You would normally think that Earl Ofari Hutchinson, Ph.D., author, journalist, chronicler of the Black Experience in Los Angeles and host of the “Hutchinson Report” on Pacifica Network's listener- supported public radio station KFPK-FM (http://www.kpfk.org/index.php/programs/181-hutchinson-report#.UpyuUo3uaHk) would know better.
You might also think Dr. Hutchinson fully understood the concepts of full disclosure and conflict of interest.
[img]2305|right|Dr. Earl Ofari Hutchinson||no_popup[/img]But on his eponymous talk radio show on Saturday afternoon, from 12 noon to 1 o’clock — three days before tomorrow’s special election — Hutchinson moderated a forum for three candidates in the race for the 54th Assembly District: Christopher Armenta, John Jake and Dr. Morry Waksberg.
A panel of questioners included Damien Goodmon, an early candidate in the 54th Assembly District who later dropped from the race. For an hour, the candidates touted their capabilities and generally ganged up on their uninvited challenger, Sebastian Ridley-Thomas.
NOTE: Mr. Ridley-Thomas was not invited to participate.
Some might consider this all a part of the usual fun and games in media and politics. But the surprising revelation about Saturday's candidates forum was not what its participants ultimately had to say, but what its moderator-host chose not to disclose about his activities in this political contest.
While there were no bombshells over the radio airwaves from the three candidates participating in the forum, one was clearly found in the list of November 2013 contributors to candidate Christopher Armenta (http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1361160&session=2013&view=received).
Dr. Hutchinson didn’t open the radio show’s candidate forum with an announcement that he had made a political contribution to Mr. Armenta. He didn’t close his radio show candidates forum with that announcement. It may be safe to say that the only participants in the KPFK candidate forum who knew about Dr. Hutchinson’s political ties to Mr. Armenta were Dr. Hutchinson and Mr. Armenta.
Neither bothered to mention it. There must have been a lot of winking going on during the forum between the contributor and the candidate.
It is fairly clear to say that Dr. Hutchinson should have declined to be a moderator for a candidates forum or debate on his KFPK radio show because he was a campaign contributor to candidate Armenta. Journalists usually try to avoid that sort of thing. KPFK's news policies likely don’t allow that sort of thing. Perhaps it would have been a good idea for Dr. Hutchinson to inform KPFK management of the situation in advance, even if the “Hutchinson Report” is not a KPFK production.
Average listeners and viewers already believe the media is biased. Dr. Hutchinson’s political and media bias are plain for all to see in the public record. He put his money behind his political choice for Assembly member and then gave his political choice precious airtime only 72 hours before voters head to the polls. He even listed his occupation as “journalist” on his contribution report. He probably meant to write “commentator” but simply forgot. It might have been better if he’d just written “propagandist,” that way no one would have been confused about what they heard during his radio show’s one-hour KPFK commercial for the candidate of his choice.
Ethics are important. Dr. Hutchinson and Mr. Armenta provided us with the latest example of what happens when they are lacking.
See Dr. Hutchinson’s bio: http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/earl-ofari-hutchinson-41
The Hutchinson bio notes that he earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from Pacific Western University.
Never heard of that institution? Here may be the reason: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Western_University_%28Hawaii%29
See the fifth reference for possible clarification.
Mr. MacFarlane, campaign manager of Sebastian Ridley-Thomas in tomorrow’s special election to fill the vacant state 54th Assembly District seat, may be contacted at fredmacfarlane@mac.com
