CNN Gets "Exclusive" With Bakley Sister

tv spy ^ | 4/24/2 | washington post

[crazyj]

CNN paid for Margerry Bakley, sister of Robert Blake's slain wife, airfare from Knoxville, Tenn., to Los Angeles, put her up in a hotel and ferried her around in a limousine.

And CNN was the only place you could see Bakley, doing her victory lap Monday when the actor and his bodyguard were formally charged in the shooting death on Bonny Lee Bakley.

CNN had locked Margerry Bakley up as its exclusive "get" for the day.

According to two reporters covering the arraignment, the limousine driver seemed to be doubling as a sort of handler -- no doubt to protect Bakley from the advances of Fox News Channel, which acknowledged Monday that it also had tried to "reach out to her." "She was unavailable to us. We're trying to book her for the future," the Fox rep said.

CNN ran promos all day long touting its exclusive with Bakley, who was trotted out on Paula Zahn's "American Morning," on "TalkBack Live," on Wolf Blitzer's show -- where she had a mini breakdown -- and on "Larry King Live." (Washington Post)

[crazyj]

Just because Greta has had expereince with people like OJ does not mean that CNN has to completely hide people from news personalities. This really seems unprofessional and damages the little ethos that CNN had left.

[areafiftyone]

If I am not mistaken she was already on O'Reilly once wasn't she?

[martin_fierro]

Agreed.

Although Bakley surely didn't deserve to die, she was no angel -- she had an extensive bunko/fraud rap sheet.

CNN is setting itself up to be snookered by Bakley's kin.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Shep Smith says CNN is paying the Ms Bakley. The same 'journalism' practived by the National Enquirer...

[Fred Mertz]

So it runs in the Bakley family?

[EggsAckley]

I've seen her and her yokel brother on O'Reilly (I think it was O'Reilly.) They are very stupid and offensive people. It's a big mistake for CNN to put them on. They do not reflect well on the victim. They made it pretty clear that they're in it for the money.

[areafiftyone]

It was O'Reilly. Now I am sure of it. I remember him interviewing her. I thought she was just as looney.

[crazyj]

maybe in the contrary they reflect what the victim was and do not reflect well on what we would like to believe about the victim

[HELLRAISER II]

I don't know if she deserved to die either but she was playing Russian Roulette if you ask me, she was a bad coniving woman with a mean streak. It was only a matter of time.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

They are a pretty wacky bunch. They don't want custody of Bonny Lee's daughter Rose, they are going to leave her with her muderer's family and just visit now and then.

[jos65]

Been there,done that.

Find something new, CNN!!!

[Wolfie]

Personally, I think its a small miracle she wasn't killed long before she ever met Blake.

[HELLRAISER II]

If everything I have read & seen on T.V. is true, it was a mircale.

[homeschool mama]

That's my take on this as well.

[HELLRAISER II]

There's a saying "If you play with fire, sooner or later you'll get burned." I've come to learn that this is a fact.

[Registered]

I preferred the Elvis impersonator on Fox anyway.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I didn't buy a program. Is this the Blakley sister who's lawyer is Gloria Alred or is it another one?

[amused]

Shep Smith says CNN is paying the Ms Bakley. The same 'journalism' practived by the National Enquirer...

So far it has been acknowledged that airfare and accomadations were paid for. That's a little different than paying for a story or selling the rights to one. From my understanding, such practice is common in the industry...otherwise how would some of these "hard luck" or downtrodden cases get to NY or LA to tell their story.

That said, I feel this a bit of sour grapes on Shep's part acting on behalf of FoxNews. Though I don't know why they are saddened at not getting their chance at a trashy tabloid news exclusive vs. the strides they have made.