TOM BERES SHOW MARRED BY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Submitted by Roldo on Sun, 09/06/2009 - 13:29.

WKYC’s Tom Beres remains one of the few serious reporters on local television. That said, it’s shameful that his “Between the Lines” Sunday show too often has conflict of interest written all over it.

 

Not his personal conflict of interest. Those of his “guests.” That, however, makes it his problem.

 

WKYC should either do this show right or not do it at all. Management apparently wants to take credit for Beres’s good reputation but doesn’t want to do the show as it should be done.

 

Beres, entitled Senior Political Reporter for WKYC, has a few minutes each Sunday to rush through comments about important issues – another problem with the show. More seriously his guests are typically people who represent political and business interest as consultants.

 

They shouldn’t be given air time.

This week was a perfect example when Beres had to disclose that both his guests represent gambling interests as he opened a discussion of gambling issues. Beres may believe that the quick and insufficient discloser he made covers his ass but really it points out a serious problem for his show.

 

One of the subjects they discussed: Gambling.

 

Both his guests - Mary Anne Sharkey and Dennis Eckart - represent gambling interests involved in current issues. Two gambling issues are heavy in the news – slots, as prescribed by Gov. Ted Strickland, and casino gambling up for a state-wide vote in November.

 

Here’s a link to his page for this week’s show:  

http://www.wkyc.com/news/politics_govt/politics_article.aspx?storyid=120979&catid=130

 

These gambling issues involve millions of dollars in lobbying and tens or hundreds of millions of dollars that could be spent if realized. Serious problems evolve from gambling and any discussion about the issue should involve people with absolutely no interest in the financial outcome.

 

The other problem with this show and other Between the Lines is the little time given. That results in Beres rushing through important issues of the day hastily because of the time factor.

 

I believe he’s saddled with guests he might not choose if he had the authority. I hate to think they are his real personal choices.

 

However, the decision is his responsibility, but it also falls upon the Ch. 3 station management to offer the public honest commentary in a show that suggests it is providing honest public analysis.

 

It’s anything but unbiased when you have lobbyist/consultants assessing the very issues that they depend upon for their livelihood.

 

It happens too often on this show.

 

 

 

 

 

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If your going to allow

If your going to allow gamming then at least do it with some class OHIO!

Slot machines and Thistledown or a one thousand room hotel and full-service casino next to the convention center.

 

The associated press has good article on the game playing.

Who is going to go to Thistledown and then who will go to a full service casino in the center of the city? If I was to go to Thistledown, just to check it out, out of curiosity I would not get dressed up. If I was to go to a full service casino in the city I would and I would likely make and evening out of it. That’s just me though, but I am concerned as to who will be dropping coins into slots at Thistledown?

The governor is concerned, the existing plan is to use the lottery commission to operate the slots. That's safe and accountable, for the most part. A full service casino would need a gamming commission and that takes time and what this all about? Not having the time to develop a better plan? It could also be the ability to, its easy to say so many slots machines will equate to so much revenue, I personally think they will not produce as much as they believe they will.

Building and developing in the city, then also the state getting its much needed revenue. You have venues in the city, sport, museums the lake front it all makes much more sense to have a full service casio and hotel if your going to go with gamming do it better. What else is the governor half assing?