Tabloid Fodder, Sure, But Also a Blow to a Laudable Nonprofit
Philadelphia’s CBS affiliate, KYW-TV/Channel 3, is reeling from news that federal agents seized the computer of its lead anchor, Larry Mendte, who is suspected of reading the personal e-mails of his former coanchor, Alycia Lane. Lane, you may recall, was accused of hitting a New York cop late last year, and though the charges were dropped, KYW sacked her in the wake of a string of controversies that made her the news far too often. According to newspaper reports, Mendte and Lane had developed a frosty relationships toward the end of their tenure together, with each wanting credit for their newscast’s impressive rise in the ratings. Some are wondering whether he leaked personal details from her e-mail, including communications between Lane and her attorney (she has sued the station for wrongful termination) to the media. Mendte has been suspended while the feds investigate.
What would be a tabloid story about petty egos, with little for real people to be concerned about, has a very unfortunate side, though:
With Mendte off the air, coanchor Susan Barnett was to anchor yesterday’s newscasts solo. CBS3 has appointed other staffers to make Mendte’s public appearances, including tomorrow’s UBS Motor Cars Under the Stars to benefit United Cerebral Palsy and Thursday’s all-day station telethon to benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a cause that Mendte long championed. Mendte resigned from the chapter’s board last week.
Alex’s Lemonade Stand is a charity founded by 4-year-old Alex Scott to raise money for pediatric cancer, with which she was diagnosed when she was 1. Alex literally began selling lemonade and sending the funds to researchers, and her idea took off across the country. After such an extraordinary show of courage, she died at age 8. As of this time last year, Alex’s Lemonade Stand had raised more than $19 million. None of Mendte’s transgressions, alleged or otherwise, reflect badly on the foundation, of course, but it appears that it has lost a staunch supporter, one that has helped its fundraising efforts. And that’s the true sadness of the nonsense happening at Channel 3. | 501(c)
