KTLA weekend anchor Mark Mester was fired Thursday after criticizing the station on the air Saturday, Sept. 17, according to published reports. Lynette, we wish you luck, we miss you and we thank you for everything youve done for KTLA. On Thursday, executives at KTLA (Channel 5) dismissed weekend news anchor Mark Mester over concerns that comments he made . Mester did not immediately respond to The Times' requests for comment Thursday. After nearly 24 years at KTLA, our Lynette Romero has decided to move on and pursue another opportunity. The anchor had been suspended earlier this week, but KTLA . Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. KTLA fired news anchor Mark Mester Thursday afternoon, days after he was suspended following an off-script segment where he criticized the station's handling of his co-anchor Lynette. The catalyst for the incident unfolded on September 15, when weekend morning anchor Lynette Romeros departure was announced by KTLA reporter Sam Rubin, who delivered the news after being abruptly handed a script to read on-air. Her longtime followers naturally have a lot of queries. This does not sound right at all. KTLA morning anchor Mark Mester has been fired following an on-air apology for how the Nexstar owned station handled the departure of his former co-anchor . The station's general manager, Janene Drafs, announced the firing with a brief speech during a meeting in the newsroom around 1:15 p.m., saying, "[Mester] is no longer at KTLA5," staffers who were present for the announcement told The Times Thursday. Namely, KTLA had entertainment reporter Sam Rubin break the news during a 40-second segment on a weekday news broadcast, instead of having Romero a member of KTLA for nearly 24 years say goodbye to viewers herself. Lynette has been a wonderful member of the KTLA family and wish her and her family the best., Content WriterThe Brandon AgencyMyrtle Beach, South Carolina, KTLA Anchor Mark Mester Fired After On-Air Goodbye to Co-Anchor Lynette Romero, An error has occurred, please try again later. Salacious stories led the networks CEO at the time, Roger Ailes, to publicly rebuke him, saying this raises serious questions about Eds lack of judgment, especially given his position as a journalist.. The anchor had been suspended earlier this week, but KTLA decided what he did for that he deserves termination. For a really long time, Lynette Romero co-anchored with Chris Burrous, who passed on in 2018 of a methamphetamine overdose. Mester was irritated that co-anchor Lynette Romero, whom Mester referred to his as best friend, told the administration she was resigning after 24 years to anchor at another station and the board didnt permit her to have a live farewell. Bill OReilly, once the networks top star, wasforced out of the networkless than a year later after facing allegations of sexual harassment, which he also denied. ", He then apologized to Romero, whom he called "his best friend.". After nearly 24 years, Lynette Romero, our friend Lynette, has decided to move on from anchoring our weekend morning news, entertainment reporter Sam Rubin read from a statement written by news director Peter Saiers on September 14, according to a report from the Daily Mail. The high-profile attorney Douglas Wigdor, who has represented several women who have filed lawsuits against Fox News, said in a statement Wednesday morning that he is representing Henry's. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The newsroom drama at local Los Angeles TV stations showed no signs of cooling off Thursday, as Mark Mester, weekend co-anchor at KTLA, was fired a week after management suspended him for showing . Romero has kept a low profile on social media since her KTLA exit, but she addressed fans Sept. 14. After Mester went off script, the Los Angeles Times reports that staffers heard him telling a news director to shut up and was yelling obscenities. We really wanted her to stayand KTLA Management worked hard to make that happen. E! "We may not love the practice, but we know not to take it personally.". ", "I'm going to take some time speak directly to you at this hour, to tell you, what it is that happened here on [Wednesday's broadcast]," Mester said in a clip from the show that was posted onsocial media. After a staff meeting KTLA announced the Mesters firing. Nia Long got cheated. Mark Mester is no longer employed by KTLA, a spokesperson for the stations parent company, Nexstar, told TheWrap. The report added that the stations general manager, Janene Drafs, announced Mesters firing with a brief speech during a meeting in the newsroom saying, [Mester] is no longer at KTLA5.. On Sept. 17, Romero expressed her gratitude and shared a tweet from actor Holly Robinson Peete, the former co-host of CBS' "The Talk," who was fired in 2011 after just one season on the daytime talk show. Some news that weve just been handed here that we wanted to share with you