Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

* UPDATED x2 * Reporter says he was fired for “disagreeing” with coverage by Illinois Policy Institute-owned radio network

Posted in:

Illinois
Updated Posts

* Reporter John Gregory abruptly left the Illinois Radio Network shortly after the network was purchased by the Illinois Policy Institute. John has stayed mostly mum about his departure until now…

In such tendentious new company, could the Illinois Radio Network’s modest operation possibly remain uncompromised? Soon after IPI took it over, the radio network’s reporters in Chicago and Springfield both were doing something else. Dave Dahl in Springfield quit to work full-time for a local radio station, WTAX, where he’d already been moonlighting. John Gregory in Chicago says: “Disagreeing with the network’s coverage of certain topics was the reason given when I was fired.” Gregory is now freelancing.

Ugh.

* But, hey, they have been replaced…

The new man in Chicago, Julio Rausseo, has kept such lively company in the past that the radio network might be the most mainstream forum he’s ever turned up in. Here he is in 2012 on the Corbett Report discussing the “police state takedown” of the upcoming NATO summit in Chicago. (If you’re not familiar with the Corbett Report, judge it by one of its high water marks: a breathless, five-minute argument for 9/11 as a massive conspiracy and coverup.) And here’s Rausseo talking about a favorite bête noir, the Transportation Security Agency—four years ago with Alex Jones, the radio and TV host and self-described “icon of the burgeoning liberty movement,” and last December on The Rundown Live, an alt-news website whose founder lists as his concerns “9/11 Truth and government corruption,” “promoting anarchist philosophy,” and “cop watching.” […]

IRN’s new man in Springfield, Greg Bishop, joined the Illinois Policy Institute in 2014 to run the Illinois News Network’s radio operation. He’d been a reporter and radio host on WMAY-AM 970 in Springfield, where according to a 2014 profile in Springfield’s State-Journal Register, he didn’t try to play it down the middle. “Back in 2012,” wrote reporter Bernard Schoenburg, “Bishop made no secret of his support for Ron Paul for president. He got himself named as a delegate to the state Republican convention that year, even as he was reporting on Springfield city government and other news and doing a talk show. One of the issues he pushed at that convention, he told me later, was a right-to-work resolution saying public sector employees shouldn’t be forced to pay union dues.”

“Taxation is slavery,” Bishop said in 2013. “If you don’t pay, they’re coming after you with guns.” He was “sick of my taxes being used to fund
incompetence.”

Go read the rest.

So far, most of the network’s “straight” news has been OK. Not particularly great, sometimes with obvious holes and slants, but OK. IRN, however, is now a shell of its former self.

*** UPDATE 1 *** React from John Tillman at the Illinois Policy Institute…

I find it ironic on a story regarding journalistic integrity and advocacy that neither Miner or you properly notes that this is only his “claim” and there is no evidence to support it beyond his word as a terminated employee. There is obviously another side to the story but employers are almost always prevented by labor law from commenting.

For my part anyway, I wrote that Gregory “says” he was fired for the above reason. Not sure why I’m lumped in there.

*** UPDATE 2 *** More from Tillman…

John Gregory was terminated by me with a witness present. I state categorically that the reason Gregory gives for his terminations is not true. While I wish I could provide more details other than refuting his false claim, we cannot comment further on such personnel matters.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 11:49 am

Comments

I’m shocked, shocked to find that slanted reporting is possibly going on there!

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 11:56 am
===”Disagreeing with the network’s coverage of certain topics was the reason given when I was fired.” Gregory is now freelancing.===

I ‘nember when Eric Zorn tried to rip me that reporters might get McKinneyed.

Boy, Zorn told me…

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:01 pm
I bet John tried to say something nice about Illinois, and IPI said he was fired.

Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:01 pm
I’m not sure that anyone is surprised.

Comment by Finally Out (and now very glad to be) Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:16 pm
I occasionally used their material before the sale, but I don’t even open the emails, anymore. The content was so terribly unbalanced it quickly became a waste of my time looking for something to use.
I dare say I’m not alone in that response, as they have hired someone to meet with affiliates and survey them about the new product.

Comment by transplant Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:20 pm
It’s jut another piece of the puzzle that the Koch Brothers have been copying and enhancing from the DEMS playbook. A good short read: The Blueprint http://blueprintbook.net/

Comment by Just saying... Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:29 pm
hey if the truth doesnt match reality, hire people to tell you what you want to hear….

