Working Man
Member
Did I miss it or did they not air it last night?
Dallas Reporter Ambushes Crime Victim and Accuses Him Of Being Trigger Happy
- Thread starter Bartholomew Roberts
- Start date
- Status
Did I miss it or did they not air it last night?
Bartholomew Roberts
Member
I wasn't able to catch it; but it isn't up on the website either. So I don't know.
Bartholomew Roberts
Member
Response from Ms. Aguilar:
(This is in response to an email from the Fox4 DFW blogs - click on the link above for the original source and context)
(This is in response to an email from the Fox4 DFW blogs - click on the link above for the original source and context)
Gee they say video adds 10 pounds, and I guess it removes other things. Like on the video Mr. Walton did not appear eager to “share his side of the story” and it did not appear that he expected to see Ms. Aguilar at all.
I don’t think the issue is that Ms. Aguilar accused him of breaking the law. I think the issue is that she all but branded him a premeditated murder who was getting away with it.
I don’t think the issue is that Ms. Aguilar accused him of breaking the law. I think the issue is that she all but branded him a premeditated murder who was getting away with it.
Robert Hairless
Member
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2003
- Messages
- 3,983
Little steps forward are better than big steps backward.
orionengnr
Member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2005
- Messages
- 5,709
Just wrote a check for $20, and am putting it in the mail today.
Also wrote to Fox4 a couple days ago, and got the reply from Steve Eagar.
I will email him back and offer to take him, Rebecca or anyone else at Fox4 to the range at Bass Pro in Grapevine. If I get a positive response, I'll post it here.
Group shoot oopportunity?
Flintknapper
Member
Good on ya! Got several folks over at
http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_Forum/index.php
to kick in some bucks and write a letter of support and encouragement.
aguyindallas
Member
For what its worth....to the folks mentioning DFWAcura.com
I work for an Acura dealer. All 4 of the Acura dealers in the DFW area pay $300.00 PER CAR sold to fund our advertising co-op....trust me...we spend a TON of money with Fox4 and others. Think...$300.00 per car and about 400 Acuras a month sold in the DFW area on the average. Thats 120K/month. Of course, its not ALL spent at Fox, but the mast majority is...probably 80-90k/month would be my guess.
I will make my opinions known to our ad agency.
I work for an Acura dealer. All 4 of the Acura dealers in the DFW area pay $300.00 PER CAR sold to fund our advertising co-op....trust me...we spend a TON of money with Fox4 and others. Think...$300.00 per car and about 400 Acuras a month sold in the DFW area on the average. Thats 120K/month. Of course, its not ALL spent at Fox, but the mast majority is...probably 80-90k/month would be my guess.
I will make my opinions known to our ad agency.
Double Naught Spy
Sus Venator
I think the donations are nice, but Mr. Walton isn't on a fixed income and barely subsisting. He is a fairly successful businessman. He isn't in need of money for a shotgun. I think we have done very well by him via our letters to KDFW. The money might be better donated in his name to a pro 2A charity or charity of his choice.
lanternlad1
Member
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2007
- Messages
- 770
"I think the donations are nice, but Mr. Walton isn't on a fixed income and barely subsisting. He is a fairly successful businessman. He isn't in need of money for a shotgun. I think we have done very well by him via our letters to KDFW. The money might be better donated in his name to a pro 2A charity or charity of his choice."
That's really not the point. We are showing him support in a small, tangible way. Kind of like buying him a beer. Instead of buying him a beer, should we donate the money to Alcoholics Anonymous instead? That would be totally lost on him and won't make him feel any better. If he wants to donate the money, he can make that decision for himself.
That's really not the point. We are showing him support in a small, tangible way. Kind of like buying him a beer. Instead of buying him a beer, should we donate the money to Alcoholics Anonymous instead? That would be totally lost on him and won't make him feel any better. If he wants to donate the money, he can make that decision for himself.
XavierBreath
Member
The video of Rebecca Aguilar's "interview" of James Walton is still available here at Live Leak.
The posts full of nothing but name calling need to cease. This is a public forum. At The High Road, we strive to present the rational and civil face of gun owners to the world. There are other venues for ad hominem attacks if that is what you desire. Here, let's rise above it.
If your post disappeared, try again without ad hominem attacks.
