Thu
Sep 7 2006
04:08 pm
Betty Bean in the GOB doghouse?
By: R. Neal

Betty Bean was asked to be on the Hallerin Hilton Hill radio show last week via a phone interview to talk about her Halls Shopper County Confidential series on Tyler Harber.

What HHH didn't tell her was that Dwight Van De Vate, Senior Director of Communication & Government Relations for the Knox County Mayor's office, was in the studio and was apparently given the remainder of Hallerin's show for rebuttal after Betty's short phone-in segment, or at least that's what we're told.

From what we have learned, when Betty found out that she had been ambushed, so to speak, she called Hallerin and got put through to his voicemail. Apparently she gave him an ear full, and in the heat of the moment may have said something about him being a "chickenshit."

Rumor has it that a recording of her voicemail is being circulated among the GOB "powers that be" and that "Scripps brass" [as in E.W. Scripps Co. who recently purchased the Halls Shopper and also owns the Knoxville News Sentinel] have been notified.

(If anyone has a copy of the recording we'd sure like to hear it! Maybe Brian Hornback could fill us in? Gene Patterson? Anyone? Beuller?)

Anyway, is there a swiftboat coming around the bend with Betty's name on it? Are they going to paint her as a "troubled reporter" similar to their dismissive characterization of Tyler Harber and his allegations?

What should happen, but probably won't, is that the "Scripps brass" ought to get on the phone to the "other paper" and ask them why Betty Bean is the only reporter in town with the "brass you-know-whats" to go out and get this story and report on it.

Developing...

UPDATE: WATE playing catch up, and barking up the wrong trees. Give them credit for trying, though. Nobody else seems willing to touch it.

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Old Hickory's picture

If Beanster's In the GOB DogHouse, Put Me There Too

Submitted by Old Hickory (not verified) on Thu, 2006/09/07 - 4:51pm.

How come nobody is talking about the fact that the City Police Department is collecting $20 a car to park in the City County Building Garage on UT football Saturdays? Guess the threat of terrorism doesn't get in the way of cold hard cash. Where does that money go, the garage is full, so there should be a $1,000 laying around somewhere.

Don't they know terrorist come in orange and white. Ask Cal's teams about it.

SayUncle's picture

I caught the show. The did

Submitted by SayUncle on Thu, 2006/09/07 - 5:12pm.

I caught the show. The did have the dude on right after her. Dirty pool, I think, but really not an ambush.

---
SayUncle
Can't we all just get a long gun?

Bbeanster's picture

Mea Culpa:I was so mad I

Submitted by Bbeanster on Thu, 2006/09/07 - 6:14pm.

Mea Culpa:
I was so mad I don't rightly remember exactly what I did say, although the words "set up," "sandbag" and, yes, "chickenshit" do ring a bell, and I probably used the latter to describe the tactic rather than the person.

Dwight VdV didn't have the whole rest of the show (and I doubt he wanted it), but he did get noticeably more time than I did, and I wasn't told that he was there in the studio when they called me at 7:10 am. Later, Hallerin told me he thought I knew that Dwight was there, but, heck, how likely was I to keep my yap shut if I'd known that a member of Team Ragsdale was sitting there listening?

Not very.

And not only did the other side get more time, but they didn't take phone calls while he was on the air. When I asked Hallerin why, he said they didn't have time. Odd, that, since I took a call and was on about half the time as Dwight. I was also told it would have been "uncomfortable" to have both Dwight and me in the studio.

Yep, talk radio hates conflict.

If I had to boil my objection to to what happened down to a single sentence, it would be that I expect to play by the rules, but I think the same rules should apply to both sides -- and I certainly believe that both sides should be aware of those rules.

Did I overreact?

Probably. Leaving such a message is intemperate.

I've been told by numerous sources that Hallerin is shopping the offending voicemail around town. I guess it proves two things: I'm mean and he's a crybaby.

Some newsflash.

ps: I did apologize to Hallerin's producer, Chris Marion, whom I think is a very nice guy and had nothing to do with the unethical interview situation. It was on Hallerin to tell me that Dwight was in the studio.

rikki's picture

bootleg tapes

Submitted by rikki on Thu, 2006/09/07 - 5:11pm.

I bet the tape is a hoot. It ain't nothin for Betty to whoop a man's ass.

Number9's picture

I bet the tape is a hoot. It

Submitted by Number9 on Thu, 2006/09/07 - 5:24pm.

I bet the tape is a hoot. It ain't nothin for Betty to whoop a man's ass.

Betty, settle this with Hallerin the old fashion way. Behind Eddie's Auto Parts. My money is on Betty.

Factchecker's picture

Did HHH have to have a

Submitted by Factchecker on Thu, 2006/09/07 - 5:47pm.

Did HHH have to have a buddy to hold his hand?  Seriously, what an egotistical suckup he is (edit: in my opinion).

Socialist With A Gold Card's picture

Don't mess with a Bean

Submitted by Socialist With ... on Thu, 2006/09/07 - 6:16pm.

