Cable Show Focuses on Trial

Updates on the trial of ousted HealthSouth Corp. Chief Executive Richard Scrushy can be seen in the Birmingham, Ala., area on a cable television station purchased last month for $2 million by a group headed by Scrushy’s son-in-law.

“The Scrushy Trial With Nikki Preede” airs weekdays in the morning and at night on WOTM-TV, a low-powered station on Charter Communications Inc. cable systems. It reaches five counties and more than 200,000 homes.

WOTM LLC, whose managing partner is Mike Plaia, paid $2 million to purchase a 75% stake in the station last month, Federal Communications Commission records show. Plaia is married to Scrushy’s daughter Christa.

“It’s a great station,” Plaia told the Birmingham News. “I had some free time on my hands, so it looked like a great opportunity.”

Plaia said he was not concerned about possible conflicts of interest raised by the show.

U.S. Atty. Alice Martin told Scrushy’s lawyers at his trial that the TV program was “giving your versions of the facts.” But Scrushy’s spokesman said he wasn’t involved in the station. Scrushy attorney Jim Parkman said the defense also was not involved in the show’s production.

A former member of Scrushy’s legal team, Raymond Johnson, is the show’s legal contributor.