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:30 pm
Will Bishop be taking a black helicopter to work to avoid Big Gvt. watching looking over his shoulder? I don’t think Bishop even knows what a credible source is so he should fit in well at IPI.

Comment by Give Me A Break Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:30 pm
re: UPDATE

The reason is simple, Rich. IPI has a “You’re either for us or against us” worldview. You aren’t waving the IPI’s banner, therefore you’re the enemy.

Comment by bwana63 Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:33 pm
===There is obviously another side to the story but employers are almost always prevented by labor law from commenting.===

LOL…

“… which is why Bruce Rauner and his decimation of Unions and laws protecting workers must happen!” - Fake John Tillman.

Oh, and Mr. Tillman notes there’s “no evidence” but doesn’t deny it.

That’s fun, lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:34 pm
“There is obviously another side to the story but employers are almost always prevented by labor law from commenting.”

… Tillman added, “Which is why we should get rid of unions. And the Department of Labor. And the IRS. And the EPA. And the House of Representatives. And…”

Comment by Anonymiss Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:34 pm
This is really sad. I’ve interacted with John Gregory a number of times over the past two years. He was a good reporter. I can’t imagine any reason for his firing other than the one he gave.

Comment by Bull Moose Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:37 pm
Leave it to the partisan zealots to always try and get the last word.

Tillman’s bizarre snipe says more about Tillman than Tillman realizes.

Comment by Formerly Known as Frenchie M Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:38 pm
Isn’t it better (for a media type) to declare his biases rather than feign neutrality? At least one then knows where the slant comes from. After all, the term “media bias” didn’t invent itself.

Comment by Keyser Soze Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:38 pm
they need better, or at least competent lawyers. nothing in labor law prevents an employer for saying why an employee was fired, somlong as the employer speaks the truth. the only constraint is you cant lie…. so apparently they are unable to make a truthful statement…..

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:40 pm
Still part of a dark money lobbying group

Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:41 pm
All media is biased. The term “media bias” is redundant.

But you know you’re at the wacky fringe when an outlet pretends like they’re above the fray and reporting “objectively” — or, worse, “truthfully”.

Comment by Formerly Known as Frenchie M Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:42 pm
Thank you for the kind words, Bull Moose.

Comment by John Gregory (ex-IRN) Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:43 pm
A reader needs to only spend five minutes reading any website affiliated with IPI and it is obvious that the reporters are on a short leash.

Own your agenda and dont play the victim card.

Comment by cdog Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:45 pm
Tillman, whenever there is a contentious issue outsiders have to judge the story based upon history and credibility. You sir, have no credibility.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:46 pm
Oh for Loving God Tillman really? Do we have to even pretend anymore? Why keep up the pretense of objectivity? The worst thing about what is happening with social media and the internet is that it has brought out all the nutjobs and hoohoos who think they have validity because people listen to them or “like” them on facebook. Dear God, I’d love to just roar at him.

Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:50 pm
If you want a good laugh, listen to Bishop on WMAY. A couple of days ago he was arguing we shouldn’t prevent mentally ill people from having guns - King George would have said the Revolutionary War patriots were mentally ill. I don’t know if he has heard a conspiracy theory that he didn’t like.

Comment by Hatless Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:51 pm
Hang in there, John. Best of luck to you.

Comment by Bull Moose Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:58 pm
- Give Me A Break - & - Hatless -
Bishop is mainly afraid of the Gov drones chasing him down with the measles vaccine….If I was an advertiser on WMAY I would be complaining about IPI getting all the free airtime that everyone else has to pay for

Comment by Anotherretiree Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 12:59 pm
This makes me very glad we dropped them in mid-January. Good riddance.

Comment by Peter Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 1:00 pm
The Illinois Policy Institute is an “institute” the same way the Hair Club for men is a “club.” They’re just right-wing hacks funded by Rauner. The idea that they’re doing the news out of the goodness of their heart is absurd on its face. They are axe grinders with piles of money to grind axes.

Comment by Albany Park Patriot Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 1:05 pm
—
There is obviously another side to the story but employers are almost always prevented by labor law from commenting.
—

And that, Tillman, is a good thing. I suspect you hate the “heavy hand” of government — and resent the fact that the big hand of the Man is holding your own twitchy little hands tight behind your back — but keep in mind that the Man’s heavy hands are (in this case, and I suspect others) keeping lawsuits at bay and probably saving the IPI a good deal of money because bad things happen when righteous folks post their shadowy grievances on Facebook and blogs and pretend that, sure, there’s two sides, “but mine is the one that’s the truth.”

