Eric Longabardi reports for ERSNews.com:
A source familiar with the internal investigation conducted by the network confirmed to ERS that former KNBC-TV General Manager Paula Madison was the NBC executive responsible for removing Salinas from her role as a political reporter at Telemundo, as ERS first reported weeks ago. Her role in the scandal was not addressed, nor was she included in any punishment dealt out by the network. Madison is now the head of "diversity" at NBC Universal.
In an official statement on the investigation put out tonight by Telemundo the network reported it had consulted with the Poytner Institute, a well regarded organization that trains journalists and consults with media outlets on issues of ethics and integrity in journalism.
ERS spoke with Bob Steele at the Poytner Institute tonight who confirmed the institute had indeed been involved in advising Telemundo/NBC in relation to issues involved in it internal investigation of the Salinas matter.
Steele confirmed for ERS the he and another Poytner colleague Al Tompkins advised Telemundo/NBC on the issues surrounding this case. Steele was unable to comment on the specific issues and/or nature of the involvement due to confidentiality provision that Poytner adheres to when asked to provide their expertise to media outlets. When asked by ERS if Telemundo’s investigation included any issues outside of only the Mayor and Salinas relationship in 2005 and 2006 Steele again could not comment. Steele did tell ERS that although he could not comment on anything related to his and Poytner’s involvement in the internal NBC/Telemmundo investigation, he did tell ERSNews that he was familiar with ERS’s reporting and that of other media outlets related to a myriad of others ethics issues related to Salinas prior to her relationship with the Mayor.
