Media Column

I respect Kevin Brass’ attempt to chastise the media for overzealous reporting without appropriate corroboration. In the case of his column (“Garvey-as-Hero Story Airs Without Corroboration”) of May 15, however, it appears to me that the article is a perfect example of this type of journalism.

Channel 39 was on the scene, and they obtained the facts and appropriate corroboration. They felt it was worthy of reporting because it involved a celebrity. Had this incident not involved Steve Garvey, it would not have been newsworthy, as there are many near-drownings that occur in San Diego every year. The Channel 39 reporter had no reason to doubt Mr. Garvey’s explanation of the incident, as John Boggs and I stood by during the interview to confirm the sequence of events. Furthermore, I gave a full description of the child’s medical status before, during and following resuscitation to the paramedics when they arrived on the scene 20 minutes after the accident occurred.

Brass questioned “the severity of the young girl’s plight and the degree of Garvey’s heroism.” In the interest of the child and her parents, I will not give the exact medical circumstances of the case. However, I can tell you that, if Mr. Garvey had not expeditiously rescued the child and initiated CPR, the outcome would have been far different than an alert and conscious patient when the paramedics arrived.

Her life was clearly in jeopardy, and I would have been more than happy to share this information with Kevin Brass had he contacted me to investigate this incident prior to writing the article.

It seems to me that a media critic has the ultimate responsibility to uphold the highest standard of journalism. Kevin Brass certainly failed in this regard and downgraded Mr. Garvey’s integrity in the process. I believe he owes both the media and Mr. Garvey a public apology.

VINCENT J. GUZZETTA, M.D.

San Diego