The U.S. government seems to soak up most of the blame for why ufology is not yet mainstream serious - total secrecy and so many references to weather balloons, it's a joke. The media takes a quick second chair with reports that ufology is being ignored. Here is a look at how the media has covered Pennsylvania's recent UFO spike - you be the judge. From my take - it would seem some media is cautionary, where they report, but have to include the "little green men" remarks to hedge their bet; a few are actually taking the subject seriously; and one journalist below is typical of the type that only believes in taxes and death.
Special thanks to MUFON Pennsylvania Director John Ventre. Additional media pieces will be added as I receive them.
July 2, 2008
UFO investigators drawn to Bucks
Bucks County Courier-Times journalist James McGinnis penned this brief news piece explaining why MUFON was dispatching field investiagors into Bucks County - due to the original January 27 UFO sighting and then due to additional reports that followed. The writer - as a way of possibly legitimizing MUFON, mentioned how the group was featured in an episode of "The X-Files." Well done.
July 2, 2008
UFO sightings in Bucks County
ABC News Channel Six Philadelphia reporter John Rawlins presents this brief report which begins with a cliche - "The truth is out there" - and moves to reporting from a local diner with a mere two opinions, including "No, I think somebody is smoking something funny or imagining things; no, I don't believe in that," from Nancy Sdregas. Then a reference to the film, "Signs." It ends in a rather positive fashion by quoting MUFON field investigator Bob Gardner - but hey, where's the rest of the story, John?
July 3, 2008
Bucks Co. 'UFO' Sightings Under Investigation
Philadelphia's CBS Channel 3 produced this rather short, but fair, piece focusing on twin brothers from Morrisville who had a boomarang-shape sighting. Nice reference to MUFON, no jokes, and a quote from MUFON field investigator Bob Gardner to close out the piece.
"We can't be the only planet out there, there's got to be other life on other star systems," he said.
July 3, 2008
Bucks County UFO mystery solved?
ABC News Channel Six Philadelphia reporter Chad Pradelli seemingly was caught off guard with this piece that reeks of someone attempting to promote their business (hey, in these economic times, can you blame the guy?) Apparently Anthony Lobianco, who owns Intergalactic Fireworks off Route 1 in Langhorne, caught the news of UFO reports and matched that against his store's sales of sky laterns that were "flying off the shelves and then flying into the air."
While it seems odd that this story was even allowed air time, I do given Pradelli credit for reporting "There have reportedly been four sightings, with the first two in January, and another one in April when Lobianco's store wasn't even open then, but he still believes the lanterns are the floating objects people are reporting."
Suggestion to ABC News: Not a bad news angle, but next time - do just a little more homework and review the actual sightings reports against what effect a sky lantern might produce.
July 8, 2008
UFO from planet Blockbuster
Bucks County Courier-Times journalist J.D. Mullane has apparently never done any research whatsoever on ufology - but also apparently enjoys comedy. The Courier-Times editors would be justified in recognizing this and asking Mr. Mullane to cover simpler topics like board meetings and house fires - stories where someone can hand him a printed report on the facts. If you skip one story in this feature - avoid this one.
July 10, 2008
Eyewitness to a UFO
Bucks County Courier-Times journalist J.D. Mullane might be shot down by serious ufologists for his treatment of what appears to be an 80-year-old UFO witness who got up the nerve to inform the local media. I applaud Mullane for capturing the man's dialogue so well - interesting descriptions of strange craft - and am hopeful the audience saw through Mullane's mundane remarks. Here a journalist had the chance to embrace an eye witness and question him, but instead it's a flat and dry piece that perhaps Mullane thought would impress his editors. Or was Mullane really bucking the system - going around the editors - and getting the word out anyway by adding in the dry remarks? It seems from other Courier-Times reporting that its editors are not biased and not pressuring reporters to distance themselves from UFO reports, so we have to assume Mullane just isn't up on the subject.
But I cannot pass up two viewer comments to this story: By the way, "AH" in the first comment means "ass hole."
# Eileen - J.D. Mullane mocks and embarrasses human being for story.
(07/10/2008 )
It's not that you ran the story, it's that you ran it like it is. Anyone could ahve edit the darn thing for you. How dare you do that to an individual. You're an AH!
