You aren’t required to talk to cops and detectives, and the constitution gives you the right to keep shut should you just feel like it, but it seems you do not have that luxury if you refuse to answer WTKR anchor/reporter Barbara Ciara’s pressing questions and try walking away to your car.
In the video after the jump below Ciara can be seen along with two or three of her photogs ambushing a man accused of assault as he left the courthouse. In it Ciara can be seen not only trying to block the men from progressing but also pushing them with one arm. After this scene took place Ciara filed a criminal complaint for vandalism, assault, and disorderly conduct against the man she was blocking trying to interview. WTKR news director Tina Blacklocke seems to be in agreement that her crew was “attacked”.
Local newspaper Daily Press reported the story and included a poll on the site asking readers if the man in question should face criminal charges. As of this writing 73.2% think he should not.
One commenter on industry forum TVSpy says Ciara broke a rule of investigative journalism – never attempt to block your interview subject from leaving, but do document their refusal to comment. At one point Ciara can be seen standing in the way of the SUVs door preventing it from being closed.
Newsblues quoted Ciara’s Facebook page where she allegedly wrote that “They pushed me around and banged me on the head with a car door.”
Barbara Ciara is an anchor and managing editor at WTKR and outgoing president of the National Association of Black Journalists. The man she tried to interview is appearing in court today to answer allegations of assault.
Watch the video after the jump and tell us what you think
Garden variety ambush. Shot hundreds of them. Not a big deal. It’s not like they grabbed the cameras and smashed them. The reporter should not have blocked them and she shouldn’t be trying to press charges.
Not true. The minute that man put his hands on the reporter, she has a right to defend herself. He committed battery. They also hit the camera at first, so they are the guilty party. Doesn’t anyone know the law on this site??
Growing up in Virginia Beach, I watched WTKR-TV 3 for years. It was the dominant news station in Hampton Roads until the mid to late 1990s. Unfortunately, Barbara Ciara was hired in 2000 and since then the station has been stuck in the ratings basement. They have hired and fired a lot of people since she started there, but for whatever reason, she still has a job there even though she is the reason the ratings are in the toilet. The ratings are just coming up on the newscasts that she is not on, but keeping her on with questionable reporting like this will not help WTKR recover. I wish WTKR management would wise up and let her go once and for all!