Great Moments In Late-July Programming

Yes, that is NBC 10, owned by General Electric, promoting the promotional week of a cable network not owned by GE. I think? Weird.

This photo is from the brief time when the Philadelphia 76ers were flirting with a name change to the Philadelphia 4Mers.

NBC 10

Nothing Ever Gets Old On The Internet

Although it got a little windy last night (at least in Center City), at least we avoided any scat storms. Phew.

It’s Still Hot Today, Reports Everyone

Yes, it’s a slow news week — everyone is too hot to do anything newsworthy — so there is news about the weather everywhere! It’s allegedly going to be 99 degrees today (and is currently 78 with “Haze,” whatever that is).

Those lucky schoolkids get off at noon again today. NBC 10, meanwhile, exposes the seedy underworld of swimming where no swimming signs are posted.

Despite the “no swimming” signs posted along the creek, they were still going in the water. “Well I don’t consider this swimming. I consider it wading,” one man told NBC 10.

One girl was asked, “Is it safe out here?” “Yeah, kind of. … It’s sort of safe out here, if you watch what you’re doing,” she said.

The station also gives a helpful tip: “Do not leave older people, children or pets alone in cars.” Look, I don’t think you should be doing that even in the winter.

Apparently, all of this is going to break sometime tonight; tomorrow will be a more pleasant 87 degrees.

Daily News’ Photoshop Use Under Attack

The Daily News once again put Jocelyn “Bonnie” Kirsch on its cover yesterday, after she got in trouble again and was put on house arrest. The paper used one of the shots of her lounging at poolside, only they Photoshopped in an ankle bracelet on her. Get it?

This didn’t sit well with Kirsch’s lawyer, Ron Greenblatt, actually released a statement on the cover:

The Daily News continues to sink to a level below tabloid journalism. The use of a doctored photo on the cover of the second largest paper in the city of Philadelphia to give a deliberately false impression is disgraceful. I understand their job is to sell papers, but they should at least be held to minimal journalistic ethical standards.

And then NBC 10 did a whole story on it, complete with person-on-the-street interviews. DN Editor Michael Days — no stranger to answering controversy about political cartoons that are accidentally funny — said “[i]t’s just that kind of a story.” Yes, that’s about as good of a response as you can get.

Redlasso clip after the jump; NBC 10’s site has a clip too.

More »

Shop Selling (Gasp) Sex Toys

NBC 10 also spent a few minutes early in its 6 p.m. newscast last night to cover a “scandalous sex shop” in West Chester. Apparently, there’s a store with lingerie that has sex toys in the back, and people are not happy because it’s near an ice cream shop, a pizza place and a school.

“I think anytime you take something like that — something involving human sexuality and pervert it — that’s wrong,” the Rev. Edward Deliman told NBC 10. The “sexologist” is unbowed, ready and willing to fight for her shop’s right to sell vibrators. Redlasso video after the jump.

More »

NBC 10 Eliminates Town’s Fire Co.

Way back in 2004, NBC 10 (”The Investigators!”) broadcast a report alleging that firefighters in Colwyn, Delaware County, were operating an illegal bar, and the mayor and others were going there. Colwyn is a dry town, and Lu Ann Cahn actually said this, “Are you all above the law?” OMG IRL drama.

Then for some reason earlier this month all of Colwyn’s firefighers resigned at once. Cops also raided the “speakeasy” and killed seven members of the Hogan gang, as well as confiscating illegal video poker machines and alcohol.

Then last night the town council ended its relationship with the fire company. The head of the Colwyn Fire Co. was dramatic: “God, heaven forbid, someone gets hurt or really killed. Then it’s really going to hit the fan.” And this is also pretty much the best government plan ever:

Colwyn borough officials said the borough would have fire protection from surrounding Darby and Collingdale until they can re-open a fire company with a core of volunteer firefighters who didn’t go to the firehouse bar.

So thanks to your local media, residents of Colwyn, Pa., you no longer have a fire company. Be sure to thank NBC 10 for the service.

