KSTP: Stop Poor Bashing Investigations on Poor People

Press conference and picket at KSTP Channel 5
Thursday September 20, 2012
11:00-12:00
KSTP Channel 5 Station (Outside)
3415 University Ave. West
St. Paul, MN 55101

Recently, Channel 5 news has been doing “investigation” segments on so called “welfare fraud”. We at the Welfare Rights Committee know all too well that this is just out right poor bashing.

An on-going 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS investigation into Welfare Fraud/ Waste, led by reporter Mark Albert Beginning in November 2010, and continuing until the present are defamatory and slanderous! Under the guise of “investigative Reporting”, these reports do nothing more than bash the poor and put a stigma on those who receive assistance.

We will demand that KSTP stops the “investigative” reports involving welfare fraud. These reports do nothing more than bash the poor and put a stigma on those who receive assistance. We are still experiencing an economic crisis in this country and with 1 in 7 people receiving food stamps and (need a statistic of how many receive cash assistance) these reports only serve to discourage those who need assistance to seek it. Furthermore these attacks are based on stereotypes of individuals on welfare. We demand that KSTP report why the grants have not been raised for families who depend on assistance, and tell the truth about welfare. We also want to know why the same intensity and persistence in finding fraud with welfare is not pursued with stories about corporate fraud and welfare, which has been far more damaging to the economy, than a single mother receiving $437 a month.

The TANF grants haven’t been raised since 1986, that’s 26 years!

1 in 7 Minnesota families receives food stamps, and another 1 in 5 lives in poverty!

Channel 5 news’ negligent reporting on welfare waste/fraud, misrepresentation of the actual facts put out by the Department of human services is deplorable at best. Cases of Welfare fraud /waste in Minnesota are only 1%, according to the Department Of Human Services.

We are tired of the politicians and now the media always portraying poor people as frauding the system. We will be holding a press conference outside of KSTP headquarters to demand:

1. We demand an immediate end to KSTP’s excessive focus on welfare fraud
2. We demand that KSTP do news stories/series on the positive benefits of welfare, like how the grants have not been raised in 26 years. Report on the true stories about poverty and the struggles of being below the poverty line.
3. We would also like for KSTP to focus on the” fraud” of Corporations and the Rich.

Let’s put an end on poor bashing and welfare once and for all.