Larry Mendte viewing party? November 20, 2008
Posted by Chris Stover in Journalism, Philadelphia.Tags: Alycia Lane, CBS3, Larry Mendte
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I’m thinking of hosting a party on Monday.
For one, it’s my one and only week off from The Temple News this semester. But more importantly…
It’s the day of Larry Mendte’s sentencing!
Odds are he’ll receive a fine, probation and some community service — the six-month jail sentence is unlikely — for hacking into Alycia Lane’s e-mail account. But this whole thing is actually nearing an end (or, at least, so we think…).
Any bets?
More anchors ‘making the switch’? September 20, 2008
Posted by Chris Stover in Journalism.Tags: Alycia Lane, Larry Mendte, Dave Huddleston, Chris May, Susan Barnett
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I wonder what Susan Barnett’s contract says.
CBS3 officially announced in April that Philly-area native Barnett assumed the role left vacated by Alycia Lane - lead anchor at 6 and 11 p.m.
However, after the Larry Mendte saga, no such press release was…released. We, the unassuming viewers of local television news, were to assume that anchor/reporter Chris May permanently took the position.
Apparently, not so.
Philly.com is reporting (I’d link, but their video links don’t work too well…at all) that nixed Fox29 anchor Dave Huddleston allegedly met with station management at CBS3 for a lead anchor opening.
Hmm…
The Barnett-May team may not be bringing in the ratings that Larry and/or Alycia (depends on whom you ask, I suppose) brought in, and the station wants a fix.
Could Huddleston be that fix?
Obsession with DeMentri August 27, 2008
Posted by Chris Stover in Journalism.Tags: Alycia Lane, Larry Mendte, Vince DeMentri
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According to my blog stats, most people are obsessed with Vince DeMentri.
Forget Larry having an “improper relationship” with Alycia. Yeah, people cared about that, but overall, not as much as they do about DeMentri.
I discovered with help that DeMentri’s bio had been yanked from the Web site. Station management refuses to admit he’s gone. But he more than likely is.
The interest in DeMentri seems to be dwindling. Philly.com hasn’t posted much of anything lately, other than a report by Dan Gross of DeMentri being spotted in Rittenhouse Square with a “brunette babe.”
Based on the sole gravity of the situation, I’d think the Larry and Alycia saga would be much more noteworthy and of interest to more people. And though the posting of Mendte’s statement garnered me the most hits ever (for which I’m grateful), collectively, more people are interested in DeMentri. Weird.
Perhaps it’s because no one else really cares enough to write about DeMentri. Maybe it’s because there are so many people around the world writing about Larry and Alycia. Maybe I’m just looking too deeply.
But whatever the case, the obsession with DeMentri continues to exist today, with posts regarding him in higher demand than those of Mendte or Lane.
You guys are weird.
Mendte Video: ‘Improper relationship’ with Alycia Lane August 22, 2008
Posted by Chris Stover in Journalism.Tags: Alycia Lane, CBS3, Larry Mendte
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This video, courtesy of philly.com, is an 8:15 minute speech by Larry Mendte.
In it, he acknowledges that the entire situation that has been publicized for more than eight months began five years ago when Alycia Lane arrived in Philadelphia.
Mendte admits having an “improper relationship” with Lane — long dinners, late nights — and that his wife discovered it early in 2005, which is when it apparently ended. But the “mutually self-destructing feud” did not.
Mendte apologized to his wife, his family, the viewers and Alycia Lane in his statement below.
Read the full statement after the jump.
Mendte pleads guilty August 22, 2008
Posted by Chris Stover in Cut to the Chase, Journalism, Philadelphia.Tags: Alycia Lane, CBS3, Crime, Larry Mendte
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Larry Mendte has pleaded guilty to one felony count of hacking into Alycia Lane’s e-mail inbox.
CNN, again, has picked it up. And CBS3 led their noon news with the story.
Supported by a dozen family members inside court, including his wife, Fox29 anchor Dawn Stensland, Mendte was quiet as he left the courthouse. Stensland did have one thing to say:
I love my husband, and he’s a good man.
Though Mendte could face up to six months in jail, federal prosecutors agreed not to discuss sentencing at today’s brief hearing.
After hearing an assistant U.S. attorney recount the government evidence of his hacking into Lane’s account more than 500 times, Mendte verbally acknowledged the evidence.
From the Inqy:
Mendte told the judge that he was “a little nervous, your honor, but I feel okay” as she sought to make sure that Mendte wanted to plead guilty and was legally competent to do so.
Apparently, he also acknowledged he’s been seeing a therapist since the entire scandal erupted.
Sentencing is scheduled to take place in November. A press conference by Mendte’s attorney is scheduled for later this afternoon. CBS3.com is your place for the up-to-the minute details…and of course, I’ll blog about them later.
The columnists respond… July 24, 2008
Posted by Chris Stover in Journalism, Philadelphia.Tags: Alycia Lane, Larry Mendte, Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer
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It wouldn’t be Philadelphia without angry journalists. So these angry journalists have called out a fellow one.
First, Inquirer columnist Daniel Rubin gave an interesting view of a day in the life of Larry Mendte. Perhaps his title — “The obsession of Larry Mendte” — is a double entendre. His obsession with Alycia Lane, our obsession with him?
The second comes from my new fave Jill Porter. She’s followed up her Alycia Lane column with a Larry Mendte column, simply asking, “What more could he want?” And she hits each question that every one of us has in the back of our minds. Answers, however, are hard to come by.
