Kovach reminds us of the rule of thumb in the newsroom: “If it bleeds, it leads!” Bad news travels fast and gets there first, and is often the lead—on TV and other news media. He provides examples of that, before moving onto the thrust of the article, which is the recent PBS NewsHour and Seattle Times/BuzzFeed stories.
Kovach acknowledges that there are rotten apples in every industry, and provides linked examples of how MHProNews and MHLivingNews has drawn attention to apparent bad actors from MH in the news. Thankfully, there are not many examples of criminal behavior in MH today. But when other media misrepresents or unjustly slants the news, Kovach makes it clear that we have and will spotlight errors and correct the record.
Carla Burr/Ishbel Dickens and NMHOA invited to debate PBS NewsHour topics, they decline
However, Kovach says it’s not just that the reporting was slanted on the PBS video and on the seattletimes/buzzfeed “stories,” but there is a hidden agenda: interviewee Carla Burr is not a typical resident of a manufactured home community that the PBS happened upon. Burr is the vice president of the National Manufactured Home Owners Association (NMHOA) and a known activist on MH finance and community issues.
Burr’s role in the activist group was not mentioned in the PBS broadcast. Moreover, a close look at the PBS report reveals she does not fit the profile PBS painted of MHC residents in general.
Kovach has since offered to debate Burr or Ishbel Dickens, the executive director of NMHOA on the PBS NewsHour video in Washington, D. C. in early February. Dickens formally declined. For the correspondence, click here.
Additionally, some of Dick Ernst’s key comments were edited from the script. Based upon Dicken’s emailed message noted above and other factors, Kovach suggests that special interests working against MHI supported legislation aimed at stopping the common-sense reforms in Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act reform of Dodd-Frank that would benefit millions of MH home owners and businesses was the aim behind both stories.
Just as bad news travels faster, one may not hear from media reports about the millions who live in manufactured homes who love their lifestyle and affordability. According to the Government Accounting Office (GAO), manufactured homes have lower payments and lower cost than conventional housing or most rentals.
For the full story with related videos and downloads, click on – Bad and Good – Two Sides – Manufactured Home Living and News Reporting. ##
(Image credit Deer Valley Homebuilders and MHLivingNews)
