Readers recently dove into articles about two Bangor TV anchors quitting their jobs on air. The duo’s dramatic resignations, purportedly for being forced to do bad journalism, made for good television and, well, a good story.
The article about co-anchors Cindy Michaels and Tony Consiglio, who signed off for good last week, took on a life of its own. National news agencies picked up the story broken by the BDN and distributed it widely. The attention generated more attention. The New York Times even assigned a reporter to cover the details of the surprise resignation, which was made, the former TV hosts said, to preserve their journalistic independence.
But why did the news of the former anchors quitting a local station cause such a national stir?
The pair’s announcement of their resignation from WVII (Channel 7) and sister station WFVX (Channel 22) was an unusual move in the history of fed-up journalists. Though the reasons behind the duo’s abrupt departure were not completely clear (the general manager said upper management is not involved in the daily production of news), people appeared to identify with the notion of going down in a blaze (we’ll let you decide whether it was one of glory).
Who hasn’t wanted to say, “Take this job, and shove it”?
The fact, too, that the former anchors didn’t reveal too much in their on-air resignations fueled people’s curiosity. The intrigue may have been enhanced by the sometimes mysterious nature of newsrooms and the news. Who makes the decisions about coverage? You see media professionals on the screen, but how does everything operate behind the camera?
We are, of course, honored by the interest in our media profession. The story about the former TV anchors had more than just a compelling gossipy element, though. The larger issue had to do with politics and integrity. Readers and viewers want to be able to trust the people who bring them the news. When questions arise about a media entity’s political positions affecting the way it presents the news, that trust may waver.
Whether political views affected the independent telling of the news at the Bangor TV stations, though, isn’t clear. The general manager said, if anything, he only tried to get the two to cover both sides of an issue. Michaels has declined to specify what, precisely, went wrong — and the story is complicated by the revelation that Consiglio was going to be let go.
Even though the story has more twists than first meet the eye, it likely resonated because of the accusations made by two people within the profession about the management of their profession. When employees split like that, and in such a public way, it’s bound to raise eyebrows. Leave it to two journalists to create a story in their wake.
Although this is not the station I watch the most, I do think Jared and Lindsey are very good , professional, and very likeable.
As for the management of that station…..not as impressed.
Oh, and….Brian Sullivan does great with the sports segments.
True, but he’s not a non-sports anchor.
Yes, I knew that. I was just pointing out some of the positives of that station, as I think there are some that are not (management.)
Point granted, I agree.
Was there nothing else more worthy of an editorial than this rehash of information we already knew and that seems to have been beaten to death?
The story was “broken by the BDN”? Since the resignation was done during the newscast, I’d say it was broken on WVII by Cindy Michaels and Tony Consiglio.
While I don’t know any specifics, their resignation was done with dignity. They simply stated that they had differences with management and that they were leaving. The quotes from the station management were laughable.
BDN is real good at breaking up story’s in a bias way to serve the DNC.
Go cry.
Integrity says a lot…….you two are great people and will go far in whatever you choose to do now……..It is so great to actually see people take a stand for what they believe……and do something about it…..a true T-T-J-A-S-I moment………
People quit jobs every day. Because they did it on camera, we’re supposed to be impressed? Woopdedo!
BOC… Cool!
You can call me Dr Music! Glad to see someone has good taste! :D
Used to see them at the BA! Awesome!
Most likely they were upset by the Liberal agenda.Funny thing is, Ch 5 and 2 are much more biased than Ch 7.The news should ALWAYS present both sides.That’s how Ben Franklin designed the first newspaper media.
I am afraid you have it mixed it up. If it was about the “liberal” agenda , then why when someone interviewed said she was in favor of same sex marriage, the station management said that it would be necessary to also get someone on with the opposition view. That does not sound particularly “liberal” to me.
I got the impression that they felt pressured to take a more conservative slant. But they appear to have been deliberately vague, and their on-air resignation was brief and respectful.
