The long-in-production PBS Frontline show about the Jim West scandal airs tonight at 9 p.m. We have not seen the show. PBS routinely provides review copies to TV writers and has done so for this production. But they refused to give us a review copy so no one in our office has yet seen the production. (Some advance reviews are apparently available online.) I've heard various reports on its content, but will reserve meaningful response for tomorrow after the broadcast. Frontline producers explained to us -- and apparently to others in the community -- that their original intent to use Spokane and West as a jumping off point to discuss gay issues in America was derailed at the last minute by PBS honchos who wanted to focus only on the West scandal and recall. This is, at least, disingenuous. It was clear to us from the outset that their show was focusing exclusively on West. Outside of a conversation at the very beginning of their work, they never sought from us any information or insight on gay issues in Spokane. It always was West -- Editor Steve Smith/Spokesman-Review, News Is A Conversation.
D.F. Oliveria started Huckleberries Online on Feb. 16, 2004. Oliveria's Sunday print Huckleberries is a past winner of the national Herb Caen Memorial Column contest.
show about the Jim West scandal airs tonight at 9 p.m. We have not seen the show. PBS routinely provides review copies to TV writers and has done so for this production. But they refused to give us a review copy so no one in our office has yet seen the production. (Some advance reviews are apparently available online.) I've heard various reports on its content, but will reserve meaningful response for tomorrow after the broadcast. Frontline producers explained to us -- and apparently to others in the community -- that their original intent to use Spokane and West as a jumping off point to discuss gay issues in America was derailed at the last minute by PBS honchos who wanted to focus only on the West scandal and recall. This is, at least, disingenuous. It was clear to us from the outset that their show was focusing exclusively on West. Outside of a conversation at the very beginning of their work, they never sought from us any information or insight on gay issues in Spokane. It always was West -- Editor Steve Smith/Spokesman-Review, News Is A Conversation.
