Eric Longabardi reports for ERSNews.com:
ERSNews has learned that despite the official press releases and well planned PR posturing, Telemundo News Director Al Corral has been at work all day today (8/3/07). Although the nature of his presence at the station is unknown, Telemundo spokesman Victor Franco confirmed to ERS today that the suspensions handed out to reporter Mirthala Salinas and her news director Corral yesterday of 2 months without pay, was effective “immediately”.
We can report that Salinas herself is not at the station today with Telemundo executives, so we’re guessing that that Poytner Institute ethics training to be done at the station in the future, may be having an effect. ERS attempted to speak with Ms. Salinas last night directly via her cell phone seeking comment, but she has yet to return our calls since this story broke.
Here at ERS we don’t like to do stories based on spoon fed press releases like the LA Times does, but according to our math, “effective immediately” would have been yesterday, when they were suspended.
In addition, if Mirthala Salinas happens to read ERS, we want to let you know again if Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters or maybe Katie Couric are to busy to talk with you, we here at ERS are still leaving our offer on the table to do an unedited live webcast interview, whenever you’ve got the time in the next two months.
ERSNews has learned Al Corral and Paula Madison, Corral’s senior his management superior at NBC/Telemundo at the time, are both recent participants of something called the "The Carole Kneeland Project for Responsible Television Journalism". According to the journalism organization’s website. "The mission of The Carole Kneeland Project for Responsible Television Journalism, Inc. (CKP) is “to assure ethics and excellence in local broadcast news." The Project provides intensive training and education, building solid television news leaders, teaching Carole’s collaborative style based on ethics and standards. As was Carole, we are determined to help improve local television news in America. As ERS reported yesterday Madison role in the Salinas affair has to be addressed by NBC Universal and she received no disciplinary action according to Telemundo’s announcement made public yesterday. (7/2/07)
Corral, a 2006 graduate of the program is even quoted on the site extolling the programs benefits:
“I’ve been in the business a long time, and have been a news director in several shops. I left Kneeland with a fresh perspective, and with concrete operational ideas I put into action the day I returned. It is a must-attend not only for rookie News Directors, but for the seasoned leaders who are smart enough to know there is a real growth opportunity at Kneeland.” – Al Corral, News Director KVEA-TV
ERS wonders if the Poytner Institute journalistic ethics and integrity training Telemundo announced its newsroom would be undertaking and possibly a return trip to the Kneeland program may be in the cards for Salinas, Corral, Madison and a few others? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
ERS sought comment from Telemundo’s spokesman on why the "internal investigation" only covered Salinas’ actions while engaged in a romantic relationship with LA Mayor Villaraigosa and not all her previous "political" boyfriends", so far all we’ve got in response is "no comment".
