News Media

Extreme TV Dope Reporter

We got an anonymous tip–either from a wannabe TV anchor or just a competing newsie saying KTVB-7 anchorman Mark Johnson was a candidate for the coveted GUARDIAN TV dope reporter award.

The mug shot can be viewed at http://www.adasheriff.org/ArrestsReport/wfrmDetail.aspx

Officers from Boise PD made the DUI pinch Saturday night. He is to appear in court October 16.

Look for a serious weekend anchor looking into the camera saying, “We have some unfortunate news to report tonight about one of our own. Mark Johnson was arrested last night by police and charged with Driving while under the influence.”

In all fairness, when media stars get popped for tipping too many, it puts the outlet in a difficult position. They want to be first to report the incident to avoid community backlash, but if the newsie worked anywhere else it would go unreported. At least it didn’t happen when they were taping episodes of “COPS”–bad boys, bad boys, whatchya gonna do?

Comments & Discussion

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  1. I dunno…I heard the weekend anchor on Channel 2 refer to a rabid bat as “the bird”….that might be dummer than tipping a few at the BSU game and driving home. Not bright, granted, but not likely to impact generations chromosomally! 🙂

  2. curious george
    Sep 24, 2006, 9:21 pm

    Sorry BG,

    This is not even close to newsworthy – any more so than reporting on the 12 other people nabbed that night for DUI.

    Don’t get me wrong I’m glad that all 13 drunks were taken off the road that night. But, doesn’t reporting on just one of them, because of his purported local celebrity status, considerably lower the venue’s credibility by pandering to some people’s prurient interests?

    Just let the tabloids cover this junk, they’re better suited for it.

    P.S. It seems the real story is how local law enforcement manages to get these folks off the road before they hurt other people.

    EDITOR NOTE–George, we sort of agree. But when these same people report on new babies they bear and the Daily Paper reports on anchors taking new jobs out of town or across town, we figured it was worth the mention we gave it–without judgement and with a dose of sympathy.
    We also notice both the Daily Paper and KTVB have also posted stories on line now.

  3. Everybody's Favorite
    Sep 24, 2006, 11:11 pm

    To George:

    What about if the mayor got arrested? Or the governor? A city councilor? They are all public figures. So is Mark Johnson. Sadly, more people probably know his name and face than that of the mayor, governor or Boise city councilors.

  4. Everybody's Favorite
    Sep 24, 2006, 11:11 pm

    To George:

    What about if the mayor got arrested? Or the governor? A city councilor? They are all public figures. So is Mark Johnson. Sadly, more people probably know his name and face than that of the mayor, governor or Boise city councilors.

  5. Everybody's Favorite
    Sep 24, 2006, 11:11 pm

    To George:

    What about if the mayor got arrested? Or the governor? A city councilor? They are all public figures. So is Mark Johnson. Sadly, more people probably know his name and face than that of the mayor, governor or Boise city councilors.

  6. Everybody's Favorite
    Sep 24, 2006, 11:11 pm

    To George:

    What about if the mayor got arrested? Or the governor? A city councilor? They are all public figures. So is Mark Johnson. Sadly, more people probably know his name and face than that of the mayor, governor or Boise city councilors.

  7. I’m sure the so-called Guardian was GIDDY. No posts for a week – then this. Not news. Just like most of the stuff on this site.

    and here’s a golden dope award to the golden dopes at the newspaper for calling it ‘breaking news.’

    yawn.

  8. BoiseCitizen
    Sep 25, 2006, 6:50 am

    Sorry no sympathy here. Mr. Johnson chose to drink. He then chose to get in his car and drive. He is lucky that the police put his sorry rear end in jail.(At least till he sobered up). I have a friend whose son was killed by a drunk driver. Don’t tell me that because 12 other DUI’s were nabbed that Mr. Johnson gets a pass on the public hearing about it. His tv station spends massive amounts of money on shameless self promotion so the public will watch “Idaho’s News Channel”. He is a public figure and like it or not that is NEWS in this country now days. I hope the judge puts him in the county jail for 30 days so he can have some time to think about what he did.

  9. Let’s see Statesman said frist test was 0.1 then they took a second test .09. Legal limit is 08.
    Whats that about 2 beer’s?

    Gee I’ve seen some big SUV’s with a mother on the cell phone, 2 kids strapped in the back driving 20 miles over the speed limit, cutting in and out of traffic and I have to wonder. Which is more dangerous?

  10. Some of the old-timers will remember Bob Holland who once had the same gig as the esteemed Mr. Johnson. If I’m not mistaken, he was drummed out of the corps after he was busted for DUI. Why, oh why, couldn’t Mark get his cell phone out and call Dee and ask her to come pick him up and drive his sorry carcass home?

    Maybe Mark won’t lose his job over this… but if you’re looking at a new blow-dry talking head in the not-too-distant future, don’t be too surprised. We like our talking heads clean and sober in these parts.

