Apr
20
Written by:
Brian
4/20/2009 5:50 AM
KCMO-710 morning talk show host Chris Stigall unloaded (4/17) on local Democratic PR operative Steve Glorioso and the local media for giving Glorioso a free forum to blast last Wednesday's (4/15) Tea Party at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City.
Stigall questioned why Glorioso---long-time PR aid to former KCMO Mayor Kay Barnes and Democratic operative--- was given an opportunity by the news media to give his views on the event.
Glorioso sent a media advisory (below) to the KC media saying he would be available to speak out against the Tea Party (he referred to it by the gross term "Tea Baggers") and all four KC TV stations gave him media time.
"It's amazing an average nobody can summon the media in the middle of the day to offer an "opposing view" to a news event," says Stigall. "The press in town thought a largely anti-government rally needed equal time? Why? Do we always have "opposing views" in protest stories? Not often, if ever as I recall.
"The story/question is: Is anyone afforded the opportunity to offer an opposing view to any event the news covers if they send a press release to them?" said Stigall. "In other words, the next time LaRaza or SCLC or COHO protests, and I know about it in advance - can I expect all four TV newsrooms to dispatch someone to cover my opposition comments to them?
"It's not as though Steve is a politician," added Stigall." He's an out of work operative. That's like Jack Cashill calling a press conference. Would they show for Jack?"
Glorioso was involved in Kay Barnes' unsuccessful campaign to unseat Congressman Sam Graves in the last election (it should be noted Stigall used to be an aid to Graves). Glorioso has also been an outspoken critic of KCMO Mayor Mark Funkhouser after Funkhouser reportedly rejected him for a position in his administration.
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