Our Response to Channel 8 Story Hits Street Today
This has been one of the most difficult weeks I’ve had in my 2.5 years at Park Cities People.
As anybody who reads this blog regularly knows by now, Merritt Patterson — a freelance columnist and blogger for us since 2005 — was the target of a Channel 8 report that aired on Valentine’s Day. Brett Shipp looked into the finances of Surrogate Parenting Center of Texas, a business that Merritt owned for 15 years and closed last October.
Shipp interviewed at least two egg donors and at least three infertile couples, all of whom had beefs with Merritt over money they say she owed them. Given Merritt’s longtime penchant for calling people out on their drama, plus her recent hounding of the HPISD over its finances, I felt the only appropriate response would be for us to do our own story — a more complete, balanced story — on Surrogate Parenting Center of Texas. That story, written by Bradford Pearson, is in the papers that will be hitting Park Cities lawns this afternoon.
When I announced last week that we would be publishing this story, I got up on my high horse and said that, unlike Shipp, we would name our sources. Well, none of the people featured in Shipp’s report would talk to us on the record. And even some people who spoke highly of Surrogate Parenting Center of Texas didn’t want their names used, because they, understandably, don’t want people to know they needed its services. So, if you want to take me to task over that, the comments are on.
Nonetheless, Brad did a great job with the story. Will the Merritt haters have problems with it? Of course. Will Merritt herself have problems with it? Most certainly. But that’s the mark of a balanced story; neither side will be completely satisfied.
79 comments to "Our Response to Channel 8 Story Hits Street Today"
2000-06-01/news/good-eggs/2/
Decade-old story. Cute picture of Merritt, with handbag visible in background.
Here’s a link to all of our rack locations. Thanks for reading!
http://www.parkcitiespeople.com/rack-locations/
Brad
Returning. But I’ll need a theme song. Any suggestions?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZYNA6qUNTE
I haven’t spent quality time with her in several years, but I spent a lot of time with her during our, we’ll call them “formative years.” I know where she comes from and what made her. PSP, you made the right call.
Mer, I say use the theme from Rocky when he came out to fight that big, huge, Russian. It fits!
214-361-9736.
And Merritt is not a major source of income for us. Advertisers are.
@dan – a bit abrupt with Dont believe don’t you think?
I applaud your efforts at fair and balanced reporting and your attempt to not be hypocritical (your word – from your first post). You’re addressing the issue “because Merritt would” if it were a story about another PC resident. However – if it were her story:
– comments (in the first post) would not have been turned off
– a link to the story would have been provided
– comments where opinion is offered as fact are commonplace, and definitely not deleted
I don’t really see how you can print an unbiased story about one of your own. It’s kind of like asking a mom to give you an unbiased assessment of one of her children. Doesn’t happen. If you really wanted full disclosure and unbiased reporting, it seems you would have asked a 3rd party to investigate and report and agreed in advance to print their findings.
Dan said, “I’m deleting comments that are slanderous.”
Miles didn’t disparage anyone. And he answered a question.
You, on the other hand, bring in a serial killer analogy…
Merritt is clearly not a serial killer btw. The analogy was meant more to say even if a minor violation was committed a parent will protect, let alone more serious
Yes, we have freedom of speech in this country. But no, I am not limiting your freedom of speech by not posting your comments on my blog.
Make no mistake: This is my blog. You can say whatever you want about Merritt on your Facebook page, your own blog, or a random street corner. But you’re not going to say anything you want about her here.
* Her father identified himself, which provides the proper context in which one can view his comments.
* @Don’t Believe meanwhile, cast aspersions on Merritt, her business, this blog without proof of any kind or without identifying himself. Basically a nameless, faceless accusation without facts or the opportunity to defend onesself. I’m not sure why that comment stays.
* I always laugh when people question why a business enterprise doesn’t give away it’s product for free. If it’s that important, pay for it.
He’s lucky he hasn’t been maced, or worse.
As for the issue at hand, a couple of points…
First, I like many others hope that the clients of Merritt’s closed business find some form of restitution. This was not easy for them and some form of closure would be welcomed.
Second, from what has been reported, it would appear that Merritt is resolving the issues related to her business. Not many failed businesses can claim this and from all appearances, she is working to do the right thing.