For a proper asswhuppin', she might oughta go to Thom McCann's & git her some new boots first. They's supposed to be damn good'uns.

--Socialist With A Gold Card

"I'm a socialist with a gold card. I firmly believe we need a revolution; I'm just concerned that I won't be able to get good moisturizer afterwards." --Brett Butler

 

Bbeanster's picture

lol! Come to think of it,

Submitted by Bbeanster on Thu, 2006/09/07 - 6:48pm.

lol! Come to think of it, John would've had a big time with this, although he did most of his mischief before caller ID came along and ruined the prank call bidness.

It'd be a heckuva lot of fun, though, to see how LeRoy Mercer and Sid Arnwine would've messed with ole Triple Aitch. Just wait till my brother gets off work... (sigh)

WhitesCreek's picture

"Chickenshit?"...

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Thu, 2006/09/07 - 7:28pm.

"Chickenshit?"... "Conservative talk radio host?" 

Isn't that redundant?

 And if Ms. Bean needs someone to hold her coat and act as second there's a crowd of us that's willin', I'm sure.

 

lotta's picture

Do tell

Submitted by lotta on Thu, 2006/09/07 - 7:39pm.

I didn't catch the show - just what did DVdV have to say?

One of Hootie's Blowfish's picture

Query:

Submitted by One of Hootie's Blowfish (not verified) on Thu, 2006/09/07 - 10:02pm.

Who is the station manager at HHH's radio station? Mike Hammond. The same Mike Hammond on County Commission who's a pea in a pod with other Mikes, namely Mike Ragsdale and Mike Arms. Hammond was the hand-picked successor to Mike Arms.

You were a good boy helping out on the radio, Mikey Hammond; you got trained just like Craig Leuthold.

SayUncle's picture

A bomb could go off on Gay

Submitted by SayUncle on Thu, 2006/09/07 - 10:07pm.

A bomb could go off on Gay Street one day, and the next morning he'd be talking about nothing but his golf game.

That's the truth. This morning, i figure they may bring up Knox Co's charter. Nope, they were discussing whether paris hilton was hot or not. He must have said she's not ugly but i don't think she's hot about 12 times in the 5 minutes i listened on the way to school. Repeatedly asked what listeners thought but took only one call.

I hate how he repeats himself over and over and over. Then asks for opinions and gets only one. Guess they hold the line until someone agrees.

Yesterday, the topic was peanut butter. In the 8 minute drive to drop the kids off at school, he said i love peanut butter no less than 23 times.

---
SayUncle
Can't we all just get a long gun?

Oren Incandenza's picture

Go Betty.

Submitted by Oren Incandenza on Thu, 2006/09/07 - 6:04pm.

Why anyone listens to the HHH minstrel show is beyond me.  A bomb could go off on Gay Street one day, and the next morning he'd be talking about nothing but his golf game.  He exists solely to make the local GOBers feel like they're not racists. 

Betty could whup his ass straight up and he knows it, so he sandbagged her and gave Team Ragsdale the last word.  Calling it chickenshit is arguably an affront to chickenshit.

As for Scripps, when their big-circulation daily paper is getting scooped and hammered by their small-circulation weekly, perhaps they should ask themselves whether they've got their editors and reporters correctly allocated.
 

"I thought I saw the light at the end of the tunnel, but it turned out to be a bastard with a torch, bringing me more work." - The Office

bizgrrl's picture

Talk radio? Air America

Submitted by bizgrrl on Fri, 2006/09/08 - 5:05am.

Talk radio? Air America rules!

Knoxquerious's picture

Big Deal

Submitted by Knoxquerious on Fri, 2006/09/08 - 8:06am.

She called me chickenshit too. She likes that word a lot I guess.

R. Neal's picture

Never mind.

Submitted by R. Neal on Fri, 2006/09/08 - 8:14am.

Never mind, I see you did the responsible thing and edited it.

Knoxquerious's picture

You heard it here 2nd on 6

Submitted by Knoxquerious on Fri, 2006/09/08 - 9:38am.

Just read Gene's blog about the Harber/Rags tussle. You just hammer poor Gene there RN. But the early bird always gets the worm, right? It would be interesting to see how many people would have accused WATE of "sensational reporting" had folks "heard it on 6 news first" rather than the quality journalism from the shopper. I must hand it to the shopper for jumping on this. Poor Rags should have simple coughed up the money if that was really the case. I guess "we reap what we sew" eh?

WhitesCreek's picture

AA

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Fri, 2006/09/08 - 8:08am.

 

 Bizgrrl says:

"Talk radio? Air America rules!"

Well, I listen to AA but it doesn't quite "rule" yet. Franken is fairly smart but he ain't no radio entertainer. Got great guests, though. Mark Marin was the best but they took him off. He had the best and funniest morning show going.

One show I've taken to listening to is by a Progressive Baptist preacher on Sunday afternoon. Yeah, it's a contradiction in terms but I swear!...and I'm a Damfino.

I have high hopes for AA eventually.

bizgrrl's picture

Hey, I guess I should

Submitted by bizgrrl on Fri, 2006/09/08 - 9:45am.