Comment by Formerly Known as Frenchie M Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 1:11 pm
IPI / INN spent a lot of pretty pennies to buy the IRN name and the credibility that came with it. It’d be a shame if they wasted that money.

Comment by Elo Kiddies Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 1:11 pm
A little touchy, eh Tillman?
Still waiting for your explanation of how a non-profit can continue to exist while allegedly owning a non-profit business.
Or, maybe IRN is now non-profit?
How are you going to square this legally?
Maybe reorganize as a church so your organization can still avoid the tax man?

Comment by Austin Blvd Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 1:14 pm
Actually, Elo Kiddies, according to Saga Communications’ 2015 report, IRN was donated, not sold, to the Illinois Policy Institute, and was only valued at $7,000.

Info is on page 75 of the report: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/886136/000114420416087815/v433140_10k.htm

Comment by John Gregory (ex-IRN) Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 1:29 pm
IRN and the Illinois Policy Institute are not news organizations, as the IL Supreme Court has deemed them as a thinly veiled special interest group.

Comment by GOP Extremist Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 1:30 pm
Tillman hires an Alex Jones-type 9/11 Truther as a reporter?

Interesting friends you have there, governor.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 1:35 pm
IPI has a major legitimacy crisis in owning media companies, we’re probably going to see a lot more of this if the IPI has legitimate reporters.

Rich, you got lumped in because you dared to report something bad about the IPI and Tillman is a jerk.

Comment by Ahoy! Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 1:50 pm
You would think Tillman would have an editor to check his grammar….

Comment by burbanite Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 2:24 pm
Tillman used to work for Empire Carpet and he calls himself an entrepreneur. He’s got as much legitimacy as his new reporter.

Comment by Man with a plan Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 2:56 pm
John Gregory, you and McKinney are now brothers.

Comment by Michael Westen Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 3:08 pm
Wonder why Tilly keeps tryin’ to ’splain himself. Guessin’ the donors want him to pretend like he is legit news.

Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 3:24 pm
John Tillmann…

Explaining twice equals losing the argument.

K? K.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 4:05 pm
– I state categorically that the reason Gregory gives for his terminations is not true.–

Geez, how many times can you terminate a guy?

Looking at the first statement, Tillman is having some issues with the syntax and grammar of the lingo.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 4:22 pm
He strenuously objects.

For a guy who keeps saying he can’t comment on the matter he seems to be commenting a lot.

Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 4:27 pm
“valued at $7,000.” That’s a little odd.

So IRN used to produce statehouse news and “sell” those reports to the stations and other media outlets, correct?

Seems there would be a little cash flow from their business line to add a bit more than $7000 value.

What was the value of all their contracts with the stations they serve? How much did/does a single IPI/INN/IRN report cost?

At $7000 book donation, I would assert the Saga Communications, Inc SHAREHOLDERS got shorted on that one.

Traded at $39.93 today, down $.47 (SGA)

Comment by cdog Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 4:52 pm
A witness? Like, you mean, another partisan zealot?

Yeah, lotta good that does. You could have 10 witnesses, Tillman, and no matter the story, you’re still on the wrong side (of history — and everything else).

Good luck, bro. I expect you’ll write some hamfisted editorial excoriating blogs like this one and pretending that yours is the only one that sees objectively.

Call a meeting with Rauner and his “people”. Strategize. You’re gonna need it come November, bro.

Comment by Macbeth Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 5:38 pm
Not to lump in IPI/IRN with Rauner, but in the Dave McKinney situation the governor-to-be seemed to show no hesitation in trying to violate the sanctity of an honest press. Not surprised that this happened, but I’m saddened. Didn’t Blagoevich teach these guys anything about honoring journalistic integrity?? Sheesh…

Comment by Independent retiree/lawyer/jounralist Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 6:08 pm
@cdog IRN did not receive cash from affiliates (at least not from standard affiliates, and I doubt really doubt they received any from KMOX or WBBM.) Like most radio networks, they sold ads which the affiliate stations had to air as payment for receiving the content. Their ad sales over the last several years have been very poor, mostly consisting of state agency buys (Dept of Transportation Safety, Organ Donor, etc.)

Comment by Peter Monday, Apr 25, 16 @ 9:27 am