Question re: local news affiliate - Who do I write to?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I dithered for several minutes as to whether this should be a MPSIMS or IMHO and finally decided on MPSIMS, if that was incorrect please whisk away to appropriate venue!

So last night, one of our local news stations was doing one of their typical “Bart’s People” type glurge-y stories. A family with several cats is relieved to have one home tonight after not knowing its whereabouts for several weeks. “Socks” went missing several weeks ago and, after searching in vain for several days, the saddened family assumed he’d been eaten by a coyote.

They had me up to that point, I was expecting a joyful reunion when Socks returned from whatever walkabout he’d gone on. THEN the good humoured news personality drops the bomb that a few weeks later, the father went into the basement to get something out of the refridgerator and who should tumble out but Socks. Turns out wee junior had thought it would be funny to put the kitty in the fridge and leave them there. What a crazy caper! Luckily Socks is home now and nursed back to health and all is right with the world.

I was horrified that they ran this story as anything other than a tale of animal abuse, and even more so that apparently the poor thing has been left with the family, with the same 4 year old who nearly killed it the first time! Yeah, I know he’s only 4, but if that’s how he’s going to react to animals then maybe they shouldn’t have any until he’s old enough to understand why that’s bad?

Since at the age of 28 I’m quickly turning into a cantankerous old coot, I’m planning on firing off a letter to the news station just to remark that I hope someone will at least look in on this family and the state of their other animals from now on, but I’m not sure who I should be talking to? The station manager? The news director? Suggestions?

2

Call the station, tell them you want to write a letter concerning the newscast and would like the names of the news director and station manager.

3

Thanks for the advice! I actually found their names on the website, just wasn’t sure about which would be more constructive.

4

Either or. The news director is usually in charge of the news department, while the station manager can be considered the president/ CEO of the station.

5

Send it to both, with the original to the news director and the copy to the general manager. You might also think about copying the head of the local humane society in as well so they can educate the station news department on animal abuse.

Robin

6

Wait a minute. The cat was in the basement fridge, no air, no food, no heat, “for a few weeks”? And lived?

I’m sorry. I gotta call bullshit.

7

I don’t think that’s what NailBunny meant. I think she meant “a few weeks after the cat returned home, the kid put it in the fridge”, not “the cat was in the fridge for a few weeks”.

Robin