Tuesday, January 03, 2012

WISH-TV Sacks Top Investigative Journalist

Apparently it's not good enough to be one of the best investigative journalists in town to keep your job. WISH-TV has fired reporter Brad Edwards just two years into his initial three-year contract according to the IBJ. Edwards hints that his firing had something to do with his salary, a claim contested by the station. From the IBJ:

WISH-TV Channel 8 General Manager Jeff White said the dismissal of field reporter Brad Edwards was not part of a bigger staff downsizing.
Despite rumors swirling about WISH in media circles, White said there have been no other terminations at the station. “This is an isolated incident,” he said . . .
Edwards told trade website TVSpy last week “My dismissal is as mundane as money,” adding that his three-year contract was terminated with more than a year remaining on it due to his salary.
Edwards told TVSpy there are many details he won’t reveal “because there are many at an ever-leaner WISH TV I hold dear.”
Edwards could not be reached by IBJ for comment.
“I can confirm that Brad was let go, but it wasn’t done for financial reasons,” White said. “We are actively looking to replace Brad and are looking forward to adding to our staff.”
White wouldn’t elaborate on why Edwards was fired, but added that WISH will add two new reporter positions to its staff in addition to Edward’s replacement. White said there is no timetable to replace Edwards, but said the search is already underway . . .
It's too bad WISH-TV doesn't get rid of the dead-weight reporter who has been occupying its State House beat for about a decade too long and whose biased reporting has become a bit too predictable.

6 comments:

Southsider said...

They need to change the night anchors. Ditto on the Statehouse reporter. Stop watching WISH news a long time ago. TV news is a joke any more, I get the news in the car when I'm out, After all tv news is just someone reading the news anyway. Unless they have someone 'live' on the scene. What a dumb statement that is.

Gary R. Welsh said...

I have to disagree with that view in general. The TV news reporters in this town have been running circles around the Star's reporters for years now, and you don't have to put up with all of the editorializing by the newspaper that typically misses the mark by a mile.

Concerned Taxpayer said...

You mean Jim "The Shill" Shella, voice of the democrats?

Paul K. Ogden said...

In fairness to Shella, CT, Shella sucks up to people in office in both parties, not just the Democrats. If you're someone challenging those in power, Shella will mock you and try to marginalize you. And don't expect any report from him that actually involves investigation as opposed to a story simply handed to him.

Downtown Indy said...

But of course, WISH just hired a buxom weather gal... Just shows ya where their priorities are.

Brad Edwards was actually able to put together a real story, not just the usual fare consisting of enumerating items in plain view of the camera while making all sorts of guesses and assumptions about what we're seeing. Except when they stand there for 1 1/2 minutes before finally saying 'let me step out of the way so you can see what's happening behind me.'

Bradley said...

Jim Shella has given Mitch Daniels an almost complete pass the last seven years, so he doesn't just give a free pass to Democrats only. As Paul said, he favors those in power. Shella's IWIR has become the "Mitch Daniels Rah Rah Half-Hour" (while Gerry Dick's "Inside Indiana Business" is the "Mitch Daniels Rah Rah Hour"). Shella has never really brought-up the scandals and major problems of Daniels and only grudgingly talks about them if someone on the show mentions it. He is quite a joke of a reporter especially when Brad Edwards and Deanna Dewberry actually ask good questions.