As a former journalist who has made his living as a freelance writer for nearly 20 years, I am torn about the current controversy surrounding KTNV TV-13 anchor Nina Radetich.
On Sept. 12, Las Vegas Sun writer Abigail Goldman broke a huge story detailing how Radetich goofed – big time. Assuming that the story is correct, Las Vegas again has egg on its face although now someone reporting the news is making the news.
It seems that Channel 13 was working on an investigative story about alleged violations by Tire Works when Radetich supposedly advised Tire Works owner Roshie Weightman that damage control was available simply by calling Jack Finn, who just happens to be Radetich’s boyfriend.
Finn, an employee of NV Energy, is a former TV journalist who moved on to work in politics before landing his latest gig which now allows him time to work as a consultant.
However, the key element to all of this was (a) that someone within the newsroom at KTNV was willing to offer advice to Weightman and (b) that the counseling would be done by Radetich’s boyfriend.
Finn and Radetich reportedly have a combined income of more than $300,000 annually and why either of them would jeopardize such a healthy economic situation is mind-boggling. The board rooms of both KTNV and Nv Energy have got to be filled with discontent and confusion as company executives try to figure out what to do with high-ranking employees whose careers and credibility are in the tank.
I like Nina Radetich and have even pitched stories to her. I don’t know Finn personally but if the buzz is true, the pair has some serious issues to deal with in the very near future considering that their alleged actions are now being reported on web sites and chat rooms all over the nation.
The executives of KTNV have never been known for using their heads anyway as evidenced by the way they have handled past PR nightmares. They fired long-time sportscaster Ron Futrell after a traffic accident in which Futrell was exonerated of all wrongdoings – and Futrell responded by winning a settlement that would have been even higher had he waited until he was cleared of all charges.
This entire situation is more than just slightly perplexing especially during these tough economic times. Milwaukee-based Journal Broadcast Group, which owns KTNV, is screaming at the Las Vegas station for not generating enough money and the station itself continues to implode after first reaching top rankings with its morning news show three years ago.
Just when the station reached the top of the ratings, KTNV’s brass fired comical weatherman Mark Pfister, sent Futrell packing and demoted fellow anchor Ricky
Cheese.
The newsroom at KTNV has more long faces than an unemployment line and it fascinates me to see those same employees with smiles as they report the news. Behind those smiling faces are troubled and frightened folks who now might feel that Iraq is safer that KTNV. I mean, foot soldiers in Iraq have better morale than anyone now affiliated with KTNV.
Now, those who remain in the KTNV newsroom not to mention every other department are both embarrassed and scared to death. Sports caster Bryan Salmond is no longer with the station which now has no weekend sports segment; and anyone else with any dignity and dedication enters the station every day wondering if they will have a job by the end of the shift.
Through all of this, members of the sales staff are being back-charged because many clients are not paying their advertising bills and employees are terrified that the memo from corporate will inform them they have been terminated.
If you’re a reporter at KTNV, you can’t possibly look people in the face and expect them to believe in your product now.
And if you’re in the sales department of the station, your next commission check could be even worse than the last. Along that line, I am wondering if anyone in the sales department had anything to do with getting Nina Radetich involved in an effort to settle down an upset client.
It didn’t have to be this way either. Unfortunately, everyone involved in this debacle didn’t think about the ramifications when they made bad decisions. Lord only knows when – or if – this thing will ever right side itself in the future.
However, as shocking and sad as the situation has become at KTNV, don’t for a minute think this is the first – or the last – time that a key member of a local media outlet has used his or her clout while teaming with a spouse to pad the family check book.
This may be the tip of the iceberg. In the words of another long-time local journalist, the polygamists of Southern Utah aren’t as incestuous as people in Las Vegas.
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