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After calling WCCO-TV and trying to schedule an appointment with WCCO-TV Vice President & General Manager Brien Kennedy to gain insight on his operation, neither he nor his staff has made any attempts to return phone calls. We have come to the conclusion; WCCO-TV channel 4 does not have the same essence of the CBS affiliate when Dave Moore, Pat Miles and Don Shelby ruled the airwaves in Minnesota. In 2012 a drive to be corporate media has turned WCCO-TV into a giant succubus with too many moving parts and no creativity. The saying, “News you can use,” has turned into “News we let you use, if we chose to.”
From Donald Allen, Editor-in-Chief – The Independent Business News Network
(Name spelled correctly according to WCCO-TV News Director)
“WCCO-TV Vice President & General Manager Brien Kennedy: Can we get some consideration on Black news?” (photo: Minnesota CBS – fair use)
Dear Mr. Kennedy,
I submit to you CBS NEWS has a policy – it’s called, Corporate Responsibility. It states, “Recognizing its influence as one of the world’s leading media companies, with assets that include national television networks, local TV and radio stations, interactive and outdoor media and a publishing house, CBS Corporation strives to use its power and reach for the public good. Its commitment to quality news coverage, community outreach and support, public service announcements, diversity efforts and socially responsible content across all its divisions has earned CBS the distinction of being a public trust.”
WCCO-TV in our opinion has lost the public trust – for without commitment to quality; community outreach with socially responsible content, the viewing community, especially the minority-ethnic population cannot trust WCCO-TV, it’s news anchors or advertisers.
It must be a sharp contrast to once be the most watch television station in the Twin Cities, now to a television station that Neilson could possibly sweep under the rug in the forth quarter. In contrast, I’m a little upset with Fox 9 News too – although it’s my favorite morning show in the city. But today’s focus is on you Mr. Kennedy and the news operations of WCCO-TV. You have not done the minority-ethnic community any favors by sanitizing and obstructing the broadcast of local news in what we attest is an allegiance between WCCO-TV and the city of Minneapolis and it’s police department.
I’d be curious too if I was Sumner M. Redstone, Executive Chairman of the Board of both CBS Corporation and Viacom if two local bloggers with an online radio program scooped a story, with factual evidence on a police brutality incident that put a Black man in a coma and WCCO felt it was not news worthy. Of course this wasn’t anything like one Black killing another Black – which always makes the 6 and 10. (Listen to the radio show here.)
Sources tell IBNN, Black Politics in Minneapolis, and CNN’s iReport (IBNNNEWS) that you (Mr. Kennedy)– and WCCO-TV news director are upset to the point of taking legal action. Don’t get me wrong; you got to do what you have to in order to maintain the integrity of WCCO-TV. I attest WCCO-TV has fallen out of grace all together, locally and in rural Minnesota too.
Mr. Kennedy, I suggest you pick your fights wisely and don’t come to a battle of wits unarmed. You don’t have that dog in the race.
Sincerely,
IBNN NEWS