The posts full of nothing but name calling need to cease. This is a public forum. At The High Road, we strive to present the rational and civil face of gun owners to the world. There are other venues for ad hominem attacks if that is what you desire. Here, let's rise above it.
If your post disappeared, try again without ad hominem attacks.
Flintknapper
Member
YUP!
News Shooter
Member
As I said, they are circling the wagons
Editor's note: In Friday''s edition of ShopTalk, I published several pieces about Rebecca Aguilar, the suspended KDFW reporter. Here's one of the stories from Richard Prince at the Maynard Institute. Late Friday morning, Ivan Roman, NAHJ’s executive director, forwarded to ShopTalk a copy of the letter the NAHJ sent to Kathy Saunders, KDFW's General Manager, asking for Aguilar's reinstatement.
October 18, 2007
Kathy Saunders
Vice President and General Manager
KDFW-TV Fox 4
400 N. Griffin Street
Dallas, TX 75202
Dear Ms. Saunders:
We have learned that KDFW Fox 4 general assignment reporter Rebecca Aguilar was suspended indefinitely Tuesday for aggressive but, in our estimation, professional conduct. NAHJ, a 2,300-member-strong organization, strongly urges you to reinstate Ms. Aguilar immediately for the sake of good journalism and maintaining your newscasts' credibility in the local community and national journalism community.
Hundreds of journalists across the country have seen Ms. Aguilar’s story that aired Monday, October 15 in which she interviewed James Walton, a 70-year-old man who, within three weeks, fatally shot two burglars coming onto his junkyard business, where he also lives, and wounded a third who was standing nearby, all in separate incidents.
What she did was obtain an exclusive interview for your station in a professional manner. This was a far cry from the "ambush" that has been portrayed in the blogosphere:
* She approached Walton at his car as he was coming out of a store where he bought another rifle to replace the one confiscated by police.
* She knew where he would be because he told her where he would be.
* He got in his car and she stood at the car as they had a conversation. The car was never started, he made no attempt to leave and he kept talking to her.
* Though he requested not to have his face shown, his face had already been shown on your station and on others in the area prior to the interview.
* When he decided he didn't want to talk anymore, he said goodbye, she did the same, and they parted ways.
The questions asked were those any reporter would ask to elicit answers from someone. Mr. Walton's response to the question was passionate and eloquent and never would have been obtained had she not asked the question. We note that while she was criticized for asking whether he was "trigger happy," the fact that she asked whether he was in fear for his life goes unmentioned by Ms. Aguilar's critics. That is unfortunate and unfair.
The truth is that Mr. Walton's initial response to Ms. Aguilar's appearance was good natured and humorous, joking about having to use his new shotgun on her. It was not her presence that drove him to tears, but rather the entire situation he found himself in. It's hardly the first time that a subject being interviewed lets his emotions come through and cries on camera, sometimes precisely because he is compelled to tell his side of the story or relishes the chance to do so.
Any reporter should and would question him. It's our job. If someone shoots a burglar as he is climbing through the window of his place of business and home, shoots a second person to death three weeks later under the same circumstances, and in between, shoots and wounds another person standing nearby, wouldn't any reporter or editor want the viewers and readers to see what he has to say about it?
So her suspension certainly mystifies us. The only explanation we can think of is that the news director, Maria Barrs, let herself be unduly influenced by the emails and calls being received at the station from a certain segment of the viewers who apparently have other agendas and not journalism principles as their main concern. The speed and methodical response against the story strikes us as an organized or coordinated campaign and Ms. Barrs apparently succumbed to it.
More importantly, we are mystified that if this was such a great professional infraction that it warrants suspension and supervised removal from the premises, why was no one other than the reporter reprimanded? We understand that the producers, executive producer, photographer, managing editor - no one else who had a hand in assigning, producing or authorizing the piece to go on the air have been suspended or reprimanded in any way.
Ms. Aguilar received the Broadcast Journalist of the Year Award this month from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, a prestigious honor that recognizes her strong journalism, investigations and advocacy, particularly on the issues of foster care, child abuse and domestic abuse. Her back-to-back Emmy awards for your station and many other awards are a testament to the quality of her work, to her leadership in the Latino community, and to her commitment to journalism that is making a difference. Many in the general Dallas community say so and they are quite aware of this suspension.
