{"id":364781,"date":"2021-11-10T05:15:51","date_gmt":"2021-11-10T02:15:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/longtime-news-anchor-fired-over-gabby-petito-coverage\/"},"modified":"2021-11-10T05:15:51","modified_gmt":"2021-11-10T02:15:51","slug":"longtime-news-anchor-fired-over-gabby-petito-coverage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/longtime-news-anchor-fired-over-gabby-petito-coverage\/","title":{"rendered":"#Longtime News Anchor Fired Over Gabby Petito Coverage?"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Longtime News<\/a> Anchor Fired Over Gabby Petito Coverage?
\n<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

\nIt sounds like San Francisco will have to go without its \u201cLet\u2019s Be Frank\u201d segments.<\/p>\n

Longtime\u00a0KTVU<\/strong> news anchor\u00a0Frank Somerville<\/strong> was \u201cindefinitely suspended\u201d back in September, reportedly over a disagreement over the coverage of the\u00a0Gabby Petito<\/strong> case. Innerestingly, the difference of opinion was over a proposed editorial segment lasting less than a minute.<\/p>\n

According to multiple sources at the time, Somerville proposed a moment at the end of one of Channel 2\u2019s updates on the case of the murdered YouTube<\/a>r<\/strong> in which he would question \u201cthe extraordinary level of media coverage devoted to the story.\u201d The 63-year-old was interested in pointing out the historic discrepancy between coverage of missing persons cases when they involved white women and people of color, what journalist Gwen Ifill<\/strong> called \u201cmissing white woman syndrome.\u201d<\/p>\n

Related: Gabby Petito\u2019s Mom Tweets \u2018This Cannot Be Our Life\u2019 After Seeing This<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seems fair, especially if it\u2019s in the interest of growth. The Gabby Petito case was kind of a perfect storm of social media information, intrigue, and infuriating police mistakes. As such it has garnered disproportionate interest even among \u201cmissing white woman\u201d cases. And we\u2019ve also seen the reminders of media bias lead to the spotlight being spread to other cases, including those of\u00a0Lauren Cho<\/strong> and\u00a0Daniel Robinson<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

But Somerville\u2019s superiors at the Fox<\/strong> affiliate app<\/a>arently disagreed with the need for such a segment. KTVU news director Amber Eikel<\/strong> shut down the idea, and the disagreement allegedly led directly to his suspension. Sources at the station explained that an abridged version of the \u201ctag\u201d appeared in a later newscast even after he had been told no, which may explain the network\u2019s decision to suspend the news vet.<\/p>\n

Now, after nearly 30 years with the station, Somerville says he doesn\u2019t expect to be allowed to return to his job. He told The San Francisco Chronicle<\/em> on Tuesday:<\/p>\n

\u201cMy guess is that I\u2019m not coming back to Channel 2. That\u2019s just a guess. But I have no reason to think otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Somerville told the publication he has been on paid leave since the suspension, so as punishments go, it\u2019s good lack of work if you can get it. Despite his suspension inspiring protests outside the station, he tells viewers so far as he knows, \u201cthey\u2019re not bringing me back.\u201d He even gave something of a goodbye speech, saying:<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to thank all the people at Channel 2 \u2014 the writer, the producers, the editors and the photographers \u2014 because they are the backbone of the station.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Seems like a class act.<\/p>\n

Somerville is the adopted father of a Black daughter and has been vocal on issues of racial justice over the past couple years, including Black Lives Matter.<\/p>\n

\n

We don’t look alike.
But I’m her dad. And she’s my daughter.
Not my adopted daughter.
Just my daughter. So cool! pic.twitter.com\/hWng7XhMBJ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Frank Somerville (@SomervilleKTVU) June 7, 2014<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n