MEDIA / KEVIN BRASS : Garvey-as-Hero Story Airs Without Corroboration

“It was Steve Garvey as hero again,” Tom Blair wrote Tuesday in his San Diego Union column.

According to Blair and reports carried by channels 8 and 39, the former Padre saved a 6-year-old girl from drowning during a May 6 birthday party for his stepdaughter. It was a welcome piece of good publicity for Garvey, who has seen his good-guy reputation severely tarnished in recent weeks by detailed accounts of his vigorous love life.

It is, perhaps, testimony to Garvey’s Mr. Clean image--or a sad commentary on the intensity of the local press--that more media members were not suspicious of the story, considering there was no official corroboration of the specifics of the incident.

This is not to suggest that Garvey or anyone else contrived the story, although there are some unanswered questions about the severity of the young girl’s plight and the degree of Garvey’s heroism. When paramedics arrived on the scene, the child was alert, conscious and breathing. The call wasn’t given a “Code N” designation by the San Diego Fire Department, the code for newsworthy events.

The bigger question, though, revolves around the media’s response to the report, and the willingness of some to accept the story on face value simply because of Garvey’s reputation.

All three local television news operations were informed of the incident by an anonymous caller who said he was at the party.

After confirming with Scripps Hospital and the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Department that Garvey was indeed at the scene, both KFMB-TV (Channel 8) and KNSD-TV (Channel 39) ran stories on the incident. Channel 39 was able to tape a short interview with The Garv, after responding to the address given over the radio to the paramedics.

KGTV (Channel 10) had trouble confirming Garvey’s role in the incident and opted not to run anything on it. Officials at Scripps confirmed for Channel 10 that Garvey had been there, but they wouldn’t release the name of the child or her parents.

“At that point, we had no confirmation, no name and we didn’t have a story,” Channel 10 Assistant News Director Bill Gray said.

United Press International also investigated the reports, but reporter Hil Anderson chose not to pursue it when he learned the child was simply released from the hospital after being examined in the emergency room.

In high-browed journalism schools reporters are taught to be cynical, to doubt all stories regardless of who is involved. In this case, it seems the first, knee-jerk reaction of some reporters was to jump on the story, in part due to Garvey’s heroic image.

Relying on a first-hand version told by Garvey compatriot John Boggs, Blair labeled Garvey “the lifesaver.”

“It didn’t occur to me that it was a set-up,” Blair said. “With all the other things that have been going on and the history of Garvey being forthright with the media, it would have been stupid to try to set something like this up. There were too many witnesses. I don’t think Steve is the type of guy who would do something like that.”

Garvey could very well be a hero in this case. There has been talk among San Diego Fire Department rescue crew members of nominating Garvey for a lifesaving award. But it seems unusual that Blair and the television stations were so quick to crown him as a hero, considering there was little way to verify the story.

Bolstered by Garvey’s personal description of the incident, Channel 39 used the story second in its early Saturday evening newscast. Channel 8 gave the story quick and simple mention, saying Garvey “dove in, pulled her out and started CPR.”

“It was interesting because of who was involved,” Channel 8 Weekend Assignment Editor Silvio Pucci said. “But I don’t think it deserved more than that.”

Channel 10 set new standards for cheesiness last week by leading Tuesday’s 11 p.m. newscast with a story about a lost puppy. Either it was an incredibly slow news day or the station simply wanted to reenforce its image as the warm puppy news show. . . .

Channel 39’s Bill Ritter has been tapped to host a pilot for a new show at Channel 39. Scheduled to air June 21, the show will spotlight entrepreneurs, and could be the first of a weekly documentary series. . . .

Rod Page has been bumped from the KVSD-AM (1000) program line-up. He’ll be replaced in the 9 to 11 a.m. slot by syndicated talk show host Rush Limbaugh. Page has been offered some nighttime hours, according to KVSD program director John Van Zante. KVSD has also dumped Jeff Conrad’s afternoon sex-talk show. Starting next Monday, longtime San Diegan Ron Fortner, part of KVSD’s morning team, will replace Conrad in the 4 to 6 p.m. slot. Van Zante said both moves were prompted by recommendations from a consultant. . . .

KSDO-AM (1130) operations manager Jack Merker has been off the air for three weeks, and no one is quite sure when he’ll be back. “Jack is just taking some time,” General Manager Mike Shields said. . . .

Conrad Shadlen probably isn’t Channel 8 News Director Jim Holtzman’s favorite guy in the world. Shadlen, an agent, took client Marc Brown, a Holtzman favorite, from Channel 8 to KABC-TV (Channel 7) in Los Angeles, and now he’s gotten long-time Channel 8 staffer Artie Ojeda a job in KABC’s Orange County bureau. Shadlen also represents Greg Hurst and Larry Mendte at Channel 8. Ojeda leaves May 31. . . .

Channel 8 has hired Susan Roesgen from KATV in Little Rock, Ark. as an anchor. She is due to start sometime later this summer. Anchor Allison Ross’ contract is due to expire in July. . . .

Attacking a rival, even if it is a former mayor who has been convicted of felonies, is a pretty cheap way to get publicity. But that’s what XTRA-AM (690) morning talk host Mark Williams is doing in an attempt to attract attention and perhaps improve his dismal ratings. Last week he took some shots at KSDO’s Roger Hedgecock in a press release. Tom Blair and the Tribune’s Joe Stein obliged by printing his diatribe. Now Williams, who made Time magazine last week for his involvement in a new organization of talk show hosts, says he is going to try to organize people to picket Hedgecock’s Friday radio shows, which are broadcast on location. Williams’ new slogan is “Felony Free Radio.”