The unceremonious and humiliating way Ms. Barrs walked Ms. Aguilar out of the station before the astonished looks of her colleagues on Tuesday adds insult to injury. Even more shocking to us, Ms. Aguilar has received death threats by phone at your station as a result of this story, yet has not received support from her supervisors or management.
The station’s handling of this matter sends the wrong message to journalists throughout the country that news managers will bow to the pressures of segments of the public with special interests instead of standing up for the principles of journalism. Worse yet, it signals that journalists stand alone and without defense by the news media companies they work for when their lives are threatened for doing a job so essential to our society and democracy.
Iván Román, NAHJ’s executive director, tried to reach you and Ms. Barrs Thursday to discuss the situation and express our concern. His calls were not returned. If you’d like to reach him now, respond to this letter or issue a public statement, you may contact him at (202) 662-7178 or at [email protected].
We strongly urge you to right this wrong by leaving Ms. Aguilar’s suspension without effect and reinstating her immediately.
Sincerely,
Rafael Olmeda
NAHJ President
cc: Maria Barrs, News
Editor's note: In Friday''s edition of ShopTalk, I published several pieces about Rebecca Aguilar, the suspended KDFW reporter. Here's one of the stories from Richard Prince at the Maynard Institute. Late Friday morning, Ivan Roman, NAHJ’s executive director, forwarded to ShopTalk a copy of the letter the NAHJ sent to Kathy Saunders, KDFW's General Manager, asking for Aguilar's reinstatement.
October 18, 2007
Kathy Saunders
Vice President and General Manager
KDFW-TV Fox 4
400 N. Griffin Street
Dallas, TX 75202
Dear Ms. Saunders:
We have learned that KDFW Fox 4 general assignment reporter Rebecca Aguilar was suspended indefinitely Tuesday for aggressive but, in our estimation, professional conduct. NAHJ, a 2,300-member-strong organization, strongly urges you to reinstate Ms. Aguilar immediately for the sake of good journalism and maintaining your newscasts' credibility in the local community and national journalism community.
Hundreds of journalists across the country have seen Ms. Aguilar’s story that aired Monday, October 15 in which she interviewed James Walton, a 70-year-old man who, within three weeks, fatally shot two burglars coming onto his junkyard business, where he also lives, and wounded a third who was standing nearby, all in separate incidents.
What she did was obtain an exclusive interview for your station in a professional manner. This was a far cry from the "ambush" that has been portrayed in the blogosphere:
* She approached Walton at his car as he was coming out of a store where he bought another rifle to replace the one confiscated by police.
* She knew where he would be because he told her where he would be.
* He got in his car and she stood at the car as they had a conversation. The car was never started, he made no attempt to leave and he kept talking to her.
* Though he requested not to have his face shown, his face had already been shown on your station and on others in the area prior to the interview.
* When he decided he didn't want to talk anymore, he said goodbye, she did the same, and they parted ways.
The questions asked were those any reporter would ask to elicit answers from someone. Mr. Walton's response to the question was passionate and eloquent and never would have been obtained had she not asked the question. We note that while she was criticized for asking whether he was "trigger happy," the fact that she asked whether he was in fear for his life goes unmentioned by Ms. Aguilar's critics. That is unfortunate and unfair.
The truth is that Mr. Walton's initial response to Ms. Aguilar's appearance was good natured and humorous, joking about having to use his new shotgun on her. It was not her presence that drove him to tears, but rather the entire situation he found himself in. It's hardly the first time that a subject being interviewed lets his emotions come through and cries on camera, sometimes precisely because he is compelled to tell his side of the story or relishes the chance to do so.
Any reporter should and would question him. It's our job. If someone shoots a burglar as he is climbing through the window of his place of business and home, shoots a second person to death three weeks later under the same circumstances, and in between, shoots and wounds another person standing nearby, wouldn't any reporter or editor want the viewers and readers to see what he has to say about it?
So her suspension certainly mystifies us. The only explanation we can think of is that the news director, Maria Barrs, let herself be unduly influenced by the emails and calls being received at the station from a certain segment of the viewers who apparently have other agendas and not journalism principles as their main concern. The speed and methodical response against the story strikes us as an organized or coordinated campaign and Ms. Barrs apparently succumbed to it.
More importantly, we are mystified that if this was such a great professional infraction that it warrants suspension and supervised removal from the premises, why was no one other than the reporter reprimanded? We understand that the producers, executive producer, photographer, managing editor - no one else who had a hand in assigning, producing or authorizing the piece to go on the air have been suspended or reprimanded in any way.
