The Rosenberg Rumors

Rumors are a funny thing . . . sometimes a dangerous thing. We’ve seen them destroy families, careers and even lives.

There was a rumor going around the Olympics that Florence Griffith Joyner and Jackie Joyner-Kersee had tested positive for steroid use. It was a nasty rumor, and that seems to be the kind that gets around the fastest. It had to be completely investigated before it was reported. Even if it meant not getting a “scoop,” we refused to go on the air with speculation.

We at Channel 4 found out the rumor was false, and clearly and briefly stated on our evening newscast that it was unsubstantiated and completely untrue. Period.

Now, as far away as Seoul, a rumor has reached our ears that on Friday Howard Rosenberg implicated us as the people who spread this rumor, who used their air time to “expand on snide hearsay,” who “cut corners with their shoddy and untrustworthy reporting” (“There’s This Rumor About This Rumor About. . .”).

Even more frightening, a final rumor. That Mr. Rosenberg did not see the Channel 4 newscast that he criticized, nor did he call the station with a request to view a copy of the newscast, nor did he call the sportscaster or sports department for verification of his facts.

We would hate to besmirch the reputation of Mr. Rosenberg by implying that he used rumor and innuendo to make good copy.

Care to speculate on that, Howard?

FRED ROGGIN

Seoul, South Korea