2007 5:31 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

4:42 PM

Okay, let's leave the land of the theoretical and land on terra firma and look at reality. They will NEVER be educated. Even the so-called "educated" among us cannot think clearly and cannot see reality most of the time. Democracy does not work - the condition in which we find outselves is more than sufficient proof for anyone sound of mind.

July 25, 2007 5:50 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Villar's lips are moving!! He's lying again!! Never received any advance information about the questions to be asked, eh?? Guess that information was sent to that staffer in his office just to satisfy her own personal curiosity and none of it was ever passed along to him. Oh yeah!

July 25, 2007 5:54 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

How did ERS get those e-mails? Sounds like an inside job. I've been hearing that former staff members were going to spill their guts because they couldn't stand little napolean.

Blackberry e-mail are stored in the server, not the unit, so Antonio can't delete them. Has the long rumored staff mutiny finally arrived?

July 25, 2007 6:12 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

A 2005 mayoral debate was held at Univision. I bet they gave Antonio the questions and topics ahead of time, but not Hahn. Discrimination against the white candidate.

July 25, 2007 6:32 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

6:12 look at how many staffers were sent those emails. At least seven. Could be any one of them or univision people. Maybe a Latina at Univision is pissed that he gave all the scoops to Mirthala at Telemundo. Or maybe they're pissed because he cheated on his wife ever since he became Mayor.

July 25, 2007 6:33 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

A staff mutiny will sink Villar.

Why is Telemundo waiting so long?

Are they waiting for another shoe to drop? Or a resignation from Mirthala?

July 25, 2007 6:36 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

BIG ZD!

GREAT POST ABOVE!

Dick Helton is an A-OK guy. Lotta class, lotta common sense.

Bravo for him asking Clinton the questions we want to see asked.

Bravo to you ZD for commentiny so accurately.

July 25, 2007 7:09 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Hey, and BRAVO to the real journalists at Univision who leaked this stuff!

July 25, 2007 7:10 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

To 2:59 pm, and your comments on zombie/robot/trained dog Villaraigosa at press conferences, I ask:

Doesn't Parke have a history of working for candidates who are empty suits, put up by machines?

Like a Texan once said, the only politician I trust is the one who stays bought. Those who pull the strings like 'em nice and stupid, so they are more easily manipulated.

No? Anyone heard of Jenny Oropeza?

July 25, 2007 7:13 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

7:13 PM

They are called puppets and their strings are pulled by people who want to control a whole lot more than a just city...

July 25, 2007 7:19 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Good evening ladies and gentlemen (sips rum and smiles):

Sots, what you need is a friend like Dinger. For a nominal fee, Dinger can retrieve copies of pleadings, savvy? But what is rather interesting is that His Nibbs wants the kids or at least wants the chance to visit with them. (Looks thoughtful) I wonder why that is? Teenagers can cramp one's style. (Smiles) Dinger, do you have copies of the court papers? (Dinger nods) Well then, let's have a look see, shall we?

July 25, 2007 7:33 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

AARRGGGHHHHHH

Lst's see those pleadings.......

July 25, 2007 7:38 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

7:33 PM

Well, gee, how would he look if he gave up the kids without a fight? Sounds like PR....

July 25, 2007 7:40 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

7:39

Did Hahn get any of those questions in advance? No matter you look at it, the Spanish media is starting to turn on Antonio the whore. Have you heard Jose Ronstadt on Channel 22, he can't stand Antonio and tells it like it is. Ironically, it was Jose Ronstadt, a cousin of Linda and an Arizona native who convinced Mirthala to move to L.A.

July 25, 2007 7:47 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

"Univsision wants accurate answers for its viewership, not a game of gotcha.
"

No, you mean they want carefully prepared propagandistic responses .. it is only "gotcha" if you are dealing with a lying, slimey, duplicitous piece of sh*t who is caught off guard ... which is exactly what any honest and decent person would want to happen.

July 25, 2007 7:55 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Face it you Antonio haters, he's helping Hillary and she's gonna win it all.

Don't fool yourself that the hispanic community is against the mayor and won't support Hillary.

