ABC World News does a "hit piece" on Target

[Nikki Stone 1]

Tonight, ABC News ran what I consider to be a very biased piece on Target stores. Target has a new policy of not allowing solicitors to harass people on their way out Target stores. The Salvation Army is ticked off because they, along with every other group, has been thrown off the premises. ABC had interviews that were all pro-Salvation Army and interviewed someone from a religious group who really criticized Target.

I happen to like Target, and I know they contribute to many local charities. ABC was shamelessly biased in its reportage. I don't quite understand why, although Wal-Mart does sponsor their "Person of the Week". At any rate, I sent ABC the following letter:




"I just saw the piece on Target done by ABC World News Tonight (Sunday, Dec. 5 broadcast) and am concerned that ABC showed a bias against Target and in support of the Salvation Army.

While I respect the work done by the Salvation Army, I greatly appreciate Target's new policy of banning soliciters on their property. Before this policy, many different groups would accost me on my way out of Target. One of these groups had actually been exposed as a fraud by a local news program, but they were still begging for money (in nurse's uniforms) in front of several Targets in my area. I did let Target managers know that this group was fraudulent, but was told that Target could not choose which solicitation groups to allow or disallow. I imagine that many customers were concerned about this problem, and Target chose to act on customer concerns.

To assume that Target stores--or their customers--were "Scrooges", as your story this evening did, was wrong and unfair. Most people, self included, do give to charities or causes. If people want to donate to a group, they can do what I do: contact the group and get information by mail. I give money to a number of different causes in just this way.

While I understand the Salvation Army's perspective, I do not understand why ABC limited themselves to this perspective and did not balance it with, say, comments by grateful Target customers who appreciated the policy. I hope that the nature of your coverage was not related to Wal-Mart's sponsorship of your "Person of the Week"."