Letter - KSAX-TV was reporting the facts

Talk about it

To the editor:

In response to Dale Olson’s letter to the editor entitled “A better job of investigation”:

We reported the facts as clearly printed in U.S. District Court documents, indicting the owner of Sports Minded, as well as five other individuals. A federal grand jury, not KSAX-TV, has charged Mr. Ingebretson with conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods. U.S. District Court documents state that Ingebretson knowingly sold at least 100 counterfeit goods in his Sports Minded store in December of 2009.

KSAX-TV was merely reporting the facts in this case as written out by federal investigators. KSAX-TV called Viking Plaza Mall and Bob Ingebretson Monday to hear his side of the story. Mall management agreed to talk about it on Tuesday and we aired a follow-up story the same day. Mall management backs Ingebretson, and that’s exactly what we reported.

Ingebretson denied KSAX-TV’s request for an interview, nor would he return a phone call to reporter Megan Matthews. KSAX-TV would love to hear Ingebretson’s side of the story, should he choose to share it with us and the rest of the community.

It is yet to be determined in federal court whether or not Ingebretson knowingly sold those counterfeit items. But one fact is certain – a lot of people were ripped off.

Would the community prefer local journalists to turn a blind eye to federal charges, just because it may involve a prominent community member or make some people uncomfortable?

There is one point of Olson’s letter that does have merit. There is definitely a need for “a better job of investigative journalism” in greater Minnesota, and KSAX-TV will not be afraid to tackle those stories.

KSAX-TV would love to hear the community’s thoughts about this story. Please e-mail us at news@ksax.com, or visit us on our KSAX Eyewitness News Facebook page.

Cristi Jessee, news director

KSAX-TV, Alexandria, MN

Tags: opinion, letter, ksax