October 7, 2003

Dear Hal Netkin,

It took me a long time to write this letter, but it had to be written. This is an apology.

Many months ago I interviewed you for a story that was aired on Eyewitness News. You shared with me many opinions and showed me your novel system for contacting neighbors to express your position.

Your story was of great interest because there were some individuals representing Jewish organizations who had labeled your position as extreme or on the borderline. Some individuals who had contacted Channel 7 were offended.

When you kindly agreed to be interviewed, you clarified to me many positions and statements. Some could be considered alarming, IF taken out of context.

I did my best to use the parts of the interview that would stress the point that you were trying to make to balance other statements that may have been misinterpreted by the Daily News in their report.

In our newscast, the writers who scripted what the anchors said picked up on the controversial, racial element that they had read in the newspaper and wire services. The result was that my report was introduced with much harsher words than I thought was appropriate.

I hope that you would note, that what I said on the air did not infer that you were "racist." It was the script leading into me that used that word.

You may wonder how such statements get on the air. There are producers and writers who compose, edit, re-vamp and re-arrange stories in a fast-moving environment with many stories that are unfolding minute by minute right up to the moment the anchors are speaking the words on the air. We strive to get it right at all times. We do not always succeed.

I do not speak for the station. I speak for myself. I believe we could have done a better job. I'm sorry for the disappointment this caused. You should know that you have many friends who called me on your behalf They speak very highly of you and if there is a time when again you are a "newsmaker" I hope that you will be willing to talk to us again.

Sincerely,

Miriam Hernandez

Reporter

KABC-TV

500 Circle 7 Drive

Glendale, CA 91201