WHO-TV's Sonya Heitshusen & Eric Wheater arrested for OWI

cybsball20

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I get this line of thinking but I've seen "prominent attorney gets OWI" or similar stories. Just yesterday WHO-TV's website had a "local architect in trouble for being a slumloard" article on it. So they do report on prominent people in town.

TV stations (and all media) like to sensationalize the news, reporting on scandals, deaths, murders, etc. And whether they like it or not, this is local news IMO.


The Local Architect preying and profiting off the misfortunes of others is quite different than someone who MAY have had one drink too many.
 

jbhtexas

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You guys really think any company would publicize that one of their employees was caught drinking and driving? Of course WHO would never report on it. They're trying to duck under the covers because of of their employees spread a bad light on the station. Call it hypocrisy if you want, but that's the way it is. And I think most employers that are in the public light would try to do the same thing.

I don't know what's normal in the TV industry, but back in May 2012 Jane McGarry, a news anchor for NBC 5 here in DFW, got arrested for drunk driving. She was a 30-year employee of the station, and at the time, she was the 6:00 PM weekday co-anchor, having recently transitioned from many years as the 10:00 PM weeknight co-anchor. She was arrested on a Saturday night. The following Monday, NBC 5 reported that McGarry had been arrested, and would be off the air until an investigation was complete. She never saw the air again at NBC 5, and resigned two months later after pleading guilty to the drunk driving charges.

It seems like a much better choice to get out front and self-report than let it fester and give other media outlets the opportunity to dictate the flow of the story.
 
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chuckd4735

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I get this line of thinking but I've seen "prominent attorney gets OWI" or similar stories. Just yesterday WHO-TV's website had a "local architect in trouble for being a slumloard" article on it. So they do report on prominent people in town.

TV stations (and all media) like to sensationalize the news, reporting on scandals, deaths, murders, etc. And whether they like it or not, this is local news IMO.

So public employees deserve to have their mistakes aired on the news, but private employees don't?

The Local Architect preying and profiting off the misfortunes of others is quite different than someone who MAY have had one drink too many.

HA! She was stumbling all over the police station and jail. That is not "one drink too many". Had any similar celebrity profile private employee in Des Moines done the same thing, I guarantee you Channel 13 would run a story on it.
 
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AmesHawk

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Poor Sonya reminds me of why I'm glad I no longer drink alcohol.

Go Cyclones.........

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Incyte

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So public employees deserve to have their mistakes aired on the news, but private employees don't?

Don't know what you mean by "deserve." Debate this all you want but to argue that local tv anchors getting busted for OWI isn't news is crazy. If you want a private life, don't take a public job.
 

chuckd4735

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Don't know what you mean by "deserve." Debate this all you want but to argue that local tv anchors getting busted for OWI isn't news is crazy. If you want a private life, don't take a public job.

No that is what I am arguing. This is news, and Channel 13 is a hypocrite for not reporting it.
 

Tailg8er

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The Local Architect preying and profiting off the misfortunes of others is quite different than someone who MAY have had one drink too many.

I agree to an extent, but per police reports she was stumbling with bloodshot eyes & slurred speech, after driving down the street going the wrong way. I mean I know, innocent until proven guilty, but c'mon... I think it's safe to say she had had more than '1 too many'.
 

Angie

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No that is what I am arguing. This is news, and Channel 13 is a hypocrite for not reporting it.

I agree with this. We all know that drunk driving is incredibly dangerous, and she was so drunk that she was going down a one-way street, right? That puts her viewing audience at risk. It's hypocritical not to share that with your constituents.
 

madcityCY

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Athletes, politicians, and any other prominent person (well known, whether publicly or privately employed) - this is news. If its you or me, it doesn't get reported because well - no one knows who the **** we are, and therefore doesn't care.
 

keepngoal

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the old adage .... don't get in an argument with a person that buys ink by the barrel. The news is theirs to report ....
 

chuckd4735

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I don't disagree that there is no excuse for what she did and she should absolutely should know better. But, I'm not going to judge her or anybody because I have not walked a step in her shoes. Maybe there is a deeper issue here. Let's not forget her sister was the news anchor from Mason City who was kidnapped and never seen again approx. 20 years ago.

Is that really Sonya's sister? I did not know that. Regardless, I'm not judging her at all. I have friends who have got OWI's and learned from them. I also have friends who drive drunk and never get caught. All I'm saying is that it is very hypocritical for WHO to avoid airing this news because its two of their own, while airing the same news of other public figures, which more times then none brings additional harm to those people.
 

clone26

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I saw Sonya Saturday morning at Pints during the Farmer's Market enjoying a few mimosas with some friends. They mentioned they were celebrating a birthday. This was at 10:00am right before it started raining.
 

cycloneworld

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The Local Architect preying and profiting off the misfortunes of others is quite different than someone who MAY have had one drink too many.

So its only news if she kills somebody?

When people are visible (on TV, radio, etc) and they mess up, like it or not, its going to end up as news. I see this no different as reporting every move of a celebrity. Or reporting if Rush Limbaugh got an OWI. Just on a much, much smaller, localized scale. Thousands of people watch these anchors on TV each day...no different than millions watching someone on a movie screen, again just on a smaller scale.