12 November
2006 Chatmag News.
In the wake of
the recent suicide scandal involving Dateline NBC and the vigilante group
Perverted-Justice.com, NBC has announced layoffs for 17 Dateline
NBC staffers. Attrition will account for further reductions in the NBC
system.
In total, NBC
plans to lay off 700 staffers.
The recent scandal
involving Dateline NBC has been a turning point for a program that has
increasingly come under fire from legal scholars, journalist scholars,
various law enforcement agencies, and hundreds of individual 'bloggers.
In Murphy, Texas,
a sting related to Dateline NBC'S program, "To Catch a Predator", ended
in the suicide of Lewis Conradt Jr. Conradt had not been charged with a
crime, yet had been contacted by operators from the vigilante group Perverted-Justice.
When Murphy police came to the Conradt residence with a warrant to sieze
his computer, Conradt shot himself.
Until the chat
log is examined, there is no evidence available that Conradt had committed
any crime.
The vigilante
group involved, Perverted Justice, has a well known history of "doctoring"
chat logs, adding commentary, changing profiles of their operators after
the private conversations are concluded, and initiating private chats.
On the Murphy
Messenger web site, a poll being conducted has residents split fairly even
on whether they approve or disapprove of the recent sting. The founder
and owner of Perverted Justice, in response to Murphy residents criticism
of the sting operation, has labeled critics "elitist pricks".
With the recent
layoffs at Dateline NBC, the suicide in Murphy, Texas, and increasing opposition
to both televised stings and vigilante organizations, it is highly likely
that the "To Catch a Predator" series is in its last days.
--Chamag News--
External Links:
Chatmag
News. Dateline NBC, Perverted-Justice.com Sting Ends in Suicide.
Chatmag
News. Dateline NBC Now "Blood Sport" Television.
CBS11tv.com
Murphy Chief Defends Sex Sting Operations. With video.
Dallasnews.com
Views are mixed on 'Dateline' sting.
TVweek.com
NBCU Layoffs Begin at 'Dateline'.
