Thanks for BLAB-TV memories
Your story on BLAB-TV (cover story, April 10) brought us smiles and also a wonderful memory. Several years ago, in an effort to raise community awareness of the American Red Cross, we produced a 13-week series on BLAB.
After the series ended we received a phone call from a Richmond woman who reported that she was channel-surfing one night when she saw our instructors on BLAB demonstrating how to help a choking baby. Two weeks later she was at a meeting when an infant began to choke and could not breathe. She put her few moments of Red Cross training into action and cleared the baby’s airway of the obstruction. The infant fully recovered.
So, along with all its other accolades, BLAB can also add saving life to its résumé. Not bad.
Heath K. Rada, CEO
American Red Cross
Greater Richmond Chapter
BLAB-TV story was mean, deceitful
As president of RICH-TV, I take strong issue with your cover story of April 10, 2001. It was deceitful, misleading, mean-spirited, and most of all lacked objectivity.
For approximately 12 years I have attempted to deliver a format to the community showcasing local products, services and professions without glitzy B.S. Our sponsors present themselves to the local viewer who seeks their expert opinions and advice by calling in live.
I am very proud of BLAB-TV and its progeny, RICH-TV. Our employees, except for a couple of former malcontents who poisoned the workplace, are hardworking, dedicated and professional men and women.
Yes, mistakes are made! This is the nature of live broadcasting, which sets us apart from other stations that carry taped programming except for news. Most importantly, RICH-TV stands behind a policy of presenting only facts and does not ridicule anyone in order to increase viewership.
The bottom line is that participating sponsors of RICH-TV have received positive marketing results and have continued programming with us for many years. Curiously enough, your story hardly had a quote from any of them. I challenge you to print the first negative comment from any sponsor.
Your reporter Meg Medina interviewed Wanda Lewis Goodridge (director of operations since Feb. 1, 2001) and myself for approximately two hours on March 19, 2001. The session was taped and I invite you to reprint the interview. The theme of your April 9, 2001, story was in total contradiction of what your reporter told us during the interview. Specifically, Ms. Medina flowered us with accolades like “it’s a great product,” “your work is wonderful,” “has tremendous value,” etc.
Style Weekly has embarrassed itself and reduced its credibility in the community. If you have any journalistic pride or integrity you will transcribe and reprint the interview you had with Wanda and myself on March 19, 2001. Otherwise, your journalistic value will be reduced to its lowest possible level.
Michael Morchower
Style responds: Style Weekly stands by the story. In addition, we must decline Mr. Morchower’s suggestion that we transcribe and print his entire two-hour interview. For one thing, such a transcription would be approximately six times longer than the article in question.
Meg Medina responds: There was absolutely no deception or malicious intent in writing about the former BLAB-TV or its new version, RICH-TV. The station is a wonderful mix of oddball characters, public service, advertising and risky live TV — all of which was reported truthfully. BLAB’s technical missteps, the personalities and drive of its clients, and the breakneck pace of the place were what made the story worth telling. And that’s what’s on the page, complete with the fact that Mr. Morchower’s clients love to do their shows and get plenty of benefit out of them. I couldn’t possibly have presented the station as the serious CNN of live infomercials because it was clearly much more interesting than that.
See featured photo in real life
I was very surprised to see on page 35 in your March 20 issue a full-page image of a photograph featured in my exhibit at Pine Camp Arts Center. Your writer, Wayne Melton, expressed my feeling exactly.
The exhibit has received excellent attendance with wonderful remarks. I am sure your printing the image of the little girl and her dolls has a lot to do with the viewing.
While visiting Brazil I enjoy visiting areas that do not especially welcome American visitors. Though we will not visit these areas, the group that I am coordinating for the Arts Advisory Council at Pine Camp will visit the Ili Aiye Center and a school that works with young children of the favela. Persons who wish to join us should phone Pine Camp immediately at 646-3674 or me at 321-9161.
Earle P. Taylor
Corrections:
The April 10 Best of Richmond cover story contained a typo that somehow turned the word intimate into inmate. For the record, Style meant to say that Best New Restaurant winner the White Dog is an intimate destination, not an “inmate destination.” Also, it does not serve lamb chops.
In addition, we ran the wrong picture in the April 10 Street Talk. The photo we ran was taken at an event on Brown’s Island, not at the annual Monument Avenue Easter Parade. Style regrets the errors.
