No Thanks, We'll pass....
/A person sent FTVLive an email saying he had a big exclusive for us. A Reporter at a southwest station had sent naked pictures to a "viewer" and had been sexting with the said viewer.
The person linked to a website that showed the texts and some of the photos, they promised us that FTVLive getting the story first. The emailer said that at Noon, he would send a link to the other TV websites.
Well, the other TV websites can have the story, FTVLive doesn't want it. This same emailer had tried to get me to bite on this story before and I didn't.
There is no question that this is all about revenge and it is sad that this person is so bent on getting the Reporter fired.
Sexting by people that work in TV news is common. I'm not saying that it is smart (see our advice on sexting and other social media that we did a year and a half ago) and you would be wise not to partake in it.
But, sexting is part of the culture we live in and it is not likely going away.
FTVLive's goal is to critique TV news, call out those that deserved to be called out and praise those that deserve it as well.
If a talent at a station is sexting someone that is of age and it is with that person's consent, then to be honest, it's not a story in our mind. If some Anchor likes to dress up as little Bo Peep while she has sex with her husband in her own bedroom, it's strange for sure, but it's not a story.
Sure, posting a story like the "sexting Reporter" would drive up clicks and get the chatter going, but it would also ruin a person's career.
There are some people that work in this business that need to have their TV career ruined, but not like this.
The person that emailed us, claims that he also emailed a link to the corporate bosses of this Reporter's station. There is a good chance that this Reporter could be fired. But, FTVLive is not going to help that happen.
If the other TV websites want to be part of that, then so be it.
We're going to sit this one out.