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Show TheSalt Lake Tribune TELEVISION Tuesday, May 22, 2001 :Award-Winning Reporter Quits Job Because ‘TV Sucks’ BY NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS e } | j or boy-band look-alikes who populate TV news. But Grant has a master’s degree in journalism Anke University, and that long list of ‘THE ASSOCIATED PRESS a > SPOKANE, Wash. — TV reporter Tom Grant “Spokaiie is a good place to do news, butthe emwas the first to report that an epidemic of child phasisis on making money,evenin the newsroom,” sexual abuse in Wenatchee, Wash., may not have . Grantsaid. ; happened. , : : Television shies away from certain stories for Grant's reporting helped puta serial rapist be. fear of offending advertisers or being sued, Grant “ hind bars in Vermont. said. During his career, he has been discouraged He has wona George Polkaward, two Edward R. from doing stories on dirty restaurants, incompeMurrow awardsandtwoAlfred I. duPont-Columbia tent doctors or dentists, shyster lawyers or unscruUniversity awards for broadcast journalism. - But he’s nolonger working in television news. pulous car dealers. “Weall follow the samerecipe,” Grantsaid. “Put Disgusted by the push for higher ratings, greater on puppiesand babies andthe ratings will go up. profits and fluffier stories, Grant resigned earlier “That's not the newsthatpeople need,” he added. ~ this month from KXLY-TV, the ABC affiliate in *- Butis it what peoplé want? Last year, a televiSpokane, the nation’s No, 77 market. ~ sion-station in Chicago experimented with a local “TV sucks,” Grant wrote in a column announc_ newscastthat shunned fluff and crimestories in ing his moveto print journalism... It’s not unusual for reporters to criticize the st- favor of a hard-news approach. That program was perficiality of TV news, with its focus on crime, canceled after nine months for lack ofviewers. “The public does wantthat kind of news,” Grant losing weightandcivic boosterism, f insisted. “It may not be as entertaining as rerunsof Tt is unusual for a middle-aged, award-winning Drew Carey, but people need.the news,”hesaid.“If reporterto quithis job for the uncertain world ofan alternative weekly called The Local Planet. Grant, -you give them the newsdayafter day, people will trust you and come backto you,” 47, will be the news editor. e Grant's majorclaim to fame was his work in the The pudgy, bespectacled Grantis thefirst to admid-1990s that first cast doubt on the horrific mit that he doesn’t much resemble the chiseled gods Channel 7:00 7:30 8:00: 8:30 9:00 ———————»~_— Today is Tuesday, May 22, the T42nd day of 2001. There are 223 days left in the year. On May 22, 1947, the “Truman Grantgot an idterviewin which oneof the girls Doctrine” was.enacted as Congress recanted her story, spurring legal appeals thatultiappropriated military and ecomately discredited the 1994-95 investigations. All 18 ' nomicaid for Greece and Turkey. people sent to prison have been released. In 1813, composer Richard “T’'m ratherproudofthatstory,” Grantsaid. “For Wagner was born in Leipzig, six months,I was the only onecasting a critical eye Germany.. toward those arrests.” The story earned Grant a In 1868, the “Great Train Rob1995 Polk award, a prize that usually goes to rebery” took place near Marshfield, porters from much bigger news organizations. Ind., as seven members ofthe Reno Grant was notcritical of KXLY, saying the mangang madeoffwith $96,000 in loot. agementgenerally supported his work. KXLY GenIn 1939, AdolfHitler and Benito eral Manager Steve Herling declined to say much Mussolini signed a “Pact of Steel” about Grant’s departure. committing GermanyandItaly toa “We wish him luck,” Herling said. “We've sup- * ie military alliance. ported him very strongly in his career here.” In 1990,after years of conflict, Grant said considered moving to remain in pro-Western North Yemen and television news. But the other jobs he looked at. pro-Soviet South Yemen merged to weren't much different from what he had in Spoform a single nation, the Republic kane,andhis wife and three children didn’t want to of Yemen. leave, Grant was making about$40,000 per-year as a In 1990, boxer Rocky Graziano television reporter and will make aboutthe same at died inNew Yorkat age 71. The Local Planet, although the benefits package is In 1992, after a reign lasting not as good. $ nearly 30 years, Johnny Carson “My decision is all about journalism,” Grant hosted NBC's “Tonight Show”for said. : y : thelast time. Res Wenatchee child sex rings. Two girls accused dozens ofadults of molesting them and other children ies. 330 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 4483 an island for violent teens, 1919 1822 > KSTU-13> > KUPX-16 KPNZ-24 > ‘TV-14' 64071 officer's murder. after Nikita He 471613 von w AS A JUDGE PARKER 0GomerVORPensa Tanaode, ‘hab for garral weanof og oes wttar metreree ey YH NarenYORwan ne VR pans ferredby 4 CR (Pins tage on your VOM) a8 you need to-dot0 - ‘ , BEETLE BAILEY HUSBAND HAD’ Nameonts orfee er YOUR MRS ORIOOS/ bealeeenanelabtnemetarata NO WANT Mie INMERITANG Et /, KNOCKIT OFF, YOU PERVERT! \ OTTO, DID YOU HIT THE SPEED DIAL ON MY 6PBAKERPHONE? |
