Sinclair has launched an internal investigation now that Mr Williams admits he took $240,000 in taxpayer-funded payola to promote the Bush administration's "No Child Left Behind" law. His contract included a requirement that he interview Secretary Paige on his radio and TV shows.
Sinclair Broadcast Group issued a statement saying they were unsure if any such interview aired while Mr Williams worked for the TV station group as an analyst.
A former producer who worked on the show talked with Salon.com:
"'He was clearly double-dipping,' says one former Sinclair producer. 'He was getting paid $240,000 [by the administration] and getting paid as a commentator by Sinclair. When I read the USA Today story on Friday I was aghast, as anybody in his business would be. Then the first thing I thought about was Williams' interview with Paige and then a light went off.'
The producer recalls the Williams-Paige sit-down as being the 'single worst interview I've seen in my career. It was nothing but softball questions. In retrospect, it was clearly part of Armstrong's way of getting paid' by the DOE. (Weeks later, Williams conducted a similar interview with Vice President Dick Cheney, pitching him such easy questions as, 'Why do you think the media is so obsessed in trying to tie you to Halliburton?')"
Sinclair executives say they had no idea of Mr Williams' link to the government when the interview happened. (Salon.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment