On the hit Fox TV show Cops, the bad boys usually are the drug dealers and shoplifters. But in Cincinnati, it's city council, not the criminals, getting the bad rap. Cincinnati police rescinded their offer to have Cops film for eight weeks after hearing objections from City Council. While Council fears the city would be depicted in a negative light, police and citizens are insisting Cincinnati is missing out on a worthwhile opportunity. City council might have seen the show, but they definitely missed the message. Cops not only shows, rightly or wrongly, criminals at their worst, but it also shows police officers at their best -as heroes. By allowing Cops to film, Cincinnati will have the opportunity to improve a tarnished image, and by ending the filming only two days after it began, the city gives the impression it has something to hide.
Tension has surrounded Cincinnati police in the past decade. The city received national media coverage during riots that began after an unarmed black man was killed by a white police officer. The riots led to an economic boycott and a federal investigation into the Cincinnati Police Department. The city has received enough negative publicity. Cops is a chance for the police to show their service to the city and its citizens. If the conduct captured by Cops in Cincinnati is anything like what they have taped in 140 other cities, it will portray police in a way that would make any city proud. The broadcasts will show that Cincinnati has made major policing improvements since the riots three years ago. There is a slight possibility the television show will reveal images that once again tarnish the city's image. But if this is the case, it is better policing mistakes are discovered now instead of later.
No matter what is recorded by the cameras, nothing could be more humiliating than the fact that Cincinnati already has cancelled the deal. Cincinnati is the first city to withdraw an invitation since the show started 15 years ago. If Council is trying to send out a positive message, they have failed. Sending Cops away shows a lack of confidence in police. If people were not afraid to come to Cincinnati before, they probably are now. So, as the Bad Boys lyrics go: Whatcha gonna do? If City Council wants to save face and Cincinnati's image, they have only one thing to do -let Cops film.
Execs not deemed public figures
Should business executives be entitled to less privacy under the Constitution? When details of the ENRON corporate scandal surfaced, media treated the company's businessmen with less privacy than the average citizen. During the whirlwind of media coverage, executives suddenly were thrown in the public eye. The men who once were only known as business executives suddenly were considered public figures, and therefore were treated differently by the media. This week, in a separate case, a trial court determined a prominent banking businessman, Leonard M. Ross, was not a public figure. Because of this ruling, Ross was able to sue the Santa Barbara News for libel -a type of reporting that damages reputations, after they printed false information. Ross merely had to prove negligence and won $2.25 million in compensatory damages. If, as the newspaper argued, Ross and other corporate leaders were considered public figures, they would have to prove malice in reporting, not just negligence.
High-profile executives like ENRON's rightly were considered public figures because they were prominent in the area and across the country. Although these businessmen were deemed public figures, the job title alone is not reason enough to make someone a public figure. Executives should not be included in the public persons category, of which politicians are also a part, simply because of their profession. Localized instances should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
In the midst of such scandals, the press certainly has a right to report. It was the Santa Barbara News-Press' job to bring information to light. But, when the information they relayed was incorrect, it was their job to retract it. Ross asked the paper to correct the misleading information that linked him to fraud and extortion. By failing to do so, the newspaper failed both Ross and its readers.
17 Archives
The Post Editorial Board
