Re: Jeff Dederian On Paid Leave

["Dan Billings" <billings@suscom-maine.net>]

---- Original Message -----
From: "rogerkirk" <rogerkirk@mail.ttlc.net>
To: "BRI" <boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>
Sent: Monday, February 24, 2003 5:46 PM
Subject: Jeff Dederian On Paid Leave


> WPRI has issued a statement on their Web Site
> concerning the film shoot on the night of the
> fire.
>
> www.eyewitnessnewsprovidence.com
>
> Click on local news.
> ------------------

"In a statement, WPRI says Brian Butler was shooting (quote) "generic
background bar scene footage" for an upcoming feature on safety in public
buildings. The T-V station says the idea for the story came from a
consultant and emanated from the stampede that killed 21 people in a Chicago
nightclub a few days earlier.
In the statement, WPRI also confirms that Derderian was the reporter
assigned to the story. But the station says there was no plan to publicize
or promote Derdarian's nightclub in any way in the story."

I don't think that shooting generic film in Derderian's club under the
circumstances described raises any significant ethical questions.  With the
explanation, I withdraw the concerns I expressed earlier.  However, how
could Derderian be assigned to cover a story about safety in public
buildings that emanated from a tragedy in a nightclub when Derderian is the
owner of a nightclub?  That seems like a huge conflict of interest to me.

-- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine