One Camera Too Many

Investigative journalism has brought us some remarkably important stories.  Would there have been a Watergate with Bernstein and Woodward?  Not likely, and it toppled a regime.  But that doesn’t mean that a camera in the hands of every journalist is by definition a good thing. 

Tara Rosenblum, a News 12 reporter in the employ of Cablevision, proved the point when she sought to manufacture a story at Holy Cross Catholic Church in New Rochelle.  From New Rochelle Talk :

With lights blazing and cameras rolling, Tara Rosenblum, in what could pass for an homage to [Anchorman character Ron]Burgundy’s co-anchor Veronica Corningstone, pushes her way into a meeting room at Holy Family Church and interrupts an in-progress, closed 12-Step meeting in a grand-standing stunt she grandiosely bills as “The Confrontation”. She is also trespassing and when asked to leave refuses and continues to question the people. You can just barely hear it over her shouted questions but you can make out a man’s voice saying politely “please leave”.
It seems that Rosenblum learned that the church was simultaneously hosting CYO basketball in its gymnasium and a Sexaholics Anonymous meeting elsewhere at Holy Cross.  Having “staked out” the place, she goes in for the kill.



As noted by Robert Cox in his New Rochelle Talk post, the production value, intended to make this travesty appear melodramatic, apparently the next best thing to substantive when an investigation turns up a turd, News isn’t mean to be film noir, and bad journalism isn’t made better by sound and lighting effects.  But that’s a reflection of bad production taste.  What of Rosenblum’s total lack of journalistic integrity?

She asserts at one point that there is a known pedophile amongst the group.  How she would know such a thing with an anonymous group is a mystery, though she later claims there are multiple sex offenders in there.  Details matter when one purports to be a journalist.

But even more to the point, this is an anonymous 12 step meeting of people who are trying to deal with a problem.  Granted, sexaholics sound funnier to most people than alcoholics, and hence might make the children watching twitter with evil glee, feeling far less inclined to take a critical view of Rosenblum’s attempt to “out” the anonymous participants.  But these are people making an effort to deal with their problems, not people on the prowl for young children.  People go to these programs for a socially critical purpose, and do so under the belief that their identities will remain anonymous.  And yet this twinkie thinks that’s an invitation to push her way in with the camera rolling?

There is no suggestion that any child has in any way been harmed, or even that harm of any sort has been threatened, at Holy Cross Church.  Had there been such a suggestion, perhaps this group might be worthy of journalistic interest, though the handling of such a story in this fashion could never be justified.  But this was an invention by Rosenblum, wholly without justification.

The ramifications of this one twinkie’s efforts for people seeking help are obvious.  Should people attending 12 step meetings fear being outed by every fifth-string pseudo-investigative reporter, avoid seeking help and fail to make the effort to address their problems?  Should church’s stop providing the rooms for these meetings to be held because they serve a wider community with programs for teens as well as adults?  Maybe Cablevision would like to offer up its executive suite for use by 12 step programs?  I’ve been in the executive wing of Cablevision’s offices.  They’re very elegant and would do nicely for the next Sexaholics Anonymous meeting.  The list goes on.

Clearly, Tara Rosenblum lacks the intelligence, discretion and basic good taste to be allowed outside with a camera crew.  She’s dangerous.  If Cablevision feels constrained to keep her on the payroll, perhaps they could find another job more suited to her skills.  Like answering Jim Dolan’s phone.

H/T The Turk (who is not, I repeat, not one of the individuals in Rosenblum’s video, no matter how great the similarity.)

6 thoughts on “One Camera Too Many

  1. Blind Guy

    Disingenuous? I demand to know why Rosenblum has not yet been elected to the New York State Senate!

  2. Jack B.

    The funny thing is, there doesn’t even need to be Sexaholics Anonymous meetings at a church for a reporter to do this. The reporter could have just as easily done a story about parents placing their kids at risk by taking their kids to church Sunday morning.

  3. george cotz

    I happened to see that “news” report and found it offensive and sensationalist, and totally lacking in substance. Typical News 12 fare.

  4. SHG

    I expect unprofessional, but this was so over-the-top offensive as to be beneath even News 12.

  5. Rick Horowitz

    That absolutely blows my mind. It’s almost as if we’re hell-bent on destroying our society.

    In this case — not that I think it would make much difference here — that any of the people attending that meeting had committed any crimes.

    I guess that’s what it’s come down to these days. The truth really doesn’t matter. Being sensational so that people pay attention to you is all that matters.

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