I will be very honest, I rarely watch TV News; mainly because it's depressing, yet another reason I’m so glad I found the Sacramento Press. This forum is a balanced view of current situations in our community and we have the ability to follow the story or ask questions to get more insight.

Yesterday, my mother called telling me to watch KCRA at 6 o’clock, because there was suppose to be a piece on how to get a job in this failing economy. The only job-related piece was about the Laid-Off Journalist Blog, side note: his witty satires are worth checking out. www.kcra.com/workwanted/index.html.

I continued revising my resume, only half listening as the anchors filled the room with background noise. I stopped abruptly, grabbed the remote to rewind the DVR (What did we do before digital TV!?) I replayed the piece and turned it up just be sure I wasn't hallucinating. The news anchor’s story reported that Carlos Ortiz, the ex-husband of Alice Ortiz, who was one of nine victims in December’s Christmas Eve murder rampage in Covina, CA received a letter claiming that he was responsible for the unpaid rent of Mrs. Ortiz because she gave “insufficient notice to vacate”(www.kcra.com/news/18653167/detail.html).

It was left like that – just hanging in the air….BAM! Then right along to the next story. I was beside myself thinking who are these callous human beings to think a victim can give notice?

This morning I was still a bit flustered by this and searched for more information on the KCRA site. I was floored to see that not only was the televised piece a half truth, it really wasn’t even newsworthy. According to the story on KCRA’s website, the Associated Press reported that, the company managing the apartment building had no idea of the tenant’s death and as soon as the surviving family members explained the situation the issue was dropped. They would not pursue reimbursement. There is no news story here.

The company was following procedures - no notice, no rent, start tracking down people to get answers. As difficult as it is to lose someone (this particular circumstance even more tragic) once the shock and horror subsided; someone should have contacted the apartment complex. It isn’t the landlord’s responsibility to watch the news for updates on possible tenants. That falls onto the family.

Now this has me really thinking, what was the point of getting the audience emotionally invested in this? Not everyone is going to care. Not everyone will get riled up; there was no way for us to rally together to defend Mr. Ortiz. Not everyone is going to investigate for more information like I did. The average person is going to pass this information on as water cooler gossip and basically not have the whole picture. It was a fluff piece with no real value. I consider this shock factor news ridiculous and it belongs only in tabloid television, not a newscast.

What happened to the fact finding missions for journalists? The stories are written then handed or put on the teleprompt for the anchors to read. The anguish in news caster’s voice and in her eyes was sincere, so I find it difficult that she would willingly report a half truth. The news writer should have to finish the story and apologize.

On a positive note, my instinct to investigative was brought into the light; which will allow me to write more articles.