Third, a failing business produces huge emotional strains on all involved and is never easy to manage. No one walks away from a failing business saying “that was fun, let’s do it again”. This is not to say that Merritt is without fault – but she has NOT shied away from it and is trying to resolve it to the extent possible.
Finally, and this is most important, Merritt’s personal and professional circumstance are on display for the public to see. How many of us would want to share in this position – especially given the close community of the Park Cities.
You may, like me, be disappointed and shocked about the report on TV and interested to read more details about this – something only a paper can provide without the sensationalism and brevity of a visual medium.
I do not know Merritt personally (though I have met her while eating sushi and threw a headline her way) but as a UP resident I feel her voice is important in the ecosystem of the Park Cities. This is why I subscribe to the paper.
It will be great to read her work once again – bringing color, insight and provocation to the pages of PCP.
For the staff at Park Cities, assigning someone to write a story and giving the impression that this will be the best way to be accurate, well that is comical. I def wouldn’t go to a comments section to admit to the world that there was an egg donation child just to prove to 20 people that my claim is valid.
Merritt must understand that one of the frustrating parts was that she constantly publicy airs grievances but when she became the target, well, now it was unfair. Sorry but that is life
I’ve got some hot sports opinions on both sides of this, but I think I’ll wait until I’m having my coffee tomorrow with paper in hand and can form a balanced opinion.
Until then…screw both sides…he said grumpily.
That just about sums up how Jennifer Keefe and the “Drip Coffee” autism moms must have felt. God forbid that battle be resurrected, but those women were virtually savaged, in my opinion.
Live by the sword, die by the sword.
@mk. Do you have a copy of the contract? I do. To follow your real estate anaology, have you heard of an “option fee”? Your earnest money is refunded should you terminate your contract before the option period expires. Same thing in an egg donor contract. Should you choose NOT to see egg donor profiles your deposit is refunded. As for her affiliation with D, I looked at that as a sign that she could be trusted. This is an unregualated industry and there are *many* shady people out there preying on couples. My assumption was that her affiliation with D would at the very least make her more trustworthy than those other people. I thought she would have the intergrity to hold herself to a higher standard. Doctors are regulated and held to a higher professional standard.
This paper and blog has shown quite a bit of bias in covering this story, always presenting Merritt as the persecuted one. Choosing to only use named sources is going to guarantee an inaccurate story. People don’t want their infertility issues broadcast to their community. And egg donors, who cherish their anonymity in the process, would be exposed to the families and possibly tracked by offspring. The story should be left to unaffiliated news sources.
Couple of things in the story I observed:
–She says her company’s troubles began in 2008. Yet, she had already lost a lawsuit in 2007.
–She assesses blame to the Better Business Bureau for numerous complaints her business received. Not taking responsibility for not fulfilling her end of the obligations and blaming it on the BBB is bizarre and quite immature. When a client has been wronged, they have every right to file a complaint with the BBB or voice their story on some sort of forum to prevent the same thing from happening to others.
–She says that everyone will be paid by the end of March. I’d be interested in a follow up at the beginning of April to see if this actually happens. Even if the reimbursable amounts were paid back, she already insinuated in the article that none of the $2500 agency fee will be paid back. And collecting that agency fee + an additional $5500 from a local couple days before she knew full well that she would be closing up shop is highly immoral.
–Blaming her financial issues on donors wanting to renegotiate fees for more money, she claims that 40% of donors had signed contracts and then essentially demanded more money. I think it would have been astute of Bradford Pearson to further investigate the accuracy of that statement. 40% seems inflated.
Finally, @Sean Jackson: “Finally, and this is most important, Merritt’s personal and professional circumstance are on display for the public to see. How many of us would want to share in this position – especially given the close community of the Park Cities.” You have got to be kidding. She takes great pleasure in calling out people without giving them a chance to defend themselves when in many instances they were doing nothing wrong.
A. It’s apparent that a few people are posting comments under several aliases. Once any individual commenter starts having a conversation with herself, it’s time to turn it off.
B. I’m about to take my staff out for a well-deserved lunch, so I don’t have time to keep refereeing this brouhaha.