Media Frenzy

By Rob Holbert Managing Editor

To borrow the type of pun reporter Varion Walton might choose, WPMI’s weekly “Restaurant Scorecard” has some local restaurateurs feeling indigestion lately.

Walton’s Thursday segment where she highlights area restaurants’ health scores – both good and bad – is drawing increased criticism these days, as some restaurant owners complain it has ventured into the realm of sensationalism.

Two segments in particular have drawn the ire of restaurant owners who say the “Scorecard” attempts to make points at their expense, especially if the restaurants being profiled are popular. Walton’s Aug. 16 segment profiling Guido’s in Mobile’s Oakleigh neighborhood, and the July 26 story that featured Heroes Sports Bar & Grille in Downtown Mobile are two “Scorecards” critics point to as examples of what they believe is a slanted approach.

In the July 26 “Scorecard,” Walton’s lead-in to the story was done standing on Dauphin Street across the street from Heroes. “Food held out of temperature, a dirty ice machine, flies and roaches are certain to get the attention of the food police. Also certain to earn you a coveted spot in our weekly report profiling the best and worst,” Walton said wile the Heroes sign hung over her shoulder.

Heroes had received a below-passing score of 81, in part because of an ice machine that needed cleaning and employees drinking out of unapproved cups in the kitchen. But the flies, roaches and out-of-temperature food were all problems at Margaritas in Foley. Incidentally, the day the segment ran, Heroes had been re-inspected and received a 93, something pointed out by WPMI anchor Greg Peterson on-air after the 10 p.m. airing of “Scorecard,” but not after the 6 p.m.

Some in the local food industry have complained that particular segment would have led anyone who just saw the beginning of “Scorecard” to believe Heroes had been nailed for all those problems. Heroes owner David Rasp declined comment on the story, saying he was still looking at the situation.

More recently, a “Scorecard” ran featuring Guido’s, after that restaurant received a below-average health rating for infractions that included a few dead roaches. Owner Chris Conlon said Walton’s story was overlaid with “Godfather”-style music and full of mafia puns, and when the roaches were mentioned, stock video of roaches scurrying about was played on-air.

“They took a picture of the outside of our building, mentioned roaches, then showed pictures of roaches crawling,” Conlon said. “It was the Guido’s logo, Italian music and roaches crawling.”

Conlon, whose restaurant also quickly passed another inspection, says he isn’t bothered as much that it’s his restaurant being featured, as much as he believes “Scorecard” takes information that is readily available and uses it in a way that isn’t fair.

“I think it’s irresponsible reporting. They sensationalize something that is already public. I think they need to step back and think about what they’re doing, and quit with the kitchy gimmicks, they’re doing more harm than good,” Conlon said.

Walton was called for comment on this story, but did not respond prior to deadline.

Another complaint Conlon and others in the food industry have expressed is Walton continually referring to health inspectors as “the food police.” They believe it implies an adversarial relationship that does not exist – on in which restaurants must be kept on the straight-and-narrow through the threat of punishment.

“That is something they’ve done,” said Mobile County Health Department Public Information Officer David Mann of the “food police” moniker. “Kitchen cops is not the way restaurant owners look at us. I’ve been here eight months, and it’s not a ‘gotcha’ type of thing.”

Mann says he frequently fields calls from people in the food industry who are upset about “Scorecard,” but maintains it has had no effect on the way the health department’s inspectors do their jobs. He said they try to work with restaurants to help fix problems, and will even go so far as to note but not deduct for a problem that is corrected while they are on site.

“Our people have routes so they have a relationship with the restaurants. They don’t try to come in at the worst times to try to catch something,” he said.

Another complaint leveled by restaurateurs is that Walton has done stories on their businesses without contacting them, or just walking in and sticking a camera in the face of someone working behind the counter.

“If you’re going to talk about my business on the air, how about giving me the opportunity to at least talk about it?” said one local restaurant owner who did not wish to use his name.

Alabama law requires that health scores be posted, and they are also posted online at the health department’s Web site. One piece of information Walton’s reports do impart is the reason behind a failing score, something not readily evident just by looking at the score online or posted on a wall.

Still, Mann says “Scorecard’ can sometimes get it wrong. He offered a recent situation in which Walton reported on rodent droppings near the dumpster at the Sonic near the Loop in Mobile.

“Varion tried to make this big thing about rodent droppings at the Loop and that Sonic was the culprit, but it turned out to be a vacant car in the lot next door,” Mann said.

Rob Holbert is Lagniappe managing editor. Contact him at rholbert@lagniappemobile.com.

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