919
Member
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2005
- Messages
- 9,361
- Reaction score
- 73
<!-- Center content section -->
Jeb Bush Pays Reporter $100,000
by bonddad
Sun Mar 27th, 2005 at 06:44:35 PST
At the same time one of Florida's most visible television reporters brought the news to viewers around the state, he earned hundreds of thousands of dollars on the side from the government agencies he covered.
Mike Vasilinda, a 30-year veteran of the Tallahassee press corps, does public relations work and provides film editing services to more than a dozen state agencies. His Tallahassee company, Mike Vasilinda Productions Inc., has earned more than $100,000 over the past four years through contracts with Gov. Jeb Bush's office, the Secretary of State, the Department of Education and other government entities that are routinely part of Vasilinda's stories.
Meanwhile, the freelance reporter's stories continued to air on CNN and most Florida NBC stations, including WFLA-Channel 8 in Tampa.
On Friday, Vasilinda told the Herald-Tribune that his business dealings with state government don't influence his reporting.
"I have processes in place to make sure the products we put out for our news clients are free from bias from any source," Vasilinda said. "We absolutely keep arm's length between the two divisions of our company."
CNN, which aired a Vasilinda story on Terri Schiavo on Thursday, did not return phone calls seeking comment. Link
It's gotten to the point where I am not surprised by anything these guys do.
Armstrong Williams said there were many others. I am beginning to think this is really just the tip of the iceberg.
Raise your hands if you believe this statement: These payments don't influence his reporting. His "safeguards" are adequate. Yeah, monkey's are flying out of my butt too.
This guys reports were on CNN during the Schiavoathon. Did anybody see this guys stories? I didn't, but I have a sneaking suspicion they went easy on old Jeb. I think it is only fair to ask for Fox news people to disclose their financials at this point.
Jeb Bush Pays Reporter $100,000
by bonddad
Sun Mar 27th, 2005 at 06:44:35 PST
At the same time one of Florida's most visible television reporters brought the news to viewers around the state, he earned hundreds of thousands of dollars on the side from the government agencies he covered.
Mike Vasilinda, a 30-year veteran of the Tallahassee press corps, does public relations work and provides film editing services to more than a dozen state agencies. His Tallahassee company, Mike Vasilinda Productions Inc., has earned more than $100,000 over the past four years through contracts with Gov. Jeb Bush's office, the Secretary of State, the Department of Education and other government entities that are routinely part of Vasilinda's stories.
Meanwhile, the freelance reporter's stories continued to air on CNN and most Florida NBC stations, including WFLA-Channel 8 in Tampa.
On Friday, Vasilinda told the Herald-Tribune that his business dealings with state government don't influence his reporting.
"I have processes in place to make sure the products we put out for our news clients are free from bias from any source," Vasilinda said. "We absolutely keep arm's length between the two divisions of our company."
CNN, which aired a Vasilinda story on Terri Schiavo on Thursday, did not return phone calls seeking comment. Link
It's gotten to the point where I am not surprised by anything these guys do.
Armstrong Williams said there were many others. I am beginning to think this is really just the tip of the iceberg.
Raise your hands if you believe this statement: These payments don't influence his reporting. His "safeguards" are adequate. Yeah, monkey's are flying out of my butt too.
This guys reports were on CNN during the Schiavoathon. Did anybody see this guys stories? I didn't, but I have a sneaking suspicion they went easy on old Jeb. I think it is only fair to ask for Fox news people to disclose their financials at this point.
