It may have been somewhat reactionary with Kaine vs. the press today.
Kaine has struck me as a logical/process guy with a list. Today he pushed process aside to take control and set some ground rules about his interest in working as team with the press. It was a reactionary attitude - he was reacting to news coverage he considered off-limits - and he was reacting from stress, frustration, anger, fear, protective instinct.
And, I'm not sure he meant "Team" so much as quid pro quo. Which, I suppose, might be a reasonable expectation when you and the press are married to each other for a long time...
WW made an interesting choice itself today - to run off and complain and whine about being kicked out in thier news blog. WW decided to break the family's request for trust because the family called out the WW on tactics (such as in-your-face-on-your-doorstep-unannounced-interviews) and make the story about the WW vs. the Horman family. Is that reporting? Or is that bitterness?
The Oregonian did not make the choice to run off and whine. The Oregonian figured out how to work with the family.
The WW bogarted Kyron's story today and tanked the family's message about Kyron. The WW put the spotlight instead on the parents' ground rules for cooperation and request for less media intrusiveness. The WW dredged up family history, that clearly, Kaine and Desiree have long since pushed past. What's next? An expose on Desiree?
Maybe it's okay that Kaine has the cajones to tell the WW to back off. (Of course, I'm okay if the WW investigates and reports what it will - so long as they stick to the facts. But the headline - "Troubled Family" - that was salacious - not factual.)
And maybe it's a little silly for the WW to use agressive tactics and salacious headlines on the Horman family, then whine and complain when the Hormans called them out it in a presser. The WW should have some journalistic integrity when called on tactics - it should be fully prepared to support it's investigative reporting as relevant.
Maybe the WW is aggressive and prides itself on going where no other papers go. Like right up on Terri's stoop, univited. So be it. If that's the case, they must be used to getting booted from pressers.
Just yesterday, the AP wires announced to the world that LE said Terri Horman was not a suspect nor a POI. Other reports said the opposite.
Is that journalism? Maybe Kaine should be pissed off. Why not hold news folks on his son's story to a higher bar of relevance and accuracy?
I'm not really sure what exactly the parents did wrong other than to handle the press awkwardly by expressing clearly their preferences. Not sure what all the uproar is. The Horman family are private citizens and can make requests of the press, and can choose who they are willing to speak to. But they can't control the press. I think they know that. I also think they are not LE. They don't have any obligation to let everyone into their pressers. LE does.
The family realizes it benefits Kyron's case to invite as many press representatives as possible in. And I think they're trying to do that. So long as they believe that press is really interested in supporting Kyron and his family. As opposed to ripping them further apart - for no reason - during this horrific nightmare they are enduring.
The press the family chooses work with can take the Horman info or leave it. They can cover the story cooperatively or combatively. The press' freedom to do so is protected either way.
So really, what's the big deal if Kaine expresses his family's wishes, and decides who they do and do not want to give exclusives to?
Anyway, just some reflection after all the media hub-bub today and - all JMHO, as usual.
