A group in Portland plans to protest outside the street-side studio of NBC affiliate KGW over what they say were “inexcusable comments and victim blaming from members of their staff during an interview with a self-admitted sexual predator.”
The trouble for KGW started when reporter Chris Willis (right) interviewed Joel Magid, a local musician, who has been accused of raping a Portland woman after he confessed on his Facebook page to exposing himself and lifting another woman’s skirt in a separate incident.
“Is she a stripper?” The Oregonian reports Willis asks in the interview with Magid and his lawyer. The interview has since been removed from the station’s website.
“A burlesque dancer I believe but I’m not sure,” Magid’s lawyer responds.
“We have burlesque in Portland?,” asks Willis.
“I guess,” says the lawyer.
“I’m hanging in the wrong social circles,” says Willis.
“And then you’re a victim of that,” says someone The Oregonian identifies as the man setting up the lights. “You’re victimized.”
Portland Mercury reporter Doug Brown tweeted out a video snippet from the interview. He has posted multiple clips from the interview.
Click here to see.
31 – here’s a @KGWNews guy interjecting to show support to Joel Magid: “You’re victimized” because a woman reported to police he raped her pic.twitter.com/d7AaNdLxwt
— doug brown (@dougbrown8) September 23, 2016
A quick check of tveyes shows the interview that aired did not include the comments mentioned above.
“During an interview we recently posted on our website regarding Portland musician Joel Magid, our staff made insensitive comments,” read a statement from KGW. “We apologize for those comments. We understand that these comments were offensive, and we have removed the interview from our website.”
From the Facebook group: Protest KGW for perpetuating rape culture in media.
“They can’t delete what they’ve done and we can’t let this blow over. There are survivors of sexual assault all around us. This sort of behavior is what perpetuates the viscous (sic) cycle of predators not being punished and victims feeling embarrassed to come forward.”
A Facebook group called Fuck KGW wants more than just a statement and is going after KGW with planned protests to disrupt the station’s broadcasts at their Studio on the Square in downtown Portland.
11:50am we march our asses down to the square. We want to walk right in to their broadcast. I also need some people who can live stream their feed. Should be able to do that through their website or Comcast app if anyone has one.
When their feed switches LIVE to the anchors we all… at once rush that window. We need signs.. or whatever appropriate to make a statement.
We asked TEGNA for comment. We will update when we hear back.
>UPDATE: KGW went with graphics in a monitor wall for the background on its Noon show, avoiding any possible protests.