HAPPY FRIDAY!



I just sent this letter to San Francisco's KRON 4 News Department.
I am going to send it to all of San Francisco's TV News Departments.

My motivation was one of those 'teasers' that was broadcast during a commericial break for a program I was watching recently.

This 'teaser' announced, to my great horror, that several women had been recently been attacked... and to "... stay tuned to KRON 4 News to find out what Bay Area Neighborhood" it was where Police were warning women about it.

...What the %@&!???

Um... Hello... KRON 4 News (and ALL News Departments!)!

When you recieve Official Police Reports of women or anyone in the community being attacked or assaulted... and the perv... perpetrator is still on the loose...

I want to know what you know... RIGHT NOW!!!

I Do Not want to have to wait for the next News broadcast. I do not want to have to wait for whatever reporter is assigned to the story to get around to telling me the details. (You know... you learned it in Journalism 101 class: Who? What? Where?, etc.) I want to hear what you could have and should have told me about it during the News 'Teaser'!

I know it's likely that the head of the News Department is a man...
But, still, he must have female relatives/friends...

Local TV stations are always doing things to promote themselves in the community.
Most recently, programming/commercial breaks have been interrupted by Live Reports from around the Bay Area that lasted for Several Minutes... For The Food Bank!

But, hey, receive a Police Report about multiple attacks on women... and use it as a 15-Second Teaser??

DON'T use a Serious and Immediate Public Safety Issue as a TEASER!

Use the damn resources available to the TV station to INFORM the Public and CONTRIBUTE to PUBLIC SAFETY in an Immediate and Worthwhile way.

This happened a week ago... and I'm still Angry.

But, I feel better now, Thank You.

Peace.
L.

An Open Letter/email:

Dear KRON 4/KRON 4 News Department:

Hello!

I am a frequent KRON 4 viewer. I've appreciated many of the locally-produced programs you have broadcast and I rely on KRON 4 regularly for national and local news information.

I am emailing you in regards to an issue of great concern to me (and, hopefully, to you as well): Public Safety.

In particular, the safety of women and girls in the beautiful Bay Area.

About a week ago, during a commercial break for a program that I was watching on KRON 4, there was a brief "teaser" for the local news show that was to follow...

In this "teaser", the speaker announced that the Police were warning women in "... part of the Bay Area..." to be alert because there had been several attacks. This frightening statement was followed by the instruction to watch KRON 4 News for further details "...next."

I completely understand the need to encourage/entice viewers to 'Stay Tuned' for upcoming programs. I understand that there are ratings and numbers that need to be reached.

But, I am afraid that - in using the unidentified Bay Area city's Police Department's warning about attacks on women as a 'teaser' - perhaps you don't fully understand how such an announcement affects the women who might hear it. (Actually, I hope that is the case, instead of the situation being that you do know and you intended to use the Bush Method of inciting fear to induce viewers to watch the News.)

Women and girls everywhere, to my great sadness, must be constantly vigilant and pay attention to their surroundings and who is around them to stay safe. (Ipods and MP3 players are a major technological impediment to women's safety... but that's another email.)

When your News Department or any News Department receives official reports from local authorities or Police Departments of attacks on women/girls/children/anyone... especially in instances where the suspect or suspects have not been caught/detained/arrested...

...This is a High Priority Public Safety Issue.

And, as such, I feel very strongly that the public needs to be immediately informed/warned.

Every television station has a responsibility (and, hopefully, a desire) to contribute positively to their community. And, with the resources available to them, they have the ability to help great numbers of people.

In an instance such as this - where women's safety and possibly their lives are known to be in serious danger - I feel that our community deserves more than a 'teaser' to "Stay Tuned for the local news."

In an instance such as this, at least in the future - for, tragically, we can be sure it will come up again - I implore you to take the socially responsible High Road and follow such an announcement with whatever pertinent details the authorities have provided to you. Not in half an hour, not in fifteen minutes, not in five minutes... Right at That Moment.

If it involves the Safety of Any Women... it affects Every Woman.

Please don't spend your resources to inform us enough to frighten all of us, leave us frightened and uniformed and, thereby, leave some women - in some unidentified Bay Area city - in immediate danger.

Please consider this when you receive official reports in the future.

Thank You.
L.
San Francisco