Federal Government
KTVB Gets Craig Interview
October 14, 2007 
Gotta hand it to the TV newsies at KTVB–they get the interviews the other mainstreamers only wish for.
Mark Johnson did a teaser on the Sunday Channel 7 newscast and revealed Craig waited two months to tell his wife about getting busted in the Minneapolis airport crapper.
Craig said he planned to “exercise his constitutional rights” and appeal the decision of the Minneapolis judge who turned down the lame duck senator’s attempt to change his guilty plea after he was convicted. The entire interview is set to air Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Tough duty for Johnson, the former sports dude. While he was chatting up Craig he missed one of the best games ever on the Bronco Blue Turf.
Meanwhile, the Channel 6 KIVI web site is touting the “UNBIASED perspective of the Craig interview.” We detect the odor of sour grapes perhaps?
It should be noted that Channel 7 also got an interview with Micron’s Steve Appleton during the round of layoffs…the station also scooped the world covering Appleton and crew racing through the Baja desert.
Don’t forget the Brent Coles series of interviews on Channel 7 as well following the completion of his criminal sentence and probation.
It is no secret among media wonks that Appleton and Craig have no love for the Daily Paper. Some may see that as a red badge of courage and a source of pride as well.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Oct 14, 2007, 11:30 pm
It was a truly great game, Dave. I have not screamed so much since the Fiesta Bowl. I am sorry that you spent your time watch Channel 7.
EDITOR NOTE–I didn’t miss a single play. The news came on a few minutes AFTER the final play. Mark Johnson was sitting with Craig, HE missed a good portion of the game.
Oct 15, 2007, 12:25 am
It is certain that I’ll be all agog and watching this entertainment event. Craig’s ability to decieve himself and others all at the same moment is as fascinating as flesh-eating bacteria – oh, wait, it’s the same thing, isn’t it.
Oct 15, 2007, 10:08 am
KTVB meets Craig. How much pomposity (pompousness? how about arrogance?) can fit in one room?
Oct 15, 2007, 1:13 pm
“Tax Watchdog” Boise Guardian can correct me if I’m wrong (since besides being a “Tax Watchdog,” he’s a long-time observer of local media)… but doesn’t KTVB get the “scoops” by pitching softballs to whoever’s in the hot seat? Seems to me that both Appleton and Coles shunned the other local media outlets because they don’t necessarily like what’s being reported. (KTVB has a long history of coming in at the end of the local scandals; seems to me it’s because they hesitate to report uncomplimentary news of their favorite interviewees.)
“One of the best games ever” certainly wasn’t a great display of (defensive) football. I s’pose it was a good game in the sense that it was a shootout and we didn’t know who’d win ’til the Fat Lady started singing. (BSU won, but did they deserve to win, or did they get lucky?)
Finally, in response to erik, isn’t the word “pompitous”? I cite no less an authority than Steve Miller:
Some people call me the space cowboy,
Some call me the gangster of love,
Some people call me Maurice,
Cause I speak of the POMPITOUS of love…
EDITOR NOTE–Bikeboy, you are getting right up there with Tax Hawk, Community Leader and–my favorite–Waggish Political Blogger. Used to be it was “self proclaimed watchdog.”
Oct 15, 2007, 3:18 pm
It wasn’t so much that KTVB got the scoop, it was because NBC got the interview rights. All networks were trying to get the interview and Craig people picked NBC, so, KTVB wins by default.
EDITOR NOTE–Now we feel bad about giving them a leg up on the competition.
Oct 15, 2007, 4:58 pm
From the perspective of someone in the political trenches so to speak. KTVB gets all the action because they have the widest geographical coverage, most affiliates (i.e. IF, Lewiston and Spokane) In addition, their viewership is light years past the competition. Simply, when you want exposure your get the most bang for your buck.
I dont buy the “softball.” In my opinion they are all softballs. There are no real “gotcha” reporters on air.
Oct 15, 2007, 7:09 pm
Keep in mind the first thing Coles was asked at the interview he gave KTVB when he resigned was, “now that this is all over, how do you feel?”
Like heck it was all over!
The investigation by the Idaho AG office had just started which was what prompted the resignation! He was then indicted on 5 felony counts and later pled to three and went to jail.
Then KTVB gave him another touchy feely interview when he got the glossy cover of “IQ Idaho” magazine last month. Lovely piece of historical rewrite that thing was!
In terms of intensity, softball is too firm for KTVB. I can’t imagine their station will bother asking Craig a single question harder than your average Nurf Ball.
Oct 16, 2007, 12:57 am
Gee, and we’re not even in sweeps!
Oct 16, 2007, 3:35 pm
Political Geek ….. KIVI actually offered to pool video for all local and network television outlets …. thus guaranteeing a much better geographical spread; the only caveat, Craig does NOT get the questions prior to the interview AND the questions will be tough but fair (He has a duty to answer tough questions not softballs). Craig’s camp made the KTVB choice based on the lowest possibility of making this worse. Johnson is NOT journalist, and will NOT follow up on any question the senator dodges.