Have you seen any hispanic catholic protests about the child molesting priests? It's part of the lifestyle.

July 25, 2007 7:58 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

"Have you seen any hispanic catholic protests about the child molesting priests? It's part of the lifestyle.

July 25, 2007 7:58 PM

Yup ... taking it up the rear from their patrones and saying "muchas gracias" and molesting their own kids ... you hit that nail on the head!

July 25, 2007 8:02 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

What a buncha ding-dongs post on this blog. Every TV station lets politicians know in advance what topics they're going to be asked about. Every politician and candidate studies up before speeches, debates, interviews, etc. Very few of them just absorb knowledge out of thin air.

The people posting here don't seem to absorb knowledge from anywhere. They just make crap up as they go along, or fall into racists rants inspired by bozos like John and Ken. Heaven help us if this is what passes for free speech these days.

July 25, 2007 8:40 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

The only difference is that multi-national corporations are responsible for the lack of true democracy in Latin America

That is only a small part of the story. Why, for example, are the corrupt MNCs not having the same effect in, say, New Zealand or Finland or Singapore or Canada? "Latin America" is one hell of a big collection (geographically and numerically) of countries. What do they have in common that makes them so susceptible to such influence?

July 25, 2007 8:48 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

What a buncha ding-dongs post on this blog. Every TV station lets politicians know in advance what topics they're going to be asked about. Every politician and candidate studies up before speeches, debates, interviews, etc. Very few of them just absorb knowledge out of thin air.

The people posting here don't seem to absorb knowledge from anywhere. They just make crap up as they go along, or fall into racists rants inspired by bozos like John and Ken. Heaven help us if this is what passes for free speech these days.

July 25, 2007 8:40 PM


Oh really? Then why did he feel it necessary to deny that he saw any of those questions in advance? Why not just say, Yes, of course I did, all we politicians always get all of our interview questions in advance so we can "prepare" our answers. Probably because that is not the case.

Interviews are not intended as an opportunity for the interviewee to "absorb" anything ... the purpose is to elicit honest, factual answers to questions, not prepared propaganda pieces intended to advance the individual's party line or provide an opportunity for him to spin more illusions - or that is what it SHOULD be in a supposedly free society that wishes to remain free, but in the complete absence of a truly free press that freedom is in great danger ... hence the increasing popularity of the internet as news source. The other alternative is more the approach of the communists in the Soviet Union.

And "free speech" means the ability to speak freely, whatever is on your mind. Only one thing can can accurately "pass" as free speech and that is individuals speaking freely. It does not need to be approved in advance by the PC leftists, the Villar groupies or anyone else.

July 25, 2007 8:58 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

7:09pm,

Thanks. ZD appreciates that you noticed.

July 25, 2007 10:06 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Every month, Hahn used to do a ONE HOUR, "Ask the Mayor" on KFWB AM 980 and fielded questions from callers LIVE. It was video taped and aired on Citytv 35. Seems like Villar nixed that format for a shorter, 10 minute, stint every week on the higher profile but slowpitch softball, star struck KCAL. Even that disappeared for the even more malleable, bribeable hispanic news(so it claims) corp at Univision.

I heard he showed up recently at a city department event, ITA, as a guest speaker. The event had a mainly EAA union members in attendance. EAA if you recall fought him tooth and nail for a new contract. Apparently he fumbled his way through his speech going off on unstructured tangents i.e. his standard propaganda on HIS effort in Greening LA. Ends up someone else got the only got real applause when he mentioned how one of the department's workers had berated him after a press conference for only thanking fire and police and not thanking this persons department's efforts in helping quell the Griffith Park fire. When he asked if that guy was there, he stood up and got a standing O.

July 26, 2007 12:03 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Recently, Univision abruptly fired it's news director so the emails may have come from him.

Second, "Villaraigosa a su lado" means "by your side" as in next to you, not on your side.

On your side would have been "Villaraigosa DE su lado"

And last, if you read the emails in Spanish they simply go over the points/questions that will be discussed in that segment. That is common practice for every regularly scheduled segment in every newsroom.