Perhaps you are thinking of the New England Courant,
which was published by Benjamin Franklin’s older brother in 1721. By the
start of the Revolutionary War there were 37 independent
newspapers in the USA, so it is hard to judge “first”
What Ben Franklin DID say about newspapers in general (not his own) is that they should never rely on their paid advertisements for funding, but that the reader should pay the full cost of a paper.
I really have not noticed much bias on 5. Granted they use CNN’s wire service quite a bit, but as for local stories, they seem the most balanced of the Bangor 3. 2 skews liberal, mainly because of their Gannett ownership and their HEAVY reliance on channel 6 in Portland. 7/22 skews conservative, based on Mr. Palmer’s personal politics, and their reliance on FOX wire services.
Liberal agenda? Ch 7 and Ch 22 not biased? Seems counter to observation.
You got it backwards. It was the conservative agenda of Palmer.
This has been the Rogsr Ailes/ TeaParty way with Fox News.
Management won’t keep their beaks out of the newsroom. This meddling destroys news credibility. It becomes poisoned propaganda that fools some of the people all the time.
Here we go again w/ the liberal/conservative crap. How about it being about two people being fed up w/ management’s BS?
Or, you know, management being fed up with their BS. So instead of being fired they act like petulant children so they can get their 15 minutes of fame so they can sell their paintings for $5 on eBay http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=cindy+michaels&_sacat=550&_from=R40
Not that they ever mentioned paintings on ebay at any point EVER during their final sign-off
She mentioned paintings.
Okay? So what?
Show me where their ’15 minutes of fame’ has a direct connection to her selling stuff on ebay.
(PS: You can’t)
Okay.
Until last week: She’s an anchor and never sold any paintings on eBay
This Week: She’s no longer an anchor and sells a bunch of paintings on eBay with “former Maine anchor” in the description.
As we’ve seen in Britain the Murdock Info-tainment group isn’t even honest let alone fair and balanced. Only the latest indictment of
their sad policies … http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/british-press-braces-for-censure-fears-clampdown-as-media-ethics-inquiry-reports/2012/11/29/a1683cf2-3a08-11e2-9258-ac7c78d5c680_story.html
ok lets blame the general manager then.
Good start.
Good luck to them in finding more suitable work. We always look at how people treat and talk about their former employer before hiring them. We could very well be the next on their list and just as soon pass on hiring them.
Their on-air resignation, and goodbye to viewers, was done succinctly and respectfully.
They showed integrity. If you can’t recognize that then what thinking person would want to work for you?
So you don’t want to hire people with integrity. You’d rather have someone on your staff that you can manipulate. Noted.
Yeah I’m sure the next tv station is just going to jump at the opportunity to take a chance at being blindsided on the air by these two.Plus with an average viewership of 2000 they are both ringers for the next opportunity.
They’ll be fine, and your opinion in is in the minority. Thank you though!
You are most welcome!I’m sure they will be fine most of us do find a way through.As far as my opine being in the minority that suits me just fine,being part of the crowd has never held that much significance for me.
It would be cool if they could make a couple of millon each on the talk show circut
I only want 30 minutes of news so always watched Cindy and Tony, will miss Cindy at the Cinema….
I hear she was not a very nice person and a total physco to work with. Her way or the highway! Good riddance!
i’ve heard the opposite. And she is a great interviewer.
Lozzerme = disgruntled WVII manager
I heard that you fart in church … should I believe it?
I hear you have Hepatitis C. Must be true, right?
When I was a kid I rember their new studio. It was pink peg board.
Nothing more than a publicity stunt by two prima donnas.
Anyone who has followed the meltdown of Rupert Murdoch’s news empire in Britain knows that to gin up ratings and readership, Murdoch’s highest team engaged in phone-hacking and with collusion with more than one Prime Minister, other high govt officials, and the highest levels of the metropolitan police department. No influence on the editorial content of Fox News’ British component by the highest levels of the organization…? Yeah, I got a bridge for you in NYC, real cheap… And now Murdoch is poised to get special treatment here in the US from the FCC…
When Sinclair Broadcasting (WGME, Ch 13 in Portland) allowed a dishonest airing of a program just before the 2004 election that portrayed John Kerry in a bad light, this was an editorial decision coming down from the highest level of that organization.
