Skip to main content

Amy Jacobson, WBBM-TV/CBS2 and That Nasty Lawsuit

Chicago, IL—This CBS owned and operated station just fired their general Manager, Joe Ahern. That not an unusual event in the volatile times of today’s television and news business.

Ahearn is a key player in that lawsuit brought by former WMAQ-TV reporter, Amy Jacobson. Jacobson became a sordid and unnecessary news story at CBS2 while she was doing a risky undercover assignment. That story involved the year-old Lisa Stebic missing person case Jacobson was doing at NBC5. CBS2 was out-of-bounds in their salacious report and ultimately it cost Jacobson her job, home and more.

CBS2 now needs Ahearn’s full cooperation to fight Jacobson’s litigation and now that appears doubtful. It’s anyone’s guess what’s next as this all falls into the hands of the new GM, Mark "Bruno" Cohen.

Jacobson who is an award winning reporter has her own fan base. Jacobson retained a big gun litigator, filed suit and has been trying to get her life back. The litigation can go on for years.

I have the solution, I think. CBS2 should bring Jacobson into their shop, give her a three year contract as a general assignment reporter and all parties can stop killing good trees making paper for this knockdown, drag out legal fight.

I talked with Jacobson recently and she simply wants to return to Chicago’s television news. Jacobson still has her talent, ability and can hold a television audience. I know she’d trade the lawsuit for a decent chance to return to doing what she loves.

Stranger things have happened in the TV news business. Perhaps some fence mending may save a lot of money in these cash strapped times for television news. Bringing Jacobson into CBS2 will probably also help their ratings.
Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
Let’s see:
1. $100,000.00 saved in CBS litigation costs.
2. Possibility of CBS paying a whopping jury verdict.
3. Bringing a ready for prime time reporter into CBS2.
4. Fostering good will while taking Jacobson’s fans from NBC5.

CBS2 needs you on their payroll too. You make it look all so easy!
October 15, 2008 6:06 PM
It's Not All Real said…
I never saw the big deal at the time, only a reporter going after a story. CBS threw one of their own (even though a rival station)under the bus to get a story where there was none.
October 15, 2008 9:20 PM
Anonymous said…
reality check: for Amy Jacobson to start working for the newsroom at CBS 2 - she would have to work directly for the nefarious news director, there - Carol Fowler - who was the manager DIRECTLY responsible for the airing of that specially-edited, prurient, false visual of Amy. Talk about making a deal with the Devil ! Take a look at the raw video CBS 2 reporter Mike Puccinelli fed back to his station - then view the EDITED version and it will become wholly apparent Fowler allowed her professional jealousy reign over common decency and any kind of human integrity. Fowler was cold enough to put off the tearful pleas of Lisa Stebic's family - as they begged for her to not air that tape. But she did it anyway - even with the knowledge that their predictions of Lisa's story becoming buried in the onslaught of the worldwide firestorm that dwarfed her plight, in the days that followed! THAT is the manager to whom Amy would need to answer, every day. Your idea is a simplistic fantasy.
October 16, 2008 11:08 AM
Anonymous said…
It's about time that idiot Joe Ahern got a taste of his own medicine. I will never forgive him for firing the lovely Stacia Dubin from her morning newscast years ago. I used to get out of bed early just to watch her program. She was beautiful, down to earth, and had a girl next door charm that I miss.
Wherever you are Stacia, we miss you!
October 16, 2008 10:07 PM
Anonymous said…
A 3-year contract at report top scale would cost them a lot less than defending the suit, even if they won. They should throw in a "signing bonus" equal to the pay she's lost since being fired. And, a public apology would damage their credibility less than the law suit.
October 16, 2008 11:34 PM
Anonymous said…
Is Carol Fowler next at CBS...well she should be. I don't know how she sleeps at night knowing she ruined a person's career, affected her life, her family. And all for what, to try to get some raitings...it would take alot more for CBS to get some ratings at this point.
October 19, 2008 2:39 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A 40 Caliber Nightmare Is Caught On Tape.

So you’re confident that that .40 caliber S&W service round will keep you safe. Maybe you’ll have second thoughts after you see this video. One hot summer night in 1994 Tempe and Mesa Arizona police were involved in a pursuit with this suspect who ran into a stranger’s apartment to hide after being shot TWICE in the chest. He was shirtless and you can see the blood pumping out of those two wounds. What’s really frightening is just how agile this fellow is as he struts to the ambulance. If he was not handcuffed and had a knife or a gun, ask yourself if he could still hurt you, your partner or a hostage? If your jurisdiction demands that officers carry either the 9MM or the .40 Caliber S&W it’s time to show this video to your bosses and lobby to have the .45 ACP round authorized. The switch may well reduce the screaming by self-appointed community activists about how many rounds police had to use on a suspect. The really talented and courageous video journalist, Karen Ke...
64 comments
Read more

The origin of the feature film, COME FRIDAY…

CLick On the pictures to see full size versions. Long ago there was a young lady I had the hots for in a big way (Yes, I know that hots is not a word). She was pretty, incredibly bright, and had some real elegance about her. She had a love for children and basic kindness that you don’t often see in someone her age. I met her parents and could understand she came from a much more stable home than mine. I was raised by a single, welfare mom and suddenly found myself way out-classed. For whatever reasons things did not workout they way I had hoped. Sadly for me, we went on our separate ways. From time to time I’d run into this lady in various places where our job had taken us. Whenever this happened my heart would skip a beat or two. I left my hometown Chicago, and moved to Arizona where I founded my detective agency. As a private eye and soon a TV news producer too, my career took me to the highest profile criminal events in Arizona and throughout the country. There’s no question that ...
42 comments
Read more

America Will See Its Worst Race Riot Yet This Summer

Star Prosecution Witness, Rachel Jeantel Sanford, FL —Yes, the George Zimmerman trial here has thousands of African-Americans getting ready for some serious bloodletting. I don’t want to make idle and dire predictions but this nation has never been so divided and racially sensitive.  Our African-American President took sides on this case at the very beginning.  That ratified a George Zimmerman guilty verdict in the minds of millions. There’s just one little problem, and that is the murder case should have never been filed.  It was filed purely for political reasons despite the fact that it was a simple justifiable homicide.  Zimmerman was on the block watch lookout program and followed a suspicious Trayvon Martin after he used an improper entrance to a gated community.  Zimmerman was acting as the eyes and ears of the Sanford Police Department. Martin did not like being followed and knew that he could easily beat up the out-of-shape...
80 comments
Read more