Media sources tell News Hits that Dickens, spokesman for the Kwamster, ejected a UPN 50/ CBS 62 cameraman from a press conference last week in retaliation for the station airing a segment featuring the mayor. Tara Wall, station spokeswoman and talk show host, confirms that her cameraman was kicked out.
The ouster stemmed from an incident last month when Wall invited Kilpatrick to appear on her show, “Street Beat,” along with Greg Bowens, former spokesman for Mayor Archer, City Councilwoman Sharon McPhail and several other people. Kilpatrick was interviewed separately from the panelists, who discussed leadership issues as well as the Kilpatrick administration. Multiple sources tell News Hits that Kilpatrick was upset that McPhail, a potential candidate for his seat and outspoken mayoral adversary, was in the studio when he arrived.
Dickens asked the station to pull the show, according to station sources who asked to remain anonymous. The show aired April 19.
Dickens balked at discussing the issue, other than to say, “I thought 50/ 62 went out of business because their ratings sucked. So why are we talking about them?”
“We will continue to cover the same thing everyone else covers and not be denied our First Amendment rights to cover the news,” says Wall. She points out that she attended a news conference the day after the ouster incident with her cameraman and was not turned away. She says the mayor answered her questions.
News Hits thinks the only thing more absurd than the ejection is the fact that the camera-slinger actually left. We have a suggested retort for the camera dude the next time a public servant requests his absence: “Move me.”
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