ABC doesn't mention the Ponce connection

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: Not totally Straight : ABC piece on a capella group finesses fact station's reporter is a member : December 11, 2008 : BY LEWIS LAZARE Sun-Times Columnist : It was a feel-good piece of the sort that often comes at the end of ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson" each evening. : The piece, by ABC's Barbara Pinto on Monday night, focused on Straight No Chaser, an obscure a capella singing group of 10 buddies who met in college years ago. : Obscure, that is, 'til they scored a hit on the ultimate platform for overnight fame: YouTube. YouTube led to an Atlantic Records deal, complete with talk of touring, contract and there's already a holiday album out on the label. : As the story unfolded in Pinto's piece, we were at one point treated to a sound bite from a member, none other than Dan Ponce, who has been a reporter at ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7 for 2.5 years. : We recognized Ponce -- and his affiliation -- immediately, but we were surprised when Pinto finessed his connection to WLS and ABC. She identified him only as a local television reporter in Chicago. : It would have been nice if ABC News and Pinto had been more forthcoming about Ponce's connections. Still, the piece was great publicity for the junior WLS reporter. If Straight No Chaser should take off, it's possible Ponce could soon find his career moving in a different direction. : But for now, Ponce is still very much much employed at the local station. "He's a good reporter; we wouldn't want to lose him," said WLS President and General Manager Emily Barr.

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