Sheffield Will Meet With Dateline's Chris Hansen & NBC Execs in New York

[ct_alum]

Who appointed that pulpit pimp spokesperson for the CoD? I know I didn't. HE would be better off if Kwame was still in charge, but not the City. Why doesn't Bing tell him to sit down and STFU?

[iheartthed]

Who appointed that pulpit pimp spokesperson for the CoD? I know I didn't. HE would be better off if Kwame was still in charge, but not the City. Why doesn't Bing tell him to sit down and STFU?

The better question is why didn't Bing's office challenge the story before Sheffield?

[Retroit]

This would make an interesting "To Catch a Predator" spin-off.

[Nee000]

So, what is in this for Sheffield? He doesn't do anything unless he can figure out a way to line his pockets by doing it. He is probably the biggest shake-down artist in Detroit. He is a charlatan through and through.

This was my first thought also. IMO, the man is as crooked as the former mayor.

[Bobl]

OK, I'm not running for office, and not trying to make points with anyone, so I don't mind offering the opinion that the Chris Hanson program was not something to criticize. Things are really that bad. People need to admit this, and admit that this is not acceptable.
It would be nice if another show could be shown soon, showing some positive things about Detroit, and noting any progress that is being made. The potential is there, but results are needed.

[bartock]

The most amusing part about this is that it's him going to meet with NBC, and not a representative from the mayor's office. In fact, if I recall correctly, Sheffield had a statement in the media rebuking the Dateline story a full two days before Bing's office said a word. Talk about your hands off approach to brand management.

I wonder how much this story cost them in terms of attracting conventions to fill those brand new empty hotel rooms downtown?

The story was not a revelation. I don't think the nation cares that much and nothing that the story could have possibly highlighted would have prevented a convention from coming here. In ways that are strictly my opinion, I think it helped because I don't think it told anybody deciding on whether to put a convention in this town anything that wasn't known before.

I don't think that Bing's office needed to refute the story. The fact that they did...in the way that they did....reiterated my opinion that Bing was not upset with the way the story was presented, and was able to play both sides to adhere to some of the response.

The point I took from it was...Detroit has been bad for a long time...but rather than dwell on decades ago, let's deal with what can be fixed NOW...the eight years before us has had complete and terrible corruption, and now we've hit another rock bottom BUT finally some semblance of legitimacy is in place...if you had any inclination to invest money in our city, now would work.

I think moreso than the passing of the Health Care Bill, the timing of the current administration despite some of the old dogs that still linger in the system has allowed the eds and meds [[whether agreed with or not) and some other recent events to take place.

[iheartthed]

The story was not a revelation. I don't think the nation cares that much and nothing that the story could have possibly highlighted would have prevented a convention from coming here. In ways that are strictly my opinion, I think it helped because I don't think it told anybody deciding on whether to put a convention in this town anything that wasn't known before.

That Dateline story did nothing to help Detroit pitch itself as a potential convention host for any organization. I was part of an organization that holds a large conference each year in different cities across the country [[roughly 10,000 people attend each year). When I was active, I knew some of the members who were involved in the process of deciding which cities to consider as hosts. Part of the host city selection process is the perception of the city. Having a bad image got Detroit eliminated from consideration pretty much every year, even though Detroit is more than capable of being a good host for that conference.

I don't think that Bing's office needed to refute the story. The fact that they did...in the way that they did....reiterated my opinion that Bing was not upset with the way the story was presented, and was able to play both sides to adhere to some of the response.

I think it's hard to argue that NBC showed a balanced view of Detroit. In fact, the story had little to do with Detroit as a whole, and was mainly about a poor woman who happens to live in Detroit. That much is fine, and I applaud them for telling this woman's story. But don't try to portray this as a story about what life is typically like in Detroit, which is what they tried to do. And that's what the mayor's office needed to refute.

But since Bing didn't jump on the story, he left himself wide open to the criticisms that he is out of touch with the city's residents. And frankly, it's getting harder to argue that he isn't out of touch with the residents. Especially with him going around making comments such as there being parts of the city that he himself wouldn't travel to. Statements like that might be palatable to people who don't live in Detroit... But I'm sure that many of his constituents are not very amused by the sentiment... especially if they happen to live in one of those areas.

[rjlj]

But since Bing didn't jump on the story, he left himself wide open to the criticisms that he is out of touch with the city's residents. And frankly, it's getting harder to argue that he isn't out of touch with the residents. Especially with him going around making comments such as there being parts of the city that he himself wouldn't travel to. Statements like that might be palatable to people who don't live in Detroit... But I'm sure that many of his constituents are not very amused by the sentiment... especially if they happen to live in one of those areas.

By Bing making statements such as these, he shows that he is completely in touch with what the reality of the city is. He is facing the issues head on and not pretending that everything is OK unlike the people who have criticized the Dateline news story. I will take a leader who accepts the truth and realizes that things need to be fixed over one who sugarcoats what is really going on and pretends everything is just fine. Isn't that what the city needs to move forward? The problems have been identified, now how are they going to be fixed? This should be the theme for the follow up news story.

[LeannaM]

From an outsider's point of view, Detroit's reputation is pretty bad. I'm not sure that the Dateline show hurt it all that much.

[iheartthed]

By Bing making statements such as these, he shows that he is completely in touch with what the reality of the city is. He is facing the issues head on and not pretending that everything is OK unlike the people who have criticized the Dateline news story. I will take a leader who accepts the truth and realizes that things need to be fixed over one who sugarcoats what is really going on and pretends everything is just fine. Isn't that what the city needs to move forward? The problems have been identified, now how are they going to be fixed? This should be the theme for the follow up news story.

How can you be in touch with your constituents if you won't go see them where they live? I don't know about you, but I wouldn't vote for someone who would tell me that they are afraid to come to my house. Maybe that's just me...

Also, I don't see where anyone advocated that Detroit's problems be sugarcoated. But if Detroit is a city that is so fraught with problems, then what exactly is the point in saving it? NBC sure didn't communicate why Detroit is still necessary. Neither has Bing, as far as I'm concerned. And that's problematic.

[Retroit]

Detroiters wouldn't worry so much about what others thought of them if they knew how seldom they did.

[Adapted from Dr. Phil McGraw's: "You wouldn't worry so much about what others thought of you if you knew how seldom they did."]

[bartock]

Also, I don't see where anyone advocated that Detroit's problems be sugarcoated. But if Detroit is a city that is so fraught with problems, then what exactly is the point in saving it? NBC sure didn't communicate why Detroit is still necessary....

Now you sound like some of my neighbors out here in the burbs.

[iheartthed]

Now you sound like some of my neighbors out here in the burbs.

Well, it's a valid question to be asked. And it is the responsibility of the leadership say "yes Detroit has it's problems, but it is necessary to save because ______". That is my point.