Posted on 07/19/2007 6:23:49 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Spanish language broadcaster Telemundo finds itself in a tough position as it investigates a political reporter who had an affair with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and then reported on air that he was splitting from his wife of 20 years.
Mirthala Salinas, 35, who has been on leave for two weeks while the station investigates her conduct, has said station managers knew of her relationship with the mayor before she anchored the news of his break up. As a result, Telemundo is likely to be second-guessed no matter what happens to Salinas.
Ethics experts have already blasted Telemundo affiliate KVEA for not conducting a probe when station managers were first informed of her relationship with Villaraigosa 11 months ago.
While some may paint the Salinas affair as an obvious conflict of interest, the private nature of the relationship may make it harder for Telemundo to apply ethics guidelines.
"To what extent did she disclose it to her employer and to what extent was their obligation to speak about what is essentially a very private matter?" said Andrew Heyward, former president of CBS News who now serves as a media consultant.
"That, to me, makes it very tricky. This was not a public relationship."
In cases where a reporter is married to a public figure, such as NBC's Andrea Mitchell and former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, the obligation to disclose the relationship to viewers is more clear-cut, Heyward said.
But in the case of Salinas and Villaraigosa, it would have revealed a secret affair.
"This is not something that is really foreseen," Heyward said.
Balancing Telemundo's responsibility to Salinas with what it owes the public could explain the length of the investigation.
"There's what they have to do legally. But then the other issue is what they owe their audience to recover their credibility. That's a completely different question," said Kelly McBride, ethics group leader at the Poynter Institute, a journalism foundation in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The station might also be carefully considering how to change the culture that allowed Salinas to continue in her job after revealing she was secretly dating the mayor.
Station managers said they removed Salinas from the political beat when the affair became known.
"I don't think you can be complicit in dishonest behavior, even if it is private behavior and especially if it involves a very powerful public official," McBride said.
Station spokesman Victor Franco declined to discuss the situation.
"The investigation continues and we're not going to comment until it's completed," Franco said.
Telemundo spokesman Alfredo Richard said he could not confirm whether the investigation also involved the previous romantic links between Salinas and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles and former City Council President Alex Padilla, who is now a state senator.
Lisa Cohen, a spokeswoman for Salinas, declined to comment on Thursday.
Soon after being placed on leave, Salinas said she had conducted herself appropriately.
When the relationship between Villaraigosa and Salinas was first uncovered by the media, Telemundo issued a statement saying it had a policy against commenting on the personal lives of employees.
Well... she looks better than monica.
Gee. I wonder what they’ll do. /sarc
Hispanic family values. Well, that’s what the amnesty crowd always throws at us.
Likely not guilty; based on looks.
Why would the TV station be in any sort of hot water over this?
Her? Not guilty, that mutt face boyfriend? GUILTY.
She’s cute. Did you take the strap off her left shoulder?:)
Dark bedroom eyes and dark hair can make most men sneak around the block. I ended up with red-haired women for years because they are tom boys and think like me. There were some very dangerous outdoor events called dates. I’m still alive and waiting for another red-head. That’s fun.
This Korean-American lady is GORGEOUS!! Thanks for the photo!
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