KCBS-TV sports anchor Jim Hill, "one of the most
popular sportscasters in Southern California," attended the
NFL league meetings in K.C. this week "as a member of a
delegation lobbying for" Michael Ovitz's Carson group, which
is seeking the 32nd NFL franchise, according to Leonard
Shapiro of the WASHINGTON POST. Hill was "the only member
of the news media inside" the meeting when Ovitz made his
presentation, as he "played a prominent role" in a video
shown to owners. Shapiro writes that Hill's "endorsement
and promotion" of Ovitz's group over the New Coliseum Group
was a "conflict of interest and a breach of ethics."
Shapiro: "In any reputable newsroom in America, print or
broadcast, Hill's participation as a member of Ovitz's team
almost certainly would be considered a suspendable, if not a
firing offense." Hill says he saw "nothing wrong" with
helping out "my friend Mike." KCBS Dir of Communications
Susan Neisloss backed Hill in a statement, "He's not taking
any position on the air about the possible return of a team
to Los Angeles and he didn't represent the station in going
to speak at the NFL owners meeting." But later in the day,
KCBS announced that all future stories on the NFL's possible
return to L.A. "would be handled by the news department or
another sports reporter" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/30).
LOCAL ANGLE: In L.A., Tom Hoffarth looks for "any
logical answers" as to why Hill was in K.C. and KXTA-AM
personality Joe McDonnell was featured on the presentation
video (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 10/30). Also in L.A., Larry Stewart
writes that the NFL story "may very well be the local sports
story of the year. ... Certainly, it is a story the media
must cover objectively and fairly" (L.A. TIMES, 10/30).