# Concerned Citizen - Poor Journalism
(07/16/2008 , Ratings: ••••• )
I went to school for journalism and was a journalist for a military newspaper. Your lack of objectivity and failure to provide any interesting insights based on facts is sad. Instead of using your work to provide a column that provides an interesting and thought provocative story, you simply waste your opportunity by pasting convienient transcript from the interview (which I have a hunch was probably taken out of context to suit your needs) and inserted a few of your own tasteless and quite tactless remarks.
It's a shame you wasted your opportunity to educate and create a dialogue with the public on an issue that could use more light rather than dark ignorance. It seems the man was an 80-year old veteran and rather than respect not only the wisdom of your elder, but also to honor someone who risked their lives for your very own freedom of speech, you were borderline slanderous in your depiction of his experience. I say if you can't put yourself in the shoes of your subject long enough to be able to tell the story aptly, then quit wasting this paper's time with your worthless remarks.
July 11, 2008
A time to cogitate on mysteries above
The Philadelphia Inquirer staff writer Jeff Gammage wrote this decent piece focusing on MUFON field investigator Bob Gardner. Not much substance on the investigative side, but the nicely styled story does make the public aware of MUFON, a local field investigator, and a UFO Public Awareness Day.
"Some are bewildered now by the strange craft and blinking lights said to have appeared in the sky near the Oxford Valley Mall. Since the beginning of June, MUFON has taken 21 reports of UFOs in the Philadelphia area, and hopes to get more on Sunday."
August 18, 2008
Local Residents Snap Pictures Of Possible UFOs
Fox News 29 Philadelphia reporter Gerald Colpan filed this report with a bit of UFO humor in it - "So far, nobody has reported taking a ride in any unidentified flying objects," and one mention of "little green men," but overall a fair piece. Check out the photo slideshow: Caught on Camera: Local UFO Sightings? and the video piece from Colpan: Dozens report seeing UFOs. The video depicts Colpan "beaming up" at its end - humorous, but very nice touch.
November 18, 2008
UFO Sightings over Bucks County
Dateline Langhorne, PA, Walter Perez with ABC News Channel Six in Philadelphia offers a rather slim piece on strange lights seen in the sky - with a quote from one witness and a possible natural explanation (light pillars). The photography submitted by witnesses is extraordinary and worth taking a look at - even if you don't read the story.
"It was the most bizarre looking thing, we both said 'What is that?'" said Susan Prager of Yardley, Pa. "We couldn't figure it out. We kept looking at it and looking at it. It definitely was a UFO."
November 23, 2008
Discovery Channel’s UFO documentary
focuses on Bucks County sightings
Bucks County Courier-Times journalist Jerry Jonas wrote this November commentary with an open mind - allowing for the facts to come in and did not "talk down" to his readers. He does offer a brief UFO explanation for anyone living under a rock, but in the end sides with President Carter - who vowed not to ridicule anyone who has seen a UFO after personally seeing one himself. Most interesting is Jonas' reporting of the connection between a local sighting and an FAA spokeswoman at Philly airport who confirmed an unidentified object "circled Doylestown at the time of the reported sighting. The woman explained that she remembered that the object in question was moving at a high rate of speed - even for an aircraft - and stressed that while there are some aircraft that fly without transponders, it would be quite unusual for any of them to be flying without one at 3 or 4 a.m. This was especially true since the object in question was so close to a protected air space area which requires a transponder."
November 24, 2008
The Bucks County Flap
Discovery Channel's new series, UFOs Over Earth, produced this piece about the on-going UFO flap by taking us firsthand to some of the best reports with interesting evidence. MUFON's Pennsylvania Director John Ventre is featured. They take the stand that UFOs exist, but their origin is still a mystery. The link here is for show details only, although there is a show clip from a Mexican case. This is the youtube link for the same series trailer.
December 15, 2008
Itemized Abductions: Local UFOlogists tell us why they believe
Freelance writer Steven Wells for Philadelphia Weekly knocked out this gritty trip down UFO lane in a piece that actually puts the reader behind the wheel - warts and all - the kind of reporting where the writer is using all five senses at the same time and assumes his readers will make their own decisions. Wells moves along at rapid-fire pace with a full palette of details - like reading bumper stickers on the cars of those he's interviewing or how they describe themselves on their myspace page - and gaining details on their family and religious beliefs. While most writers take a softer approach, Wells makes you feel like you were right there for the ride, and in doing so, imparts the kind of detail to actually make an informed decision. He moves through multiple locations, multiple interviews - and still manages to stay on track with the point of the piece - that the Philly area experienced a dramatic increase in reported UFO sightings. Well done.
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