Hey, I guess I should clarify, for around here, Air America rules. I love talk radio and what other choices do I have, HHH, Neil Bortz, Rush?? Please, spare me!

Brian A.'s picture

NewsTalk 100

Submitted by Brian A. on Fri, 2006/09/08 - 11:25am.

Don't forget--they've also got Savage and O'Reilly.  The only thing we are missing is Hannity. 

Brian A.
I'd rather be cycling.

Tiny Tim's picture

Bean Is Fine, Publisher Already Complimented Her Work

Submitted by Tiny Tim (not verified) on Fri, 2006/09/08 - 11:38am.

If the N/S tosses Beanster, they have a major civil rights problem for tossing a journalist based upon 1st amendment grounds.

Truth be known, the product offered by Halls News is much better and more widely read than what you get in the local section of the daily rag and the Scripps people know it, but given their positioning within the scripps organization, they can't write negatively about local government, local officials, and certainly not public employees like Harber and Jay Witt.

The N-S is no longer a leader for investigative journalism in the community, they won't ask a tough question and they certainly make no effort to cut through the spin that is placed on EVERYTHING coming from the city county building.

Johnny Ringo's picture

Noooo

Submitted by Johnny Ringo on Fri, 2006/09/08 - 1:03pm.

If the N/S tosses Beanster, they have a major civil rights problem for tossing a journalist based upon 1st amendment grounds.

Tim, the First Amendment guarentees that the government will not hinder freedom of speech. To the best of my knowledge, any editor or publisher is perfectly free at any time to fire a reporter for what he/she has written, and the Constitution has nothing to say about it. Unless of course the paper is actually owned by the government, in which case the situation might be different (as in the case of the Anderson County high school newspaper censorship case.)

StaceyD's Cat's picture

Oatney and Frank

Submitted by StaceyD's Cat (not verified) on Fri, 2006/09/08 - 3:02pm.

On Gene Patterson's blog David Oatney wrote about the Tyler Harbor incident:

"The reason that Terry and myself and a few others have been keeping up the fight on this is to get the press to cover it."

Oatney's referring to Terry Frank. Who are these people? What have they done to keep "up the fight" on this? I'm just looking to get filled in.

Have they been helping Bean-o?

SteveMule's picture

Oatney and Frank

Submitted by SteveMule on Sat, 2006/09/09 - 11:06am.

Sounds like a law firm ... But seriously, David Oatney and Terry Frank are local area conservatives that blog.  Alot.  They are articulate and rational. They are both pretty good at it. Unlike say, Brian Hornback who is nothing but a propaganda sock puppet for the conservative talking points of the day and, of course, Katerine Harris. 

Take Care, Be Good and don't play in the street!

SteveMule

Number9's picture

Doesn't that prove that Hallerin is a "coward"?

Submitted by Number9 on Fri, 2006/09/08 - 10:40am.

Hallerin takes a recording of a voicemail made by Betty to the Knoxville News Sentinel, which is effectively Betty's boss, to complain that Betty called him a "coward". Okay, maybe the word wasn't "coward" but it does start with a "c" and it means the same thing.

Doesn't that prove that Hallerin is a "coward"?

Betty could help greatly increase the circulation of either the Metro Pulse or the Knoxville Journal if push comes to shove and the powers at the News Sentinel come down on her.

At this point in time Betty is the journalist in Knoxville with the most gravitas. Hallerin has become the "Oprah" of Knoxville and wouldn't know a story if he tripped over it. His first goal is to protect his friends so he has become some kind of anti-journalist. How can one person talk so much and say so little?

I thought Hallerin's behavior was cowardly. I think his program is an embarrassment.

JaHu's picture

"Betty could help greatly

Submitted by JaHu on Sat, 2006/09/09 - 7:54am.

"Betty could help greatly increase the circulation of either the Metro Pulse or the Knoxville Journal if push comes to shove and the powers at the News Sentinel come down on her."

She should apply at the Journal. I don't know how most of you feel but I feel the Sentinel prints what they want you to know, and the journal prints what you should know. Just my opinion, and I guess everyone is familiar with that cliche!

CL's picture

Y'all, there is an local

Submitted by CL on Fri, 2006/09/08 - 11:56am.

Y'all, there is an local alternative to HHH. It's The Voice on 1180 and 1120 am. It's on between 7:15 and 11 weekdays. They also broadcast over the internet at (link...) .

They had Betty Bean on each week during the County Confidential series for 2 hours at a time. They have also put the interviews up on their website to download. She was on the show again today to discuss some of the stuff that Harber said and the evidence that backs it up.

Lloyd Daugherty has asked his listeners to call the Knox County Commission office at 215-2534 to ask that the commission start an investigation into Team Ragsdale.

You don't have to listen to HHH anymore!

Rachel's picture

Doesn't Betty Bean usually

Submitted by Rachel on Fri, 2006/09/08 - 5:34pm.

Doesn't Betty Bean usually live in the GOB doghouse?  And would she really have it any other way?

IMO, that's where good journalists pretty much always end up.

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