    On a related note… there are still frequent letters-to-the-editor, advising citizens not to vote for Butch Otter because of his “Jack Daniels Chew / tight-fittin’ jeans-contest” faux pas… and that incident took place more than 20 years ago. Evidently there’s no statute of limitations on driving while impaired, at least in some folks’ minds.

    I’m with the posters who are thanking our law-enforcement people for trying to deal with this very real threat to citizen safety. (Not just Mark… ALL drunk drivers.)

  11. curious george
    Sep 25, 2006, 6:27 pm

    Everybody’s Favorite,

    Please don’t misunderstand me, Mr. Johnson can hang at the end of his own rope – but privately. But your inference that this falls under the same newsworthy category as the public misbehavior of a governor, mayor or city councilor is a little off. A person who’s dubbed a “celebrity” by the paparazzi is still a far cry from enjoying the status of “public officer”.

    If an elected official were nabbed for drunken driving – or a police officer was reported for violating departmental policy by drinking within eight hours of reporting to work – the public has a proprietary interest in knowing of the violation, and we should applaud the news agency that reported the behavior. If for no other reason than that the public official’s income is being paid with public taxes – and that they were elected, appointed, or hired to represent the public.

    Mr. Johnson’s paycheck isn’t drawn from the public coffers – and he certainly doesn’t (either directly, or indirectly) represent me. But, given Channel 7’s rather aggressive lean to the right (and the conservative right’s pruient interest in the lives of private citizens) I imagine Mr. Johnson has a lot more to worry about today than the opinions of the BG readers.

  12. Seems like lots of folks don’t want to kick the guy when he’s down. I wonder “what if” his imparement had caused injury or death….I say kick em hard…like a punter, so it don’t happen again.

    Anybody that thinks drunk driving is a victimless crime is part of the problem. One of the biggest in this country. G; do you have any stats on this?? It’s a huge killer folks and widespread…read the stats! and hope it’s not you or your’s next.

  13. A follow on: I also agree with Robert about big momma and the speeding SUV….Or big daddy trying to prove something with his new Hemi. (mostly advertising…new hemi is slow in a 1/4 mile.)

    Aside from stupidity and cell phones, a few folks are driving all messed up with a Doctors permission….did you know many of the mind-bending happy pills cause impediments in driving related judgement. Don’t know if it’s an improvement over depressed driving though.

  14. Amen to Robert. Sometimes cops concentrate so much on the DUIs that they seem to ignore all the other idiots weaving in and out of traffic, passing where there’s no room to pass, with a cell phone in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

    By the way, do you know the difference between a reporter busted for DUI and most other reporters? Yep, one got stopped and tested; the others didn’t.

    As for this guy being a celeb — give me a break. He’s a nobody who just happens to have a job that puts his mug on the screen. So? Not that I care if they want to hang him out to dry (out), I just can’t see that he’s any more important to the community than the plumber, electrician, garbage collector, field hand or any other person who got DUIed. In fact, he’s a heckuva lot less important — we NEED the plumbers, electricians, garbage collectors, etc.. Think about what our lives would be like if they weren’t around. But if this guy was in the lockup instead of on TV, well … yawwwnnnn.

  15. Hang 'em High
    Sep 26, 2006, 2:53 pm

    If I had a nickel for every time I heard this pompass jackass say, “Alcohol was a factor in the accident,” I’d be a wealthy man. So long Mark, take your BSU lovin’ ass and swerve on down the road.

  16. Hang 'em High
    Sep 26, 2006, 2:53 pm

    If I had a nickel for every time I heard this pompass jackass say, “Alcohol was a factor in the accident,” I’d be a wealthy man. So long Mark, take your BSU lovin’ ass and swerve on down the road.

  17. Hang 'em High
    Sep 26, 2006, 2:53 pm

    If I had a nickel for every time I heard this pompass jackass say, “Alcohol was a factor in the accident,” I’d be a wealthy man. So long Mark, take your BSU lovin’ ass and swerve on down the road.

  18. Hang 'em High
    Sep 26, 2006, 2:53 pm

    If I had a nickel for every time I heard this pompass jackass say, “Alcohol was a factor in the accident,” I’d be a wealthy man. So long Mark, take your BSU lovin’ ass and swerve on down the road.

  19. Maybe from a revenue generating perspective, we SHOULD open season on BSU lovin’ asses! Just think, traffic on game days would ease considerably; tickets might be even cheaper and not just in the end zone; they’d all look grand in the orange jumpsuits that are standard issue;they could meet players occasionally and really get to know them; and maybe we could get a new library or a second bomb robot or something.

    Just a guy who screwed up and now the whole world knows it. Aren’t we all glad that we don’t have to live our private hell in the public eye.

  20. Amen Tam.

  21. KTVB, Idaho’s Propaganda Channel!

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