Wendy Bergen
Born
Wendy Anne Bergen[1]

(1956-01-03)January 3, 1956
Greenwich, Connecticut, United States
DiedApril 26, 2017(2017-04-26) (aged 61)
CitizenshipAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Utah
Occupation(s)Writer, journalist

Wendy Anne Bergen (January 3, 1956 – April 26, 2017) was an American television journalist.

Bergen was raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, and graduated from the University of Utah. She began her television career as a weather reporter in Lake Placid, New York.[2]

In 1983, Bergen joined KCNC-TV and became a star reporter for the station.[2]

In 2017, Bergen died of a brain aneurysm.[2][3]

Blood Sport

In the spring of 1990, Bergen made a documentary called Blood Sport where she claimed there was an underground network of pitbulls involved in dogfighting in Denver.[4][5][6] But she secretly staged dogfights to make footage for the documentary.[7] Debra Saunders of the San Francisco Chronicle was one of the first journalists to question her account alongside Rocky Mountain News. Bergen was pressured to resign on September 6, 1990, when her deception was discovered.[8][9] She was later found guilty of staging dogfighting but not for perjury.[10][11] She later had to pay a $20,000 fine.[2][12]

References

  1. ^ "People v. Bergen". Animal Legal & Historical Center. Michigan State University College of Law.
  2. ^ a b c d McGhee, Tom (May 1, 2017). "Wendy Bergen, Denver TV personality and philanthropist, dead at 61". The Denver Post. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  3. ^ Roberts, Michael (April 28, 2017). "Former CBS4 Reporter Wendy Bergen Dies: From Scandal to Redemption". Westword. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  4. ^ Bathroom Readers' Institute (November 1, 2012). "Television Hoaxes". Uncle John's Giant 10th Anniversary Bathroom Reader. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781607106692. Retrieved May 17, 2019 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Kitty, Alexandra (March 1, 2005). Don't Believe It!: How Lies Becomes News. Red Wheel Weiser. ISBN 9781609258757. Retrieved May 17, 2019 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ Coates, James (May 9, 1990). "TELEVISED DOGFIGHT STIRS FUROR". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  7. ^ "WAS DENVER TV REPORTER SET UP?". Deseret News. July 24, 1991. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  8. ^ "Ex-TV Reporter Fined for Staging Colorado Dogfight". Los Angeles Times. October 6, 1991. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  9. ^ "Reporter confident of dog fight coverup". UPI. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  10. ^ "TV REPORTER INDICTED IN DOGFIGHT CASE". Greensboro News and Record. September 21, 1990. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  11. ^ "TV REPORTER GUILTY OF STAGING DOGFIGHTS BUT NOT OF PERJURY". Deseret News. August 8, 1991. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  12. ^ Lowe, Peggy. "Former Television Reporter Fined $20,000 for Staged Dogfights". AP NEWS. Retrieved May 17, 2019.


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