On a personal note, I heckled Mitt Romney in Portland at a public event when he voiced blatant lies about the Obama admin’s economic record to the crowd gathered. I called out “Liar” when I heard him say what I knew to be false. I challenged him on his false statements (although there were so many it was hard to keep up, truth be told). A very brief clip of the national news coverage of my heckling made it on to Jon Stewart’s Daily Show. But what was interesting to me was some weeks later I was photographing a political meeting when a network cameraman who was also covering the meeting recognized me and asked if I was the guy who heckled Romney. I said, yes, I was. He said to me, I’m not supposed to say this because I work for one of the networks, but “good job…”
Of course political influence comes down to the newsroom from upper management. The question is how much, in what form, is the influence in a given instance or issue beneficial for enlightening the public in understanding the times or issue, or is it partisan and biased? Does it serve a public good, or does it serve a business agenda? In the case of Murdoch’s empire, Murdoch has openly stated he intends to influence elections and politics. He always has, and made no apologies about it. Being one of the most influential, other news outlets follow his lead. False equivalences, “two sides of the story,” a false “fairness” in reporting sometimes is just plain dishonest and misleading. I commend these people for publicly exposing how it affected their jobs.
What does Murdoch have to do with Channel 7?
They did not want to lose their integrity to get a liar elected.Glad to see two real journalists that did not want to carrier the dems water. thank you.Remember brian williams saying now that the cover up is over he can now safely talk about the economy.I guess that say’s it all.Hope all these voters that fell for mediocracy is great get exactly what the fell for.
Babble much?
Oh everything wrong with the world is the Democrats fault. Didn’t you get the memo?
Very easy to see here who permanently dwells in the past. They don’t lift a finger to help make things better…they just whine and whine and whine. Everything is a conspiracy. Everything is against them.
That said, people who live in the past never move forward…so at least they are out of our way.
When the Dems are done picking each others bones.Maybe a little documentary from Greece might be appropriate.Learning from others mistakes is not a democrats strong point.Extorting their neighbor seems to make them happy.
What do you know about Greece? How about Goldman Sachs’ multi-billion dollar derivatives deal that helped create the fiscal crisis… know anything about that?
pick and choose as you want. The dems great society plan that everyone should own a 300 grand house started the ball rolling.Then Mr frank covering extended it.
Nobody told me I needed a $300k house. What are you talking about? And you didn’t answer the question… What do you know about Greece or Goldman’s derivatives deal with Greece? I know I won’t convince you, but you got nothing. You don’t know what you are talking about.
I am sure G.S is solely responsible for the economy in Greece.Surely it can not be the mega entitlement society they have been living with.Every country that tried this has failed.Must be why 53% of the obamanoids want it.Everything else he has done is a failure.
Who said GS was solely responsible…? But that gives me my answer…
America ! = Greece. If this is such a terrible country, maybe you should move.
Reality must be missing from the planet liberal
Your ‘jokes’ are old and tired. You’ve been brainwashed. Congrats!
“Broken by the BDN”? Come on guys! Don’t you find that to be overly self glorifying? The story here has nothing to do with the BDN. Keep it simple.
apprantly brian sullivan left too as well…wow!
Well that was pointless and poorly written.
Somebodys gotta say it. Cindy sure rocks that red dress
For them quitting and standing up for their beliefs and how they did it, I say way to go.. I was impressed totally..
Those skilled at good management cultivate individual personality, motivation, and abilities for the benefit of the organization they manage. This could have been an opportunity rather than what it has become. Taking a jab by telling people what was “going to happen” to Mr. Consiglio is very unprofessional. They are both excellent reporters and deserved better than having to go down this road just to continue upholding the values that have always defined their chosen profession.
Could the alleged pressure have come from management higher than the local level? We are talking about Fox, after all. Not exactly known for unbiased reporting at the national level…just ask a comedian…or a Democrat.