The first email clearly reads that in addition to the points/questions mentioned, they will also discuss whatever question comes from the public, plus any additional comments/questions the anchors may have or make.

The segment was never billed as "impromptu" since it was SCHEDULED TO AIR EVERY SINGLE WEEK.

I am not defending the Mayor here -- I think his conduct merits a city investigation and I think Salinas should be fired.

But the way these emails are being spun and translated is wrong.

July 26, 2007 12:47 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

This morning's LA Slimes leave it to the great David Z to do an outstanding story on the connection between his affair and NBC Universal wanting to build that huge development he has control of. Read LA Slimes. David Z is the only reporter who seems to do his homework well. Great new twist to the affair scandal. The best decision LA Slimes did was to hire David.

July 26, 2007 5:55 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

"I mean the Univision veiwers tend to be younger and poorer, they don't need to be spun, just given accurate answers to their questions."

- Wrong, they are spun all the time ... they are just easier to spin

"The segment was never billed as "impromptu" since it was SCHEDULED TO AIR EVERY SINGLE WEEK"

It makes no difference whether the interview was spur of the moment or scheduled. The only time constituents see or hear directly from their elected officials IS when they are interviewed or presented in some form of media - print, television or radio. If he is standing in front of a microphone giving a prepared speech, then everyone knows he and his handlers have taken great care to design the information and the spin carefully. When you see them in one of these arranged "town hall" formats or "debates" you SHOULD at least be savvy enough to know that any questions allowed to get through are all prepared, controlled and scripted in advance, along with the answers, so there is just more spin going on there as well. No surprises ... it is up to you how much of it you are prepared to believe based on your level of awareness and gullibility.

When you see that elected official in a question and answer format, either one on one or in a group setting like a press conference, that is the only place where the public has - or SHOULD have - the opportunity to hear that official in real time, unscripted, unprepared, not so easily able to lie, propagandize and spin off the cuff. They are not interviewing some airhead celebrity about their latest movie or ridiculous personal antics - they are interviewing someone who has some considerable influence over the people and the condition of the city, state or country.

Additionally, a free press is supposed to be a watchdog for the interests of the public and the country. They should be in the vanguard of those who uncover improprieties and wrongdoing in government. If you have a press that is controlled by or is willing to pander to those in government and their masters, then you have a press that is completely unreliable and useless. At that point they have become nothing more than another arm of government lies and propaganda. This is unfortunately the state in which we largely find ourselves today. With a completely controlled media that does nothing more than indoctrinate and control an increasingly ingorant populace.

To simply roll over and say that this approach is in any form acceptable is stupid and suicidal. They seem to have spun and conditioned some of you so effectively that you now think it is okay, indeed good, to allow them to get away with this type of deception. So, where are you? Back in the USSR (study a little accurate history ... that is NOT a good thing ... among other things, they were guilty of slaughtering millions upon millions of people - far, far, far more than Hitler has ever been accused of killing.)

July 26, 2007 6:11 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Does Antonio get the questions in advance when he's on another station that kisses his butt ABC on Sunday's with Adrian Alpert?

Or does he get the questions in advance when appearing on Ask The Mayor KCAL 9?

If we have a mayor who can't answer questions without reviewing them then we're in big trouble. Antonio most likely gives the questions to Parke, Ace and they tell him how to answer. Mayor Hahn at least had the balls to do it on the spot many many times.

July 26, 2007 6:39 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Who does Zine think he is? I guess the DEA wanted to send him and all other "local" council members a message and embarrassed the hell out of him yesterday. Zine don't tell the FEDS what to do. Zine wanted to put a stop to DEA raiding medial marijuana clinics and had a big press conf. The DEA doesn't like locals telling them how to do their job so they raid 10 yesterday. GOOD FOR DEA. DO MORE RAIDS. Council has no business putting a moritorum on those dope houses.

July 26, 2007 6:55 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Antonio's sick obsession with "conquering" women - typical of men that are unsecure of their manhood- is making big waves. Feinstein has to rush to defend Hillary, two strong women with national profiles placed in a position to defend this scumbucket and now NBC Universal forced to answer questions on their billion dollar development because of Antonio's lack of integrity and character.

