You can spell KTLA without "ethics"

The saga continues

Now, it seems there's this little dustup about the makeover of a "Morning News" anchor's dining room by a furniture store that was approached by a producer hoping to do a segment on it. The segment never aired, the store's owner wants his $$, and Goldner & Co. again are spinning forth the rationalizations.

It's best summed up by one commenter: KTLA is a news organization? Any evidence for that?

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Earlier post

Los Angeles TV station KTLA has this small ethics problem according to an L.A. Times article pointed to by Romenesko.

The problem?
Amid growing criticism, the executive producer of KTLA-TV's "Morning News" defended the show's decision last week to accept free accommodations in exchange for broadcasting its morning program from the newly renovated Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena.

Times reporter Martin Miller continues (the quote is from the show's executive producer Rich Goldner):

The Pasadena Star-News this weekend reported the arrangement between KTLA and Ritz-Carlton, which also reportedly included free wine and chocolates for the anchors.

Even so, the broadcast from the hotel conformed to the morning show's mission of highlighting new, unique and interesting aspects about Southern California communities, Goldner said. "People often come to us with these things. We don't go to them," he said. "If there's something we don't like or feel is inappropriate, we won't put it on the air…. We're a news show."

Well, there's the problem. It's that Goldner thinks his morning show -- or about any of them on TV these days -- is a news show. Watched one lately? (The really early morning, just-the-headlines pre-shows that lead into the main events don't count.) Sure, they may fall under the news divisions, but be honest: They're entertainment, folks! So, see, it was just that Goldner got confused and thought he was putting on a news show.

Ethics problem solved.

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Earlier: "A Peek at show-biz 'journalism' " by Columbia Daily Tribune Publisher Henry J. Waters III.