Radio talk show host launches boycott against local newspaper: (Houston Chronicle)

ABC13 ^ | 4/09/04 | Tom Abrahams

[Nix 2]

Radio talk show host launches boycott against local newspaper

KSEV radio talk show host Dan Patrick went on a crusade against the Houston Chronicle for what he calls a liberal slant.
By Tom Abrahams
ABC13 Eyewitness News

(4/09/04 - HOUSTON) — A local family who lost their son in Iraq recently is upset with the Houston Chronicle newspaper. Marine Leroy Sandoval's family thinks a recent Chronicle article unfairly portrayed the family's feelings about the president. The family's displeasure has now launched a boycott of the paper by a local radio talk show host.

Private First Class Leroy Sandoval, Jr., was a Marine. He died last month in Fallujah. And when his family talked about his death with the Houston Chronicle, they never imagined what would follow.

At the center of this are 39 words that appeared in a March 28 article about the death of Leroy Sandoval. They are, in part, "The family did not want to discuss their sentiments about the war or the political debate surrounding President Bush's failure to find weapons of mass destruction..."

The family says they told the reporter they didn't want anything political in the article. They say that paragraph makes it sound as though they are against the war -- which they are not.

Sandoval's sister Amy Walters said, "He just had to put that paragraph in there. That was unnecessary. He didn't need that paragraph in there."

And so they told KSEV radio talk show host Dan Patrick, who on Thursday, went on a crusade against the paper for what he calls a liberal slant.

"If you haven't cancelled your subscription yet, what are you waiting for?" Patrick asked listeners. "Thousands have, we understand."

Friday the Chronicle issued this statement from Publisher and President Jack Sweeney who "called the family on April 8th, and apologized for upsetting them after learning of their concern."

It continued, "In reporting all sides of a story, newspaper reporters often have to ask uncomfortable questions."

Sandoval's family told Eyewitness News on Friday they accept the apology, but they are still upset. They want most of all for Leroy's death not to have been in vain.

His stepfather Steve Walters said, "Let's get down to the issues. Let's serve together as one country and get the job done."
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more (or less)

[Nix 2]

Time for Sweeney to STFU!!!

[OldFriend]

Interviewing a family is not license to report 'all sides of the story'

The reporter took the opportunity to use the family to further his own agenda.

[MNJohnnie]

Close the rag down. Go after their advertisers too. Despicable is too clean a word for that rag. Is there NOTHING these slime will not try to politize?

[MEG33]

Asking about no WMD found was slimy .They did NOT need to ask that question nor report that he didn't want to discuss it.

I saw Walters on O'Reilly .Marine Sandoval supported the President and so do they.They say it dishonored his memory to imply otherwise.They were in the midst of grief and did not want to talk politics to the reporter at the time.

[Nix 2]

Yeah, Meg. That's where I caught it too, but very late here. So I went on a hunt. The thing is, I've been seeing Sweeney with his smarmy self all over the place ever since GW started runniing in the primaries. He hates Bush and was just on Scarborough Country night before last sliming Bush yet again. I cain't stands no more!
To use the death of a proud Marine before his body even arrived back in the states was sick, sick, sick!

[Nix 2]

They specifically asked that NO politics be involved and were given word that the story would ONLY be about Leroy Sandoval, Fallen Marine, beloved son and brother.
No apology, no matter how profuse is good enough...especially when it was done by telephone and not one extra word was printed to acknowledge that the young man enlisted to GO to Iraq, that he was proud of his service, his family was proud, and they are NOT against the war, or Bush, as the article implied.
It's disgusting. How long do liberals get to keep doing these things to our servicemen and women with no outcry or backlash????

[Caipirabob]

Prayers for the family's loss. May God give the comfort, the liberals surely won't and have already proceeded to feast upon the dead.

More prayers for the families loss. I am sickened by this article.

[Preachin']

I respect this family for making noise, even at a time when it might be easier to hide from this trash.

They honor our dead friend.

[Nix 2]

Indeed they do.

Houston. Houston. We have a problem....

viewpoints@chron.com

Letters to the Editor

[onyx]

Flood the Houston Chronicle with e-mail.

To contact us:
E-mail:
online@chron.com
Office phone:
713-220-2700
Main Switchboard:
713-220-7171
Address:
Houston Chronicle
801 Texas Ave.
Houston, Texas
77002
Reader Representative:
James T. Campbell
E-mail:
readerrep@chron.com
Phone:
713-220-6303

[wayoverontheright]

It continued, "In reporting all sides of a story, newspaper reporters often have to ask uncomfortable questions."

The discomfort is apparently not created by the questions, but the ANSWERS to those same questions. Thus the edit to create the aura of agreement with the liberal pre-determined conclusion.

[7thson]

From what I understand, the radio talk show host attempted to broker a deal with the paper and the family, whereas the paper would report on the families like of the President and their support of the WOT. The paper said no thank you!

[aardvark1]

Another example of the editorial disguised as "news."

[daybreakcoming]

I cancelled my subscription months ago because of their blatant liberal slant and told them so at the time which was received with a shrug. Sounds like they are listening this time but they won't change.

[abc1]

Another brick in the load.
Yet another example of why most newspapaers are
only useful if you have a birdcage to line.

[Pablo64]

"Yet another example of why most newspapaers are only useful if you have a birdcage to line.

That is if you don't like the bird. When our birds were alive we would just use the sale flyer section. Afraid they might read some of the rest of it and be harmed.

Seriously, though, this is why we have a policy at our house of never talking to a reporter, newspaper or tv. In the past I have been interviewed on several occasions and every single time I was misquoted or had what I said edited or "interpreted" to where it sounded like something else. They just can't report it straight. Best policy is to not speak to them at all. Period.

[GOPJ]

Calling all Publishers -- this could happen to you next...

[eyespysomething]

The problem with "news people" these days, is they think to be objective, they have to have every side of the story portrayed as equal. There is no right or wrong, criminals are just as equal as victims, bad=good. Being objective is getting the truth out, the facts of the matter.

As the Mrs. of a newsman, it is most frustrating for him: editors who think good guys aren't, and bad guys just need a break.

[Flyer]

*PING!*

[Allegra]

Hey, check this out.

I'll be real curious to see what happens with this.