Nice going Parke, what other Latino candidate out there do you want to shove down our throats?

July 26, 2007 7:45 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

VILLAR / UNIVERSAL NEWS!!

Check Flaps Blog! Mo Dirt! Mo Dirt!

Mayor Sam - we need a new Villar/Universal story posted here so we can COMMMMMMMENNNNNTTTTTTT!!!!!

Wheeeeeeeeeeeee! Bye-bye to the trained flea!!!

July 26, 2007 8:58 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

6:11, 6:39, 7;45

6:11 --i think if a rational person reads your post they will find you insane. Perhaps you posted it from a mental clinic.

6:39 -- Zahniser's piece is great, he shows you how to make a story out of nothing. he essentially finds two people in the neighborhood (after calling 21 people to comment, all of whom didn't care) who have racial history in the City to speak ill of a project that their Mayor is for. Funny thing about Labonge is that he actually doesn't oppose the project, he just wants more study, which is the same position as the Mayors. But Zahniser in his quest to support his pre-conceived conclusion with fake facts probably won't point it out. As for Zez, Zahniser doesn't get any real quote from the office, but clearly David knows how Zev thinks and it make his story that much more credible.

Look the first 4 paragraphs of Zahniser's story is all his opinion and not news fact. It's a stretch of a story when the one person he was able to get on the record (after caling 3) about the ethics of all of this was like, ehhh its not a big deal.

But Zahniser isn't here to tell the truth, he's here to trick you into believing his version is the truth.

July 26, 2007 8:58 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

July 26, 2007 8:58 AM

Villar groupie, lover of tyranny - can be completely ignored ...

July 26, 2007 9:12 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Oh please with the DAvid Z bashing. David Z is the only investigative reporter left in this city who can the story and report it. Say what you want but he has a hell of a lot of people who read his stuff. Oh like the LA Slimes before David did stories that weren't their personal opinions? Get a life!!! David will get the same following he did with Weekly. Go read those stories moron and then come and tell us if they were his opinion. He had facts and quotes. You sound bitter cause your cholo boy is digging his hole deeper and deeper.

July 26, 2007 9:34 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Ok, you Dum Dums can come over to my place: flapsblog.com while the Mayor rests.

The ol' Flapster will try to keep up with the story.

Any leads let me know.

And you City Hall folks - well I think you have already been there.

July 26, 2007 9:41 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I've admired David Z's ability to break news and the courage he's displayed in the past in not running with the pack. But this morning's story was a real stretch. The LAT is still trying to play catch up with the Daily News and KNBC. Its desperation is showing.

July 26, 2007 9:52 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Desperation my ass. No one else put connected the dots between NBC Universal and the huge development deal but David. I still don't like the LA Slimes but like many agree having David Z on their beat will definitely get back some readers. We like the way David Z writes his pieces.

July 26, 2007 11:45 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Hey Guys....the big problem here is that Villar can't elucidate or embellish upon ANY SUBJECT...EVEN AFTER HE IS FED THE QUESTIONS!!!!

This guy has a hollow brain cavity! Haven't y'all noticed how he stands there and SEARCHES for every single word??? Christ, it takes him an hour to complete one simple, non-compound sentence!

His lack of EDUCATION is PREDOMINANT! Ya can't miss it!!!

He's like the deer in the headlights whenever the press gets him by the short hair! Watch his shifty, mean, evil looking eyes...the mirror to his soul-less persona! He is one scary dude!

July 26, 2007 6:05 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Ch 7 also presubmits questins to the Mayor for their monthly "Ask the Mayor" interviews, so that he and his office and prepare to give the viewers accurate answers. There is already enough sabbotaging of AV and all the politicians right now, so that he doesn't have to submit to that, and I would argue, there is a public benefit to getting the fullest and most correct answers to issues like crime, traffic mitigation, etc.

Just like the reporters themselves, politicians often, even usually, go into press conferences with scripted answers and everyone knows it.

July 27, 2007 2:37 PM  

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