Posted on 05/31/2007 6:11:42 AM PDT by jaydubya2
A top-notch investigative producer from Chicago is suing NBC over alleged ethical lapses involving the news series "To Catch a Predator." Marsha Bartel, who was fired last December after a stellar 21-year career with NBC (including 10 years at WMAQ-Channel 5), claimed she was forced out after blowing the whistle on the show for violating journalistic ethical standards and many of NBC's own policies and guidelines.
A copy of her lawsuit, filed in federal court May 24, turned up this week on thesmokinggun.com.
Bartel, 49, who now works with news anchor Mark Suppelsa as a special project producer at Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32, is seeking $1 million in damages from NBC for breach of contract.
"To Catch a Predator" reports on sting operations that target men who believe they have arranged for sexual liaisons with minors online.
The setup usually involves the targets' exposure and humiliation on camera by nauseatingly smug host Chris Hansen. Then they're arrested by local police outside.
In her lawsuit, Bartel claimed that NBC pays a vigilante group called Perverted Justice to lure targets into the sting, and that the network's relationship with the group and law enforcement agencies crosses ethical lines.
Contrary to NBC policies and guidelines, the suit said, targets often are "led into additional acts of humiliation (such as being encouraged to remove their clothes) in order to enhance the comedic effect of the public exposure of these persons."
After Bartel became producer of the show and conveyed her concerns to her superiors, she was fired in retaliation, the suit said. She was told her firing was part of mass layoffs at NBC.
In a statement, the network said Bartel's suit had no merit.
"We have been transparent about our reporting methods, including the role of law enforcement and Perverted Justice," NBC said. "Although the reports have been subject to some controversy, audience reaction has been overwhelmingly positive."
Exploding, pick-up truck gas tanks come to mind for some reason...
You may be interested in this...
What I watch on TV these days can be stuck in an eyecup.
Leni
There's your journalistic 'ethics', lady.
"We're makin' money, what's the problem?"
Just damn, that is almost as bad as hoping to win a Toy Yoda! This is just way to unfair to the child molester!
I don’t have a problem with this. Lured, or from the perp’s own imagination, no one forces these vermin to go where they go, or show up naked.
Chris Hansen is not “nauseatingly smug”, he seems to reflect the nausea I have seeing what these men will do.
NBC sucks, and will do anything for ratings, but in this case, they are taking animals off the street. Good for them.
Huh? WTF is "journalistic ethical standards"?
I love this show. The perverts seem to line up to get caught. Hammering perverts like these should be a national sport.
Suddenly paying stringers is wrong?
I agree.
My favorite line from the show: “You’re heeeere for shex.”
My favorite is that moment when they realize they are busted and they start making excuses. Somewhere deep in their mind, they knew it could happn but they showed up anyway. It is an object lesson on the theological concept of Total Depravity.
Watching this show is probably a sin.
No, Stringers are obviously used all the time by the networks, but to combine that with law enforcement to create a revenue generating TV show maybe a breach of ethics. If ethics still apply to the networks...
I just read a book Chris Hansen wrote about the show. (We don't have TV reception, so I've never seen it.) He said that some of the men say they've watched the show, but they walk right in, even though there are sometimes law enforcement vehicles on the street.
He also discussed in detail the producers' arrangement with the "Perverted Justice" group, and with law enforcement agencies. I don't see any attempt at deceiving the general public regarding what's going on. Obviously, they're deceiving child-sex fanciers, but so are law enforcement officials when there's no TV show involved.
Honestly, I find it hard to believe that anyone could say "journalistic ethics" with a straight face, no matter what the context.
Good point Sticker.
I want to personally thank NBC for their service. Now I know it’s a bad idea to carry explosive devices in my gas tank.
I also now know it’s bad to solicit sex from underage girls.
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