TV Station Sticks to Story Despite Buss, Bank Denial

Despite denials by Jerry Buss and Security Pacific National Bank, KCBS-TV stuck to its story Thursday, saying again that the owner of the Forum, Lakers and Kings has missed payments on bank loans of more than $100 million, and that he is in danger of losing his sports holdings.

Mark Murphy, managing editor of the KCBS news department, said that Security Pacific had “messed up” in denying the KCBS report Wednesday. “I think you’ll get a different version today,” Murphy said.

But Dick Warner, a Security Pacific senior vice president, said: “Channel 2 got it wrong. First of all, the money involved is not $100 million. In fact, it is less than $50 million.”

KCBS investigative reporter Jim Mitchell said on the air Thursday evening that the station had “hoped to talk with bank officials, but we were told they cannot discuss a relationship between the bank and its clients.”

Mitchell said that the bank would not specify the amount of money involved, other than to say it is substantially less than $100 million.

KCBS had reported on Wednesday that Security Pacific had contacted Sam Gilbert, a Southern California sports figure, about running the Lakers and Kings if the bank foreclosed on Buss’ sports holdings.

Warner said Thursday: “We at no time contacted Sam Gilbert, and his comments to the press yesterday verify that.”

Gilbert, asked if he had ever talked to KCBS-TV’s Mitchell, said: “I never knew he existed until he got on the air yesterday.”

Gilbert added that he had not talked to anyone at KCBS and reiterated that at no time has he discussed running the Lakers and Kings with any representatives of Security Pacific.

But Murphy said Gilbert was now “being guarded in his comments.”

Security Pacific’s Warner also said Thursday that Buss “has no credits in default.”

Said Murphy: “We never said he did.”

Murphy also said that Buss was given “ample opportunity” to respond to Wednesday’s report before it went on the air but chose not to comment until he had seen it. On the 4:30 news Thursday, Mitchell said that Buss “flatly denied our requests” to be interviewed (before the report aired). Buss, who did answer questions from sportscaster Jim Hill on the 6 p.m. news Wednesday, said he had no recollection of being given a chance to respond before the report aired.

Murphy said that Mitchell and off-air reporter Henry Mendoza had been working on the Buss story for several weeks. Mitchell attributed his report to unspecified bank sources.

Buss, in a prepared statement Thursday, said: “I am very gratified with the opportunity I have been given by the media to respond to the erroneous statements that claim I am in financial difficulty and that my teams are in jeopardy of foreclosure.

“I am disturbed and hurt by the KCBS broadcasts and the false statements contained in them. I have answered every statement specifically and would now like to return my efforts to important business, the continued successful operation of the Lakers, Kings, Lazers and Forum, and my real estate interests.”