Small Minded Journalist

Small Minded Journalist

Bailey's use of the word, "inadvertent" shows his bias on the issue of
Emily Rooney not inviting Jay Severin to the Grand Opening of the new WGBH
studios. (Steve Bailey, "At home, and all alone," Boston Globe, October 5, 2007)
Few one-party Massachusetts journalists recognize the small range of views
acceptable to Rooney on her show.
Here's one. After several letters asking why she never has guests on her
show
discussing rights of persons with disabilities, she wrote to me patronizing me
as if I were a mental patient.
After several letters to the President of WGBH asking why persons with
disabilities do not enjoy equal access to the content of what is broadcast on
(taxpayer funded) WGBH, he sent me a list of 100 programs about treatment,
health care and access to treatment. One show discussed physical disability
based discrimination.
I pointed out that Rooney often has on psychiatrists who boast of new or
experimental treatments. But she never has a person who was abused contrary to
state and US law by psychiatrists. Her response was that she wanted to have
debates two sides to discuss.
I often wonder if she thinks she fooled me. I noticed that frequently she
has
one person on her show discussing a controversial issue. Often she has
politicians on to promote themselves in an election. This she sees as a debate,
a one person debate? Is Rooney fooling herself or just trying fool others? Is
that what inadvertent means?
When Rooney finally had on a woman doctor and a member of the Boston
Disability Commission I wrote again mocking her crumb on the issue. Her response
was to threaten to ban me from Boston. She said she would write to others to
notify them. Is this woman a member of the Bulger crime family?-

Roy Bercaw, Editor ENOUGH ROOM

At home, and all alone
Boston Globe
By Steve Bailey
October 5, 2007

Jay Severin, WTKK radio's libertarian loudmouth, is hurt - wounded really - and
Emily Rooney, WGBH-TV's thermally challenged queen bee, is off his show and his
station. Says Rooney: "I didn't think the punishment fit the crime."

Rooney's crime? Inadvertently leaving Severin off the invitation list for WGBH's
party last week marking the 10th anniversary of her show, "Greater Boston."
Everyone was there, even me.

"Dear Emily," Severin e-mailed Rooney on Wednesday evening just minutes before
the big event was to begin.

"As I imagine you well know, I do wish you congratulations on the most
impressive achievement of ten years on the air choreographing your own
presentation. Extraordinary.

"And please do not misconsture [sic] what I ask as mitigating in any way the
earnestness of my best wishes.

"However: I am very personally disappointed (although from what you have frankly
told me of WGBH's attitude toward myself, not necessarily greatly surprised) not
to have been among those from 96.9 to have been invited to the WGBH celebratory
event. After all, we are, I think, friends; and we do broadcast together here
weekly, for an audience which is very considerably larger than even your
television audience, correctr? [sic] It thus strkes [sic] me as fairly
appropriate that I might have anticipated being included - especially
considering others here at 96.9 were.

"Am I wrong and/or presumptuous to wonder why, under the circumstances, I am not
included?"

Since January, Rooney has done a weekly (paid) segment with Severin, discussing
the media. But on Friday, Rooney got a call from WTKK's program director, Grace
Blazer, telling her not to bother coming to the station. The segment was being
canceled; she cited "budgetary" issues, Rooney says. (Disclosure: I occasionally
appear on Rooney's "Beat the Press" show; I hope she was getting paid more from
WTKK than the $100 I get from WGBH.)

"I feel terrible about this. I honestly do. I literally lost sleep over it," she
says. As for Severin's snide remark about ratings or the lack thereof, Rooney
says: "I didn't understand how that was relevant to the issue."

Neither Severin nor Blazer returned my calls or e-mails.

In Severin's world, Hillary Clinton is "a lying [expletive]," Ted Kennedy is "a
fat piece of lying garbage," and Al Gore is "Al Whore." All things considered,
it's surprising the guy is asked out at all.

Jay Severin, WTKK radio's libertarian loudmouth, is hurt - wounded really - and
Emily Rooney, WGBH-TV's thermally challenged queen bee, is off his show and his
station. Says Rooney: "I didn't think the punishment fit the crime."

Rooney's crime? Inadvertently leaving Severin off the invitation list for WGBH's
party last week marking the 10th anniversary of her show, "Greater Boston."
Everyone was there, even me.

"Dear Emily," Severin e-mailed Rooney on Wednesday evening just minutes before
the big event was to begin.

"As I imagine you well know, I do wish you congratulations on the most
impressive achievement of ten years on the air choreographing your own
presentation. Extraordinary.

"And please do not misconsture [sic] what I ask as mitigating in any way the
earnestness of my best wishes.

"However: I am very personally disappointed (although from what you have frankly
told me of WGBH's attitude toward myself, not necessarily greatly surprised) not
to have been among those from 96.9 to have been invited to the WGBH celebratory
event. After all, we are, I think, friends; and we do broadcast together here
weekly, for an audience which is very considerably larger than even your
television audience, correctr? [sic] It thus strkes [sic] me as fairly
appropriate that I might have anticipated being included - especially
considering others here at 96.9 were.

"Am I wrong and/or presumptuous to wonder why, under the circumstances, I am not
included?"

Since January, Rooney has done a weekly (paid) segment with Severin, discussing
the media. But on Friday, Rooney got a call from WTKK's program director, Grace
Blazer, telling her not to bother coming to the station. The segment was being
canceled; she cited "budgetary" issues, Rooney says. (Disclosure: I occasionally
appear on Rooney's "Beat the Press" show; I hope she was getting paid more from
WTKK than the $100 I get from WGBH.)

"I feel terrible about this. I honestly do. I literally lost sleep over it," she
says. As for Severin's snide remark about ratings or the lack thereof, Rooney
says: "I didn't understand how that was relevant to the issue."

Neither Severin nor Blazer returned my calls or e-mails.

In Severin's world, Hillary Clinton is "a lying [expletive]," Ted Kennedy is "a
fat piece of lying garbage," and Al Gore is "Al Whore." All things considered,
it's surprising the guy is asked out at all.