MY ACCIDENTIAL EXCLUSIVE!

   SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH., 2019
      MY ACCIDENTIAL EXCLUSIVE!

    It's a question I've often been asked by
people both in and out of broadcasting.
Where do you get your news?
     The question has multiple answers.
When I was on the news beat stories
usually came from scheduled events,
calls on the police scanner and tips
     I even broke some very big stories
just by carefully reading the legal ads.
I was always amazed the newspaper's
reporters didn't seem to check them to
find stories that were right under their
nose!
      But a TV report this week brought
back memories of one of my biggest
exclusives that came to me strictly by
accident!
      My cameraman and I were searching
for an obscure address in Scranton in
2002 when we crossed a bridge near the
Scranton Lace Company. We spotted a
man walking nearby and approached him
hoping he might be familiar with the
address we were seeking.
       Before we could ask the gentleman
spoke up. "Guess you're here about the
company's plans to close!"
       Turns out we had pulled up minutes
after the Lace company's workforce had
received the news the factory would be
closing! Since workers were leaving for
the day we had no problem gathering
comments from many employees.
       The company had no comment but
the worker's "pink slips" confirmed the
news. Sad news for a local industry that
once employed 1400 people and boasted
its own infirmary, bowling alleys, and
theater! But a big exclusive for me!
       Several buildings in the Scranton
Lace complex are  being demolished
this week in the hope of providing
space for future development.
        I'll always remember the place for
my "accidental exclusive" and for the
curtains that hang in my living room,
purchased by my daughter during the
company's "Last Days Sale."
        Hope your NEWS, unlike that
received by those workers in 2002, is
good!