Former Reporter Sues WKRG

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Glenn Austin, former WKRG reporter after 12 years of service and current spokesman for the sheriff's office in Escambia County, Florida, has filed a lawsuit against the CBS affiliate in Mobile over a false case of plagiarism back in January. It all began when he copied and pasted an online news article from the Pensacola News-Journal and sent it by electronic mail to fellow employees. The station's webmaster made the unfortunate error of putting Glenn Austin's name on the article and posting in online at WKRG.com.

 

The story was removed from the station's website, but the management caught it and Glenn was fired. It became worse when the station announced his termination and reasons in their newscasts. The webmaster quit a week after Glenn's termination, as he no longer wanted to be associated with WKRG and owner Media General.

 

According to the former reporter, no other station will accept him and WKRG's news director had the chance to ruin his career beginning with that online posting. The outcome he is seeking from this lawsuit is for WKRG to make a retraction on the air and online. No money was specified in the lawsuit and no court date has been set.

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During TV5’s “breaking news” coverage in place of “The Price is Right” and “The Young and the Restless”, Glenn Austin spoke for the sheriff’s office in Escambia County, Florida by telephone in reaction to a tornado on the Florida side of the TV market. He also spoke on the Cable News Network (CNN).

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Both sides have settled the lawsuit, as reported by the Mobile Press-Register.

 

http://www.al.com/news/press-register/index.ssf?/base/news/1205226957297570.xml&coll=3