Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/678114
4 MAY 11-17, 2016 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM There must be some very, very slow news days in Fayetteville when one of Fayetteville's interloping TV stations engages in an attempted character assassination of one of Cumberland County's hardest working public officials, Clerk of Superior Court Kim Tucker. WRAL (Channel 5), the newest NBC TV affiliate and the same lame network that brought us nationally disgraced NBC news anchor and managing editor Brian Williams, has now graced us with investigative reporter, Cullen Browder. It's so disappointing to see anyone in our industry compromise basic journalistic values. In my opinion Browder and WRAL hit an all-time high in new lows when it comes to journalist integrity. Don't believe me? Take a look at the "news" report on Kim Tucker's attendance record and responsibility to Cumberland County taxpayers that aired on Tuesday May 3. The report was mostly based on misinformation, innuendo and unreliable sources who refused to be identified or speak on the record. Really? This is not journalism. What it is, however, is another example of Cumberland County "guerrilla" politics where someone has the ear of the media and feeds them information for the sole purpose of discrediting Tucker in hopes that she will be reprimanded or removed from office leaving the $115,000 a year job vacant and available. However, these culprits do not have the guts or political fortitude to face the task head on. Unfortunately, these gutless wonders have found the WRAL news team overly eager to develop and run with any story that will aid them in convincing the Fayetteville community they really know what's going on here ... and, that they really care about what is going on here. In Fayetteville, WRAL is conveniently located in the offices of our liberal-leaning daily newspaper The Fayetteville Observer. Oh! Now it's beginning to make sense how a TV station touting a local focus conducts an investigative story based totally on innuendo, off-the-record comments, non-vetted video surveillance and a myriad of unsubstantiated facts. By the way, surveillance? What kind of sloppy news reporting ignores the fact that a private citizen contracts out video surveillance of a public official then refuses to comment or be identified? What legitimate news organization goes out to a public parking lot and baits local taxpayers for reactions in order to justify or substantiate the trumped-up allegations. Jeff Thompson, Up & Coming Weekly's senior reporter, spoke directly with Tucker last week and reported that she was not concerned with WRAL's report. It was obvious that reporter Cullen Browder was only interested in the key-card record and not other entrances and exits to and from the building. WRAL TV is following the same familiar path of failed city leaders, who listen to the "whispers of cowards." Selfish, spineless and unethical people who hide in the shadows and try to influence the process and outcomes for personal gain. Well, I've got some recommendations for WRAL: First, interview people who really know Kim Tucker. I assure you they all will go "on the record" in their response. Second, Reconsider reporting on stories that take 18 months to research and investigate yet produce no one who will stake their name or reputation on the information they provide by going on the record and substantiating the allegations. Third, if you really need a Fayetteville story, find and interview the person or persons who had the time and money to conduct video surveillance of our Clerk of Court. That would be a real news story. Kim Tucker is very good and competent. She is getting the job done. More importantly, she is a fine, decent and hardworking human being. There is no rule, law or statute that says how long the Clerk of Court must stay confined in their office. The most important thing is that they do their job and that they are there when you need them. Kim Tucker is always there. By the way, this entire piece is on the record! Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. PUBLISHER'S PEN WRAL News Resorts to National Enquirer's Level by BILL BOWMAN BILL BOWMAN, Publisher, UP & COMING WEEKLY. COMMENTS? BILL@ upandcomingweekly.com. 910.484.6200. Fayetteville's Weather Forecast Call 910-354-1679 for more info. May 12 Partly Cloudy May 13 Partly Cloudy May 14 Showers May 15 AM Showers May 16 Mostly Sunny May 17 Partly Cloudy THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY HIGH 90 HIGH 85 HIGH 87 HIGH 88 HIGH 88 HIGH 81 LOW 66 LOW 63 LOW 65 LOW 66 LOW 67 LOW 68 STAFF PUBLISHER Bill Bowman Bill@upandcomingweekly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Janice Burton editor@upandcomingweekly.com EDITOR Stephanie Crider stephanie@upandcomingweekly.com SENIOR REPORTER Jeff Thompson news@upandcomingweekly.com ART DIRECTOR & GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sara Smith art@upandcomingweekly.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS D.G. 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Up & Coming Weekly welcomes manuscripts, photographs and artwork for publi- cation consideration, but assumes no responsibil- ity for them. We cannot accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or material. Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to edit or reject copy submitted for publication. Up & Coming Weekly is free of charge and distributed at indoor and outdoor locations throughout Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Hope Mills and Spring Lake. Readers are limited to one copy per person. ©2007 by F&B Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertisements without permission is strictly prohibited. Clerk of Court Kim Tucker