Dismissing Protestors

Analysis:

This is a fairly long story as local TV news goes. Notice how little actual information was provided in this story. It is useful that channel 8 tells viewers that the White House created and orchestrated the look of Bush’s visit, by even dictating “what the TV will show 90% of the time.”

One question for viewers to ask themselves is, is there a journalistic obligation for differing perspectives, especially when one perspective make disparaging comments directed at the other? If people or groups that organized the protest had made critical comments of Peter Seechia, do you think channel 8 would have let it go at that?

Story:

WOOD TV 8 News reader #1 – The countdown is on until the most powerful man in the world arrives in West Michigan.

WOOD TV 8 News reader #2 – So how exactly did Calvin College land President George W. Bush as a Speak? Brad Edwards is live at Calvin with the answer.

Reporter – Well it is a little bit of who you know and a little bit of luck. Officials here say that this years graduation ceremony will be a spitting image of last years and every other year for that matter, except for the Presidential part. Better sounds system, check. More fencing, check. Industrial renting air conditioning unit, check, which is as close as we get to inside, with the Secret Service now in charge. The President is coming. How?

Peter Secchia – It feels wonderful to know that the President is going to come to our town.

Reporter – The two credited by college officials for landing the President, Peter Secchia, businessman and former Ambassador, and former Calvin student, prof and now Congressman Vern Ehlers. So how again?

Peter Secchia – Well, we are always making suggestions. Whether it’s Tulip festival or Grand Valley, Calvin, Michigan State and sometimes we hit and sometimes we don’t.

Reporter – And under the promise of perfect whether, this will be a hit.

Calvin Vice President – I chair the task force that is coordinating the specialness of this day.

Reporter – Calvin Vice President Tom McWherton says this year will be different. The speaker of course and the speech.

Calvin Vice President – Normally our commencement speeches are 12 to 15 minutes, but I am told the President’s speech will be about 20.

Reporter – Are you gonna give him that 5 minutes?

Calvin Vice President – I think we are going to give it to him.

Reporter – And they have had to make changes, like…

Calvin Vice President – We had to change the back drop so that there was a good color there for television.

Reporter – The White House’s school came up with this. The Presidential podium and a Calvin burgundy back drop. The note on the rendering says what the TV will show 90% of the time. It’s all nearing ready. The only concern for the former Ambassador, a key in the big get, to promise of protesters.

Peter Secchia – No full page ads, no….Let’s not major in minors, let’s get things done, let’s build our community up. Those people who are unhappy he is coming here, let’s not have him come here, let’s have nobody.

Reporter – With that said it’s the prep, the work, the walk all rolled into one make for a Saturday visit by a sitting President. And as for the tickets, they are all gone, all free mainly to student’s families. As for the original guest speaker, a former professor here and at Yale University, a noted religious philosopher. Well, he graciously stepped aside this year. He’ll be speaking next year.

Total Time – 2 minutes and 38 seconds