William1111 41 Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/wtae-anchor-accused-of-racist-facebook-posts/166620 Wendy Bell, anchor of Hearst owned WTAE in Pittsburgh made an opinion post to her Facebook page Monday morning regarding a recent shooting, referring to the perpetrators as "young black men", which made some people steamed up enough to create a Facebook page demanding her firing. Do you think Hearst will fire her? Or will they just give her a slap on the wrist? (or take the BriWi approach, and suspend her for 6 months and demote her to a lower position) Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daybreak 288 Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Something is going to happen because the story is becoming bigger now. The station not saying anything isn't going to last long. Hearst might step in and do something because it looks very bad for them if they don't. I don't think she should be fired but I do think they should demote her. She anchors the 5-6:30 pm block and 11 pm. They should bring back Michelle Wright ( I hope thats her name) from the mornings (she use to anchor the 6) to do the 5 and 11 and Sally Wiggins to do the 6 and put Wendy at noon or moved her to weekends. A lot of people are very upset and rightfully so. I was never a big fan of her anyway. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147833 Share on other sites More sharing options...
William1111 41 Posted March 24, 2016 Author Share Posted March 24, 2016 While I don't necessarily disagree with Mrs. Bell, you shouldn't post controversial opinions like that if you're a journalist, that's just not professional for that line of work.. period. Don't get me wrong, *some* opinions are fine for talent to publicly post, such as non-controversial topics that aren't newsworthy, like "I don't like Starbucks coffee, it's too bitter". Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147835 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColumbusNewsFan 217 Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 I know what I'm about to say will sound rough here bear with me as I'm going to try phrase it correctly. I really want to go off about it but I can't because I see her rational here. I read the original comments via the article shared. I'm going to say something I know I'm get nailed on but Wendy wasn't racist but she quoted the wrong media trope about mass shooting. Now I'll admit when I heard mass shooting I first thought white people and That is so wrong it is inexcusable. Now I will knock her on this and many people do it as well including myself on this, She fell for using media tropes that we use rightly or wrongly to quickly paint something to the audience. The problem with tropes is sometimes they don't fit for the situation and could be absolutely wrong. Now, One thing I do agree with how people are reacting to it isHow she said it was dumb and shouldn't be said by your lead anchor of your station, Ever. Yes, you report the news but there is expectation that you look at all sides of a story at the desk when you are a lead anchor. The problem is there is perceived bias in her comment and that is not good for WTAE in a tight market like Pittsburgh. So sorry, I don't see this as she said a racial comment but more she went and blurted the wrong media trope that we have in our culture that could end up being absolutely wrong. But here the thing The Media uses these tropes every day so saying "Wendy take a seat for a bit" is pretty much saying we as the media profile and use tropes all the time but we are going to suspend her to send a message that we really don't believe in. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147836 Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbnews 344 Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Yes she was NOT racist at all. She was just writing what was on TV. Black shooters. Plain and simple. They should not demote her because she is extremely talented and everybody adores her. It would destroy WTAE's evening news. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147839 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TVNewsLover 779 Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Two week suspension and on-air apology should be sufficient. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147840 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRolyPoly 2415 Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Two week suspension and on-air apology should be sufficient. Yeah, that'll be good. Maybe a month would be too harsh. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147842 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daybreak 288 Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 From the looks of it, she's probably not going to get suspended. She issued an apology on Facebook. It looks like she got a slap on the wrist. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147846 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eat News 4745 Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 More and more anchors and reporters are getting facebook Indemnification clauses as part of their contracts. This is exactly why. If you are going to require that staff post to social media sites as part of the job, then you better be careful about suspending or firing a person because of "public outrage" over a posting. People get bent out of shape "just because" nowadays, and air staff being fired over such nonsense will land a station in court real quickly in most states. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147847 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhratbrat 437 Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 Eat, you made a ton of sense there. I don't know about WTAE, but I would def. assume most stations probably have a social media manager that does check up on the accounts of their staff as part of their job duties. An apology in this case is sufficient and more than likely probably some training will happen for all the staffers about social media. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147859 Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie 915 Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/pittsburgh-stations-gm-sorry-for-anchors-facebook-post/166837 Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147874 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breaking News 829 Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/wtae-anchor-accused-of-racist-facebook-posts/166620 Wendy Bell, anchor of Hearst owned WTAE in Pittsburgh made an opinion post to her Facebook page Monday morning regarding a recent shooting, referring to the perpetrators as "young black men", which made some people steamed up enough to create a Facebook page demanding her firing. Do you think Hearst will fire her? Or will they just give her a slap on the wrist? (or take the BriWi approach, and suspend her for 6 months and demote her to a lower position) I remember on another site ppl were talking about somebody in management had issues with on-air personality. So the story goes that this person in management would talk so badly about the on-air talent at this Hearst station. Somebody's comment was "Hearst is like the Catholic Church where everything is swept under the rug" Not sure how true that's. From the looks of it, she's probably not going to get suspended. She issued an apology on Facebook. It looks like she got a slap on the wrist. http://www.ftvlive.com/todays-news/2016/3/24/wendy-bell-you-pissed-off-half-of-pittsburgh-whats-next http://www.ftvlive.com/todays-news/2016/3/25/wtae-finally-addresses-bells-comment-in-on-air-editorial Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147883 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daybreak 288 Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 It took WTAE 2 days to say something... This is something different because most stations like to say something right when it happen to kind of distance it way from the situation. I guess its true that they really like Wendy Bell. Come to find out, this is her second time on air that she said some insensitive remarks regarding African American. I remember this too but in that instance, I just thought she misspoke trying to do a joke. I will say I don't think she should be fired but need to be serverly reprimanded. But I'll wait until the next sweep period to see if it effects the rating. I think if it does, that when change will happen. