Comments on: Rocket science

By: rptrcub

rptrcub — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:38:52 +0000

Is it possible that the inborn bullshit detector that reporters of all shades are supposed to have wasn’t working?

By: Justin

Justin — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:46:11 +0000

I don’t understand how you can have empathy for Murphy. He is WGCL’s CONSUMER reporter. Do you think Clark Howard or Bill Liss would be so easily duped? Isn’t Murphy supposed to be “watching out” for the viewers. Not to mention that his restaurant report card features are (sometimes merciless) gotcha journalism, and now the tables are turned.

Restaurant owners should should remember this story and pass the information along to their peers, so if any of them should be paid a visit by Murphy asking them why their business received a low score on their health inspection they can tell him it was because they listened to him and put water in their car’s gas tank.

By: Missing Slot

Missing Slot — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:43:39 +0000

The guy’s PR machine is still in tact. He’s pedaling his wares on the billboard above that hotel ((the old Presidential Hotel))… web address and everything…
The more stories get removed from websites, the more stories still have shelf-life in some manner, way, shape, or form…

Still remember your story on the “New Mexican Embassy” for the ’96 Games ((oops, can we say that…?))- you’re missed…

By: gooberpeas

gooberpeas — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:17:58 +0000

hmmm, had Mr. Murphy been versed in the mechanics of internal combustion engines he would have known that he was being had….but then, most people only know to stick the key in, turn it, put the selector on D and step on the little pedal on the right.

By: Art Mehring

Art Mehring — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:38:20 +0000

I used to work with an exercise physiologist in Dallas, Texas on a Sunday morning fitness and nutrition radio show. He was doing leading edge reserach at the Cooper Institute and Texas Womens University. Many times on the program we discussed the misinterpretation of medical studies and data from reporters who had limited or no knowledge of the field they were writing about. I think the problem is more ubiquitous then most realize. I’m glad you pointed it out.

By: John Q. Flack

John Q. Flack — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:00:18 +0000

Having spent five years in the employ of a Georgia university doing PR work (and 10 as a reporter working for newspapers), I can say with certainty that a quick call to any of the state’s research institutions would’ve yielded an expert in short order. Every university wants their professors on the TV news speaking authoritatively; it’s good PR.

When all else fails — if it seems too good to be true, it probably ain’t. I have sympathy for the young Mr. Murphy (we’ve all been used before), but there’s no excuse. He failed as a consumer advocate and his supervisors failed letting that crap story on the air.

By: Atlanta blogs today | Fresh Loaf

Atlanta blogs today | Fresh Loaf — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:43:50 +0000

[...] news reporter was duped by a guy who claimed to have invented a way to convert tap water in fuel. Live Apartment Fire says it wasn’t the first time the scam has made its way onto a news broadcast and asks the [...]

By: John Bankhead

John Bankhead — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:40:13 +0000

Don’t know if this will make you feel better, but the ownership of that kennel changed. If my memory is correct, the TV stories I saw were about the previous owner who was very active in the community and in dog training circles. He would take his labs to schools and put on a show for kids. The abuse the I-Team covered came after the kennel was sold by him. I kenneled my dog there before it was sold.
Miss you, Doug.
John Bankhead

By: Scott Hedeen

Scott Hedeen — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:23:11 +0000

“If Murphy got scammed, he wouldn’t be the first. In 27 years of TV news, there are a few stories I wish I could take back. One of them was a cute feature I produced on a dog kennel. A year later, WAGA’s I-team produced a piece showing the owner abusing animals. Go ahead, call me a dumbass.”

Ok Dumbass. I did a feature story on that same kennel. Slick Rick…. The EnterCaniner… I was really bummed out when i saw the I team report as well. I felt stupid. Honestly, though, that certainly wasn’t the first time I felt stupid though… i was in TV News. It comes with the territory.