New Mexicans upset networks snubbed governor's speech
Posted at: 08/30/2012 5:57 PM
| Updated at: 08/30/2012 7:00 PM
By: Stuart Dyson, KOB Eyewitness News 4
A lot of New Mexico voters and viewers are ticked off about what happened - or better yet, what didn't happen during Wednesday night's coverage of the Republican National Convention.
All three major broadcast networks cut away from the podium when New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez delivered her prime time speech, and now there's plenty of fallout over how it was handled.
NBC, CBS and ABC all pulled away from the action when Martinez was onstage, while viewers here scrambled to find the speech elsewhere - on cable, satellite and internet sources.
< SEE THE COMPLETE SPEECH GOV. MARTINEZ GAVE TO THE RNC
Martinez got a ringing introduction as "the first Hispanic female Governor in the history of the United States", and her first words to the audience were "thank you and good evening."
Well, not so good.
While Gov. Martinez delivered her speech the networks all cut to talking heads, analysis and color commentary.
Thousands of New Mexicans and millions across the country never saw the speech.
Plenty of viewers wasted no time in letting us know how they felt.
"My wife and i are extremely upset that NBC thought it was more appropriate to listen to the bantering of Tom Brokaw and other NBC News people than the electrifying speech by our governor," went one email.
Others felt the move was disrespectful to the state and Martinez.
"They apparently didn't feel New Mexico, women, Hispanics count," said another. "What a slap in the face of all New Mexicans! Shame on NBC!"
Dozens have sent their criticism directly to the KOB 4 newsroom and Facebook page.
"It truly amazes me that you guys would not carry Susana Martinez's convention speech live!!??" a third e-mail stated.
You guys. That's what really hurts.
If it was "us guys" we would plead guilty and say we're sorry.
But it was a decision made by NBC News.
Tonight NBC issued this statement: "The one hour broadcasts of the convention on the broadcast network are not meant to provide wall to wall coverage. Our producers made a decision to focus on the (Condoleezza) Rice and (Paul) Ryan speeches during the limited time we had on the air. Fortunately, we were able to provide more complete coverage on our other platforms."
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