Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Springfield stations publicize Diocese lawsuit

The Springfield TV stations have jumped on the story, published first in the June 3 Turner Report that Glenna McKittreck of Branson is suing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Bishop John J. Liebrecht, and pastor Phillip Bucher, claiming that Bucher sexually harassed her, then fired her for reporting the harassment.
The stations' websites indicate different approaches to the news. Springfield's longtime newsleader KYTV, the NBC affiliate, stuck strictly to the story. The reporter quoted from the court documents and was unable to get comments from either church officials or Ms. McKitterick.
Springfield's Nexstar station KSFX and Mission station KOLR, which share news teams, ran identical stories on their websites, both linking the lawsuit with another Catholic church story involving sexual abuse in St. Louis. The two stories did not appear to be related since the pastor in St. Louis was accused of molesting young boys.
The ABC affiliate in Springfield, KSPR, did not appear to have a story about the lawsuit on its website.

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