Heads up guys. It is May and that means local news programs are tracking their ratings during "sweeps" period to determine ad rates for the remainder of the year. Obviously better ratings means higher ad rates which translates to higher salaries for news anchors, better profits for the station owners, etc. There are many groups targeted during "sweeps" and cruisers are among the groups paraded before the cameras for so-called "investigative journalism."

The whole process makes a mockery of those would would call themselves "journalists." Years ago we got involved in attempts to expose this mockery including helping reveal that local news departments rely on a national network of ready-made "investigative pieces" that use footage from other markets in other parts of the country, repackaging the canned footage with a local reporter to make it look as if they actually did some work to uncover a story on some topic that is certain to generate viewer curiosity. These so-called journalists even post messages in industry forums as to which "investigative pieces" are likely to generate better ratings. It is sickening, appalling, and beyond frustrating that one of the institutions we rely upon to expose corruption is in fact corrupted this way.

Yesterday my network admin monitors called around 5:20 in the afternoon to inquire if we had done anything that might explain a sudden burst in traffic to our servers. I told them I was unaware of any actions on our part, but then it came to me: 5:20 in the afternoon on a Monday during sweeps would be a likely time when local newscasts would have been running a piece on men who cruise for sex. Maybe somewhere out there a particular report actually included our website name or an image of the site that gave away the name? It certainly wouldn't be the first time the media has used CRUISING for SEX to pump their ratings.

Just such an "investigative" piece ran yesterday here in Atlanta at WSB television. They didn't mention the Internet this time, but instead the station, claiming to having been prompted by complaining neighbors, took undercover cameras into the notorious Belvedere Theatre and filmed men having sex. WSB then took the footage to the cops who in turn invited WSB to accompany them and film a sting operation of patrons at the Belvedere. To their ever-lasting credit, the men caught up in this sting, asked what they were doing, acted with an air of defiance and insisted they were doing nothing wrong. They weren't, of course, having sex in a public space which is what the police alledged. They were in a dark theatre where someone must pay admission to see pornographic movies. To think that sex doesn't happen in such a place is absurd, but then again this whole "sweeps" month thing is beyond absurd. Talk about an abuse of public trust!

Be careful this month, fellow cruisers. Your local news reporters may well be lurking in the bushes with a hidden camera, attempting to catch you in the act so they can afford a new Lexus with the raise they'll get after the results of "sweeps" comes in.