NBC 10 Says Bye To Sen. Kennedy

NBC 10 has a nice little feature on its website today that basically says Ted Kennedy is going to die soon. As you no doubt have heard, Sen. Kennedy has a brain tumor. And NBC 10 went to a local surgeon at Jefferson — I”m sorry, “Jeff” — who said Kennedy might as well be dead.

“It’s a terminal illness with no cure, unfortunately,” [Dr. David] Andrews said. “It’ll be a victory if he can function independently and get through the day.” Andrews said the prognosis for a person suffering from this type of cancer is grim.

“I don’t think he could ever return to the Senate, not with a tumor like this,” he said. “It’s too debilitating.”

Geeze, quite a buzzkill. Though I do hope one day I am famous enough to get an article saying I will die soon.

Local Brain Surgeon Gives Kennedy Grim Prognosis [NBC 10]

NBC 10 Reports NBC 10 Can’t Get Answers

“Only NBC 10 was there as [Marvin] Harrison arrived back in Philadelphia Monday after leaving mini camp in Indianapolis.” Wow, what a scoop!

Unfortunately for NBC 10, NFL Player Avoids NBC10 Questions In Connection With Shooting, as the headline says. That didn’t stop this from being the lead story (apparently) on the 6 o’clock news yesterday:

“Hey, Marvin, do you want to clear anything up,” NBC 10’s John Clark asked.

Clark met Harrison at the Philadelphia International Airport Monday.

“Hey Harrison,” Clark said.

Harrison talked on his cell phone and suddenly changed directions several times to avoid a single question from NBC 10. Moments later while still on his cell phone, he walked into an office and closed the door.

After coming out, Harrison got creative. He faked running down a set of stairs in an apparent attempt to confuse the NBC 10 photographer.

He won’t even take questions from John Clark, the happiest man in Philadelphia? Whoa, you know something is wrong, then.

NFL Player Avoids NBC10 Questions In Connection With Shooting [NBC 10]

OMG! College Kids Drinking Outside Ballpark!

The Pennsylvania state police didn’t have anything to do yesterday, so they invited NBC 10 along with them and busted around 100 underage drinkers outside Citizens Bank Park yesterday. The only good thing is that a bunch of Natty Light was poured out onto the ground.

Ninety-one people over the age of 18 but under 21 were written up, while 9 people under 18 were also cited. One of the cited teenagers — he’s 19 — told NBC 10 he would be able to fight in a pointless war but can’t get plastered outside the ballpark so he can fight other drunks inside. Or something like that.

Anyway, we’re all safer now, and the state has a bunch more money to bust more 20-year-olds drinking beer. Erhm.

Cougar Cat Sighted Once Again

NBC 10’s big 6:15 report yesterday was about a cougar roaming Chester County! There have been cougar sightings in Philadelphia pretty much since William Penn got here — though I don’t think anyone has actually ever but this one is certainly one of the best ones.

If you look at the photo… um, it’s a house cat. Not even a particularly large one. Right?

A while back, Charles Henry discovered the paw prints but a few days ago, he ran into the big cat who left them. “There’s no doubt in my mind that’s not a house cat,” Henry said. Henry said it’s a cougar roaming the fields behind his house. “That’s where it was sitting,” he said.

He has now videotaped the animal a bunch of times. A couple zookeepers at Wilmington’s Brandywine Zoo and a Pennsylvania Game Commission official do not think it’s a cougar. A retired New Castle County police officer and former cougar hunter [isn't that a porn site?--ed.] said he does think it’s a cougar. [...]

“Put out a cage and trap it. Put some raw meat in a cage and capture it. Put it where people can see it, and also where we don’t have to worry about it as a concern for neighbors and everyone around us,” Brady said.

Oh, I see: The guy just wants him all caged up… uh, so he can start a zoo, I guess.

Cat Or Cougar Roaming Neighborhood Fields [NBC 10]