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147917 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggo 354 Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 That GM looked INCREDIBLY uncomfortable delivering the station's apology. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147949 Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianpr3 178 Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 and shes hiding out at disney world Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147951 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColumbusNewsFan 217 Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 That GM looked INCREDIBLY uncomfortable delivering the station's apology. And probably the last time anyone with the station say to Wendy Bell, "Hey Wendy, Write something that will get people talking." Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147965 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1916 Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 That GM looked INCREDIBLY uncomfortable delivering the station's apology. Not to mention it looks like it was thrown together at the last second, which is interesting since the "scandal" was a few days old at that point. You'd think someone working in a TV station might be able to find someone to coach him on how to not sound scripted. You can also hear the HVAC system running so they didn't even bother to kill that while they taped this. Also, with a name like Charles W. Wolfertz III, you're pretty much destined from birth to be a TV station GM. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147978 Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkolsen 1684 Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Also, with a name like Charles W. Wolfertz III, you're pretty much destined from birth to be a TV station GM. I'm slightly curious who makes up WTAE's "Editorial Board"? I'm guessing it's the GM, ND and Assistand ND. I wonder where they filmed this. Wouldn't the studio have a silent HVAC system? Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147990 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eat News 4745 Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 I think it was shot quickly and on the sly...away from others. 2 takes maximum and get it over with. Nobody wanted to be a part of that...and management didn't want to ask for volunteers. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147992 Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathannah 2429 Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 I'm slightly curious who makes up WTAE's "Editorial Board"? I'm guessing it's the GM, ND and Assistand ND. I wonder where they filmed this. Wouldn't the studio have a silent HVAC system? Had to be in front of something like a greenscreen on a spare set meant for commercial shoots where the mechanical systems are easily bled out by CALM-violating selling music. And these days an 'editorial board' seems to be made up on the spot of just top people in management. Unless you're like WTOC and will stubbornly have editorials until the bitter end, this isn't the 80's any longer and it's rare when anyone in management has to come on-screen. Compare that stiff delivery to the editorials of the past on other stations, and you know management rarely gets on-camera training unless they insist on staying fresh. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-147999 Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman 58 Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Had to be in front of something like a greenscreen on a spare set meant for commercial shoots where the mechanical systems are easily bled out by CALM-violating selling music. And these days an 'editorial board' seems to be made up on the spot of just top people in management. Unless you're like WTOC and will stubbornly have editorials until the bitter end, this isn't the 80's any longer and it's rare when anyone in management has to come on-screen. Compare that stiff delivery to the editorials of the past on other stations, and you know management rarely gets on-camera training unless they insist on staying fresh. Interestingly, WTAE does these editorial segments now all the time, and they are always hosted by the GM. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-148005 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eat News 4745 Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Had to be in front of something like a greenscreen on a spare set meant for commercial shoots where the mechanical systems are easily bled out by CALM-violating selling music. And these days an 'editorial board' seems to be made up on the spot of just top people in management. Unless you're like WTOC and will stubbornly have editorials until the bitter end, this isn't the 80's any longer and it's rare when anyone in management has to come on-screen. Compare that stiff delivery to the editorials of the past on other stations, and you know management rarely gets on-camera training unless they insist on staying fresh. Plus I would add that there are no longer any true "locals" in the station Management anymore. Just a bunch of transplants that have no real clue about local issues. I can only think of one TV station in Ca. that does any type of editorial and that is KSBW-8 in Salinas. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-148056 Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkolsen 1684 Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 FTVLive is reporting that she was fired and it came direct from corporate. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-148141 Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianpr3 178 Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 her bio is also not on wtae's site also Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-148143 Share on other sites More sharing options...
newsbot 271 Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Our Hearst-owned station (WMTW) had editorials from the President/GM from 2012-2015. WCSH did editorials until the editorial director (Fred Nutter) retired in 2009. Sinclair-owned WGME has "Behind the Headlines" but no local editorials. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/15023-wtae-anchor-under-fire-for-facebook-post/#findComment-148144 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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