The Osgood File is hitting us too

CJ Campbell (always) says: The media will not air rational responses...

Look, my point is just that some restraint is called for. Pilots are the people
who get drunk and fly over controlled airspace and nuclear power plants, as
accurately reported in the media this week. The media do a deplorable job of
ginning up sensational stories, as proven by a throwaway time-filler CBS
mini-piece this week. But not always. Not even most of the time.

Go ahead and holler about this awful story. I am. But to go on and presume
from that that all "the media," from Kitplanes to the Enquirer to Reuters are
always despicable liars about everything is an overreaction.

Get it out of your system. But if you're going to maintain that they're all
that bad, don't ever again quote us a story you got from any newspaper, tv or
radio report anywhere. If you didn't see it happen, there's no reason to foist
on people a secondhand report you acquired from The Media.

That's my last rant on the subject. For now. Here.

"StellaStar" wrote in message
...
|
| Get it out of your system. But if you're going to maintain that they're
all
| that bad, don't ever again quote us a story you got from any newspaper, tv
or
| radio report anywhere. If you didn't see it happen, there's no reason to
foist
| on people a secondhand report you acquired from The Media.

Don't get snotty and start splitting hairs with me. You and I both know what
we are talking about in referring to the media. Look, you want to play word
games, fine.

That does not change the fact that there is a serious problem here, or that
Dan Rather or anybody else from a major network is going to give you equal
time to air your opinion, no matter how nice or cooperative you are.

Sure, fine, somebody from AOPA or Kitplanes wants to talk to me, I might
give him the time of day. But please don't pretend that that is what we were
talking about.

Technically they broadcast facts. But there is spin and manipulation
of the facts. I and many other pilots fly over nuclear power plants
every day. It's a non-issue until CBS puts it in a context designed to
cause fear. Yes, one pilot may have gotten drunk, (and I'm not sure
that wasn't speculation), and flown around in controlled airspace.
What about equal coverage of the 800,000 pilots that didn't do that?
Or equal coverage of the 400 drunk drivers that killed people last
week? Facts can be broadcast very irresponsibly.
--
Gene Seibel
Hangar 131 - http://pad39a.com/gene/plane.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.


(StellaStar) wrote in message ...
CJ Campbell (always) says: The media will not air rational responses...

Look, my point is just that some restraint is called for. Pilots are the people
who get drunk and fly over controlled airspace and nuclear power plants, as
accurately reported in the media this week. The media do a deplorable job of
ginning up sensational stories, as proven by a throwaway time-filler CBS
mini-piece this week. But not always. Not even most of the time.

Go ahead and holler about this awful story. I am. But to go on and presume
from that that all "the media," from Kitplanes to the Enquirer to Reuters are
always despicable liars about everything is an overreaction.

Get it out of your system. But if you're going to maintain that they're all
that bad, don't ever again quote us a story you got from any newspaper, tv or
radio report anywhere. If you didn't see it happen, there's no reason to foist
on people a secondhand report you acquired from The Media.

That's my last rant on the subject. For now. Here.

What I sent to CBS:

Dear Sirs,

I am shocked and dismayed that an organization such as yours would air such
a piece. What you have done is akin to yelling "FIRE" in a room full of
skittish people, just to draw attention to yourself.

This report was so full of errors that it is obvious that no proper research
was done in its preparation.

You have done a disservice to your viewing public. There is a tremendous
amount of work being done in all levels of government to attempt to
accurately assess risks and deal with them in an effective manner (in many
cases without fanfare), but by airing such a report you induce politicians
to interfere with this process and possibly divert needed resources from
real issues to ones where the true risk has been determined to be very low
and has already been dealt with in ways you do not see.

If you do some real research, interview knowledgeable people, and check your
facts and then determine that there is a security hole, I would be happy if
you quietly report it to the proper authorities. If they do not adequately
respond, then it may be your duty to report that publicly. But to air such
an incomplete, poorly researched, sensationalistic piece has in my opinion
crossed the line and represents irresponsible behavior.

Sirs, I am questioning your fitness as a broadcaster and will address this
directly with the FCC shortly.







"Gene Seibel" wrote in message
om...
Technically they broadcast facts. But there is spin and manipulation
of the facts. I and many other pilots fly over nuclear power plants
every day. It's a non-issue until CBS puts it in a context designed to
cause fear. Yes, one pilot may have gotten drunk, (and I'm not sure
that wasn't speculation), and flown around in controlled airspace.
What about equal coverage of the 800,000 pilots that didn't do that?
Or equal coverage of the 400 drunk drivers that killed people last
week? Facts can be broadcast very irresponsibly.
--
Gene Seibel
Hangar 131 - http://pad39a.com/gene/plane.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.


(StellaStar) wrote in message
...
CJ Campbell (always) says: The media will not air rational responses...

Look, my point is just that some restraint is called for. Pilots are the
people
who get drunk and fly over controlled airspace and nuclear power plants,
as
accurately reported in the media this week. The media do a deplorable
job of
ginning up sensational stories, as proven by a throwaway time-filler CBS
mini-piece this week. But not always. Not even most of the time.

Go ahead and holler about this awful story. I am. But to go on and
presume
from that that all "the media," from Kitplanes to the Enquirer to
Reuters are
always despicable liars about everything is an overreaction.

Get it out of your system. But if you're going to maintain that they're
all
that bad, don't ever again quote us a story you got from any newspaper,
tv or
radio report anywhere. If you didn't see it happen, there's no reason
to foist
on people a secondhand report you acquired from The Media.

That's my last rant on the subject. For now. Here.

On 18 Jan 2004 16:14:38 -0800, (Gene Seibel) wrote in
Message-Id: :

... and flown around in controlled airspace.
What about equal coverage of the 800,000 pilots that didn't do that?

What of the military pilot who, on November 16, 2000, lead his flight
in excess of 450 knots through busy Miami Class B and Tampa C airspace
without a clearance ending in a midair collision with a Cessna 172
under positive air traffic control and its ATP rated flight instructor
pilot scattered over four acres of golf course?* The Associated Press
reported that the military found verbal reprimand to be appropriate
reprimand for the irresponsible conduct of the lead airman whose
unbelievable hubris left the Cessna pilot's daughter an orphan. Did
CBS News report the lack of criminal due process in that case of
homicide and abuse of power?

Did they inform the flying public of the danger they face daily from
the threat of our own military pilots? Did they expose the lax
punishment imposed by the military? Does CBS News practice fair and
impartial journalism?

Perhaps it's time someone put up some cash for an Anti-Pulitzer Prize
award, or at least a web site exposing these breaches of public trust


*
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?...A028A &akey=1