Just passing them along. Feel free to share your thoughts!
Photo courtesy DN.
Remember when… July 22, 2008
Posted by Chris Stover in Journalism.Tags: Alycia Lane, CBS3, Larry Mendte
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It’s been more than seven months since our favorite duo, Larry Mendte and Alycia Lane, anchored Eyewitness News cohesively.
Remember that philly.com page, “Alycia Lane in the News”? It’s now officially been changed: “Larry Mendte and Alycia Lane in the News.”
So, let’s reminisce. We have this infamous blooper of Larry reporting on a flood. We see Alycia toward the end.
Now we check out happier times, almost one year ago when the duo did a promo together.
Larry said goodbye to Alycia…
Channel 6 sensed troubled waters…
…And Susan said goodbye to Larry.
And that was Seven Months in the Life of CBS3.
The media respond July 21, 2008
Posted by Chris Stover in Journalism, Philadelphia.Tags: Alycia Lane, CBS3, Larry Mendte
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Chris May could barely finish his introduction as his co-anchor, Susan Barnett, informed CBS3 viewers about Larry Mendte’s felony charge at 11 p.m. Walt Hunter had the story.
Same happened over at NBC10, Mendte’s former place of employment before he “made the switch” in 2003.
6ABC waited until after the weather. Commendable.
CNN jumped on the story once the AP got a hold of it. Mendte made their list of top stories.
Isn’t that why Lane got fired, too? Because she, a reporter of the news, made the news herself?
And what about Fox 29? Anchoring the Fox 10 O’Clock News is Dawn Stensland, Mendte’s wife. She was absent from air today, but Kerri-Lee Halkett did release this statement after a package:
Mendte’s wife, Dawn Stensland, anchors right here at Fox 29, doing the News at 10. News management has decided that Dawn will not take part in the reporting or coverage of this story. This hopefully avoids any problems and keeps the process transparent.
Mendte snooped into former co-anchor Alycia Lane’s e-mail at least 537 times between Jan. 1, 2008 and May 28, 2008. But he’s been doing it since 2006, and overall, prosecutors say he has checked her e-mail between 7,000 and 8,000 times.
Reports are saying he had been doing this to ruin Lane’s career.
The Philadelphia media (and beyond) haven’t been the nicest to Lane. She’s made the cover of the New York Post a few times for unflattering stories. These could have been little blips in the radar, but perhaps Mendte made them bigger. What was in it for him, we probably won’t know. Maybe it was for a solo anchor gig, thus more money. But it doesn’t seem worth it now.
Daily News columnist Jill Porter wrote an article about Lane I linked to a few weeks ago, and it seems even more relevant now.
And though she may never have the career she once had, at least she might be able to find some closure.
Mendte may face jail time July 21, 2008
Posted by Chris Stover in Journalism, Philadelphia.Tags: Alycia Lane, CBS3, Crime, Larry Mendte
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It’s so big, even CNN picked it up.
Fired CBS3 anchor Larry Mendte has been charged with one felony count of intentionally accessing a protected computer without autorization and thereby obtaining information in furtherance of a tortious act.
In other words, he allegedly snooped in Alycia Lane’s e-mail accounts (Yahoo! and .mac) and divulged private information — especially privileged communication between her and her lawyer — to an unnamed Philadelphia Daily News reporter (although, one…er, many names are swirling).
Regardless, that DN reporter won’t get charged. Only Mendte will.
A source says that Mendte is expected to plead guilty at his arraignment in the coming weeks. Snooping can get him zero to six months in prison, though according to a philly.com poll, most think he’ll just get a “slap on the wrist.”
The Information given by the district court in United States of America v. Lawrence Mendte lists every time Mendte accessed Lane’s e-mail account since Jan. 1, 2008. It lists from where he accessed it — usually from KYW, his Chestnut Hill home or his “vacation residence” — multiple times per day.
Since Jan. 1, he’s accessed it about 537 times until May 28, when his computers were confiscated.
The information (linked below) really is an entertaining read and gives those unfamiliar with the case (I know, laughable) can get caught up, stemming from Alycia Lane’s initial arrest in December 2007. Fun stuff, right?
As of 5:50 p.m. Monday, all the major stations in Philly except 6ABC have reported it. NBC10’s All That and More dedicated its call-in topic to it: “Is snooping e-mail the same as snooping snail mail.” They’re probably just trying to cover up their own anchor troubles.
Not to be outdone by CBS3 July 10, 2008
Posted by Chris Stover in Journalism, Philadelphia.Tags: Alycia Lane, CBS3, Journalism, Larry Mendte, NBC10, Vince DeMentri
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First, it was not to be outdone by Alycia. And now, it’s this.
Apparently, NBC10 anchor Vince DeMentri was jealous of the press CBS3’s talent has been getting. So he decided to get some of his own.
Eternal newser Dan Gross reports that DeMentri may have allegedly vandalized cohort (and possibly former companion?) Lori Delgado’s car in the NBC10 parking lot. The DA has called it a “non-issue.”
DeMentri wasn’t on the air last Thursday and Friday (after an apparent argument with the station manager) and has been off the air this week for a planned Jamaican vacation, though he apparently never left the country.
As I’ve said before, I don’t like to comment on these situations publicly. But I will say this. I want a job in the future. A job where I can be credible. But I’ve got a few more years. So please, while there’s still a little bit of time left, let’s maintain some sort of credibility in Philadelphia!? Please!?