Ms. Aguilar received the Broadcast Journalist of the Year Award this month from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, a prestigious honor that recognizes her strong journalism, investigations and advocacy, particularly on the issues of foster care, child abuse and domestic abuse. Her back-to-back Emmy awards for your station and many other awards are a testament to the quality of her work, to her leadership in the Latino community, and to her commitment to journalism that is making a difference. Many in the general Dallas community say so and they are quite aware of this suspension.
The unceremonious and humiliating way Ms. Barrs walked Ms. Aguilar out of the station before the astonished looks of her colleagues on Tuesday adds insult to injury. Even more shocking to us, Ms. Aguilar has received death threats by phone at your station as a result of this story, yet has not received support from her supervisors or management.
The station’s handling of this matter sends the wrong message to journalists throughout the country that news managers will bow to the pressures of segments of the public with special interests instead of standing up for the principles of journalism. Worse yet, it signals that journalists stand alone and without defense by the news media companies they work for when their lives are threatened for doing a job so essential to our society and democracy.
Iván Román, NAHJ’s executive director, tried to reach you and Ms. Barrs Thursday to discuss the situation and express our concern. His calls were not returned. If you’d like to reach him now, respond to this letter or issue a public statement, you may contact him at (202) 662-7178 or at [email protected].
We strongly urge you to right this wrong by leaving Ms. Aguilar’s suspension without effect and reinstating her immediately.
Sincerely,
Rafael Olmeda
NAHJ President
cc: Maria Barrs, News
ClickClickD'oh
Member
And thus, a ringing endorsment on exactly why the main stream media has slipped from the highly respected position it held in decades past and now resides in the gutter with congress.
seeker_two
Member
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists said:
Yep, THAT was the part I was expecting next.....
K3
Member
death threats?
i doubt it.
i doubt it.
Aguilar's finally broken her silence:
http://unclebarky.com/dfw_files/e9bfc784e8c01c088685ff5dd4fb79a6-400.html
I'm amazed, she still doesn't believe she did anything wrong.
http://unclebarky.com/dfw_files/e9bfc784e8c01c088685ff5dd4fb79a6-400.html
I'm amazed, she still doesn't believe she did anything wrong.
ClickClickD'oh
Member
New, all fresh new anger
From the article:
But this... this just takes the cake...
Rebecca gets the tables flipped on her and she still doesn't see what she's done wrong... :banghead: Rebecca, you made the story the priority over Mr. Waltons safety and wellbeing. Check yourself Rebecca.
From the article:
***? That's plain and simple intimidation. 100% unacceptable.
But this... this just takes the cake...
Rebecca gets the tables flipped on her and she still doesn't see what she's done wrong... :banghead: Rebecca, you made the story the priority over Mr. Waltons safety and wellbeing. Check yourself Rebecca.
Bartholomew Roberts
Member
I'm amazed at the number of journalists that think that interview was good reporting. Clearly these guys are facing a big disconnect from their audience.
On the other side of that equation, notice how every nasty email and remark made about this on the Internet was quoted in that article to make Ms. Aguilar look more sympathetic and victim-like. Just a reminder that you are always representing a larger community when you write these things and the easiest way to get your complaint written off is to make some of the intemperate and nasty remarks they cited in that article - especially the death threats thing which has been played up by every single piece favoring Ms. Aguilar.
On the other side of that equation, notice how every nasty email and remark made about this on the Internet was quoted in that article to make Ms. Aguilar look more sympathetic and victim-like. Just a reminder that you are always representing a larger community when you write these things and the easiest way to get your complaint written off is to make some of the intemperate and nasty remarks they cited in that article - especially the death threats thing which has been played up by every single piece favoring Ms. Aguilar.
K3
Member
I still question the validity of her claims of death threats. Just because she says it doesn't make it so. I have to believe she is lying about them until proof is provided.
benEzra
Moderator Emeritus
Probably an anti...
seeker_two
Member
+1 Bart....
Interesting photo on that article....she's in full war-orphan-pity-me mode...
FYI...Ed Bark is an entertainment critic/"reporter" in the DFW area. His credibility is even worse than hers....
Rebecca Aguilar said:
....Google....the new meter for character and morality?....
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