After Anchor Was Fired For Racist Facebook Post, Channel’s Ratings Took a Dive

After a deadly shooting at a barbecue in March, a news anchor for Pittsburgh’s WTAE-TV named Wendy Bell wrote on Facebook that she was sure the suspects were young black men who had been arrested before and who didn’t have stable father figures. Since the police hadn’t released any information yet, that was pretty hasty. WTAE’s parent company, Hearst, agreed and Bell was fired.

While Hearst stated at the time that her post was “inconsistent with the company’s ethics and journalistic standards,” the people of Pittsburgh may feel differently about whether it is inconsistent with their ethics and standards.

WTAE has seen a massive drop in household viewership this month and a lessening of its grip on the overall demo, too, according to FTVLive.

Sure, Bell’s absence may not be the only factor involved, but it’s worth remembering that so many of her fans and the station’s viewers threatened a boycott when she was dismissed.

[image via screengrab]

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