| |
Controversial
Talk
Show
Host
Charges
Political
Candidates
$1000
For
Access
To Her
Television
Program
DETROIT
(WXYZ)
- One of
Detroit’s
best-known
media
personalities,
Mildred
Gaddis
has
railed
against
the
“pay-to-play”
approach
that’s
already
corrupted
city
government.
But has
she been
caught
using
the same
tactic
herself?
WXYZ-TV
chief
investigative
reporter
Steve
Wilson
broke
this
story
earlier
on
Action
News,
and it’s
fast
become
the talk
of the
town
among
those
who have
an
interest
in
Detroit
politics
and the
current
race for
city
council.
What’s
the
fuss? A
weekly
TV show
on
another
station,
and how
it’s
well-known
host has
chosen
which
candidates
to
feature.
Wilson
asked
Gaddis,
why a
candidate
for city
council
has to
pay you
to get
access
to be
interviewed
by you
on what
looks
like a
news
program,
a public
affairs
program.
Mildred
Gaddis
replied,
It’s not
a public
affairs
program!
Gaddis
stated,
"There
is
nothing
illegal
about
that.
There is
nothing
unethical
about
that."
But
Wilson
points
out,
it’s
both
illegal
and
unethical
as she
ultimately
acknowledged
in an
hour-long
interview.
The
thousand-dollar
“package”
she
offered
some,
but not
all the
council
candidates,
included:
•production
of two
low-budget,
30-second
TV
commercials
•a
promise
she’d
air them
on her
show
•and a
half-hour
interview
which to
most
candidates
like
Charles
Pugh,
was the
most
attractive
part of
the
deal.
Charles
Pugh/Council
Candidate
said,
"This
would be
longer
form and
a chance
to talk
about
our
issues
versus
to talk
generically
in 30
seconds."
WADL’s
president
Lewis
Gibbs
says he
knows
some
guests
who
appear
on the
Gaddis
show
paid her
to be
on.
Wilson
pointed
out,
"The
disclaimer
does not
contain
any hint
that
what I’m
about to
watch is
paid
programming."
Gibbs
replied,
"You
know
what,
you
bring up
a good
point."
Wilson
asked
Gaddis,
why
would
she
knowingly
violate
a law?
Gaddis
recanted,
"I made
a
mistake…
that’s
all I
can say
to you
about
that, I
learned
something
and it
won’t
happen
again."
The talk
show
host
admits
her own
production
company
has been
pocketing
the
payments
because
that’s
how she
is
compensated.
In a
letter
from
Kevin
Adell,
owner of
WADL, he
said,
"Citing
unauthorized
charges
to
political
candidates,
we have
terminated
our
relationship
with Ms.
Gaddis,
effective
immediately.
No
further
episodes
of her
show
will
air.
You can
hear
from all
the
Detroit
political
candidates
running
in the
August
primary
on
www.mivote.org |
