Great Moments in Alaska Journalism by Dennis Zaki
24 10 2009This just in from Dennis Zaki.
A local KTUU Channel 2 reporter asks US Senator Lisa Murkowski who she is, how to spell her name, and what her job title is. Murkowski has been in office for nearly 7 years and the number one station in Alaska has a reporter assigned to the senator who doesn’t even know who she is. The other two local channels didn’t even show up to the press conference. No wonder we have the most corrupt state in the US, our local news media doesn’t care! After Lisa says she is a senator, she is looking at me and laughing because I am laughing my ass off at the reporter’s inept question.
Too funny.
October 24th, 2009 at 9:39 AM
From where did the reporter got the journalism degree> Oh, Idaho.
Palin is such a great role model.
October 24th, 2009 at 9:45 AM
Oh… dear…..
Where can I get an application for KTUU? – I think I might be qualified.
October 24th, 2009 at 9:52 AM
Writing from Alaska, thank you for your interest, but I regret to inform you that by virtue of your having read this blog, you now appear to be overqualified.
October 24th, 2009 at 9:54 AM
Really not funny.
Murkowski should be getting hit with hard questions such as, when are the oil companies going to stop spilling oil in Cook Inlet. Are the Native Village stocked with heat oil and food for the winter. How is she going to address the 30% of Alaskans without health insurance. How is she addressing global warming crisis and high unemployment rates. Will she ask Congressman Young to resign.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:07 AM
Local TV performers across the US are not really journalists, but personalities. To give you an idea of just how poor of a state the electronic journalism industry is in, the union for TV and radio reporters have been pushing to merge with the Screen Actors Guild for the better part of ten years.
These performers typically graduate with a degree in Mass Comm and then slowly make their way out of the smaller TV markets and move into larger ones. Their goal: a top ten market such as New York or LA.
The tiny market of Anchorage is but a stepping stone in their career, so don’t be surprised if they nothing about the state. They aren’t from here and plan to live here as short a time as possible.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:21 AM
Wolf Pack – Well, we don’t know what else the reporter asked, but I am curious about what Dennis Zaki asked her as I assume he also interviewed her at the time. Believe me, as Republicans go, I would take Lisa any day, even though I don’t agree with her most of the time.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:32 AM
Maybe the reporter was being sarcastic. Plus, if the reporter is new, it is good practice for her/him to receive proper verification/identification of the person she/he is interviewing. The Ex-Governor still is allowing her-self to be labeled as Gov. Which is a mis-repesentation of the person in question. Nice to have these things on record.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:47 AM
That is funny. And isn’t it great that someone laughing and smiling can make others laugh and smile, it’s universal, pass it on.
October 24th, 2009 at 11:01 AM
I’m hoping she’s a cub, not just a dimwit.
I know that way, way back in high school journalism classes, it was drilled into us that the first thing we ask anybody – ANYBODY – is how to spell their name and how they are officially identified. I believe the example we were given over and over was, “…even if its the governor.’ Could it be that she’s THAT green?
Remember when high schools had things like journalism classes?
October 24th, 2009 at 11:20 AM
It isn’t at all funny, when the person being interviewed is against health care while provided the Rolls Royce of Insurance coverage, paid by tax payers. And one happens to know a number of Alaskan’s who tried to survive cancer, at a young age, asking the community and local churches for help in paying medical bills, driving the family into poverty. And ultimately, not getting sufficient care because of lack of funds.
The Federal government recently cut off payment because the elderly were not getting care that was paid for.
If it wasn’t for Mudflats, the world would not have learned, children in Native Villages were freezing and starving last winter.
When you a literally burying family, friends, co-workers, it is difficult to find humor in incompetence. Especially when dealing with Politicians that are only working for special interests, that are the opposite of what is best for the people.
October 24th, 2009 at 1:26 PM
The reporter said ”for the record” which makes me think she was making it clear for those people who may later view the video who was the speaker, not that she didn’t know Murkowski.
Funny part was when Lisa paused when asked her title, even she forgot for a second.
October 24th, 2009 at 1:35 PM
aha@10, I took her pause- by the look on her face- to be more like ‘what? You don’t know who I am?’ But I too thought the reporter asked for her name for viewers who might no know her.
October 24th, 2009 at 2:03 PM
I thought you are supposed to ask for a business card.
I too would like to hear answers to the real questions like do the 30% of Alaskans without deserve healthcare, or do you agree with the Republican Rep from Arizona (Shadegg) that no one suffers because they do not have access to health insurance.
October 24th, 2009 at 3:04 PM
Story has it the the great John McCain, as a vacation retreat was incredulous, and said, “you don’t who I am?” To be honest all these corrupt elected officials have this great sense of entitlement, and to be honest, they are worthless bums & grifters, and they are, in fact, nothing! Anyone in the house or senate for more than a year should take full responsibility for this country’s lack of health insurance for all.
October 24th, 2009 at 3:34 PM
i was with gene mccarthy on a book tour in the early ’90’s and not only did we get the same kind of questions from the whole spectrum of “journalists”, we even had one ask what a senator was.
October 24th, 2009 at 5:05 PM
The first rule of reporting is to prepare yourself for any interview — as in knowing who you are talking to, correct name spelling, title, etc. — And to educate yourself about pertinent issues and prepare questions in advance also too.
The new KTUU reporter came off looking like an unprepared fool. KTUU better do some coaching with this novice, as she obviously doesn’t know the basics.
As always, Zaki gets the goods!
October 25th, 2009 at 6:38 AM
Perhaps Ms. Murkowski isn’t visible enough to her constituents in Alaska.
October 25th, 2009 at 6:48 AM
She must have attended the Palin school(s) of journalism.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:20 AM
Wow! I give The Senator credit for taking it all in stride.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:02 PM
Good old Channel 2 News, it’s been a rag tag collection of C students for the almost 30 years I’ve been here. Was there ever an explanation of why Steve MacDonald lost his job?