after nearly 24 years Lynette Romero, our friend Lynette, has decided to move on from anchoring our weekend morning news, Rubin said. His 2019 decision to donate part of his liver to save his sister Colleens life was chronicled across Foxs shows. No proper goodbye for @LynetteRomero after all these years is trash, one person wrote on Twitter. Viewers quickly flooded Twitter with their thoughts on Mester's handling of Romeros departure. Wigdor said that he wasnt presently at liberty to share further information.. Smith briefly addressed the firing on the show Wednesday morning, telling viewers that Henry had been terminated and that Scott and Wallace addressed employees in an internal memo to bring full transparency to the matter. E! He covered the Obama administration as Foxs chief White House correspondent. An earlier version of this story mistakenly referred to Lynette Romero by the wrong last name. Both siblings recovered, and Henry wrote a memoir about the experience, which was due out in September. Tropical Storm Ian is moving toward Florida. How dangerous is Tropical Storm Ian 2022. KTLA let go of Mark Mester on Thursday after he made an emotional apology criticizing how the station handled the exit of anchor Lynette Romero, who spent over two decades at the CW affiliate. Watch the latest News on Channel 7 or stream for free on 7plus >>. She also hinted in her farewell post that she may be leaving Southern California, saying Thank you to everyone in SoCal and at ABC7 for all of the support over the years, its meant so much!. After his segment, individuals in the newsroom said, they saw Mester disregard the executives requests to step into their office for a gathering. Weekend Morning News anchor, Mark Mester, was fired on September 22, 2022, after he took it upon himself to apologize to viewers for KTLA's "rude" sendoff. ", "I will always be grateful for the love and affection LA viewers have given me," Romero wrote in another tweet on Wednesday. markmeser/Instagram The firing comes after Mester bade farewell to his "best friend" Romero in a segment where he. They also sent a statement from Drafs about Romero: After 24 years, Lynette Romero has decided to move on from anchoring our weekend morning news, said station gm Janene Drafs. Lynette, we wish you luck, we miss you and we thank you for everything you've done for KTLA. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. I also want to say sorry to Lynette Romero, because Lynette I love you so much, you really are my best friend. "Stay tuned my friends Ill be right back.". Staff members said they saw Mester walking forward and backward with an irate look before stepping on set for the Saturday segment. KTLA isnt the only Los Angeles affiliate station dealing with an anchor shake-up. Fox News has worked to reform its culture in recent years after having faced high-profile allegations of sexual harassment and assault. She was allegedly told by the station there were no openings available. "We really wanted her to stay, and KTLA Management worked hard to make that happen. However, according to the LA Times: "Several sources at the station said it was common knowledge that staffers were concerned about Mesters temper and what was described as his 'disrespectful' behavior to women and had complained to management.". Several sources at the station said it was common knowledge that staffers were concerned about Mester's temper and what was described as his "disrespectful" behavior to women and had complained to management. On behalf of everyone here, we wish you and your family nothing but the best.. Based on investigative findings, Ed has been terminated, they said. Romero joined KTLA in 1998 and won multiple local Emmy Awards, including one in 2006 for her reporting on the Latino community. Fox News said Wednesday that Ed Henry, one of its top news anchors, had been fired after the network received a complaint last week of sexual harassment from years ago. Since then, Romero took the lead of the show, alongside Mester. The Times added that said some newsroom employees felt Mester had violated their trust by going off script in his goodbye. The KTLA website no longer lists Mester on its roster of reporters and anchors. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. You did not deserve this, it was a mistake, and we hope you can find it in your heart to forgive us, Mester added in his four-minute monologue as he fought back strong emotions. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. State of emergency declared for San Bernardino Mtns, Sinkhole swallows vehicle at Ventura County high, Sinkhole at Cal State LA; campus traffic rerouted. One Twitter user tweeted Mark was 100% right. We wish Lynette nothing but the best of luck on her next chapter. For years, she co-anchored with Chris Burrous, who died in 2018 of a methamphetamine overdose. KTLA-TV Channel 5 fired news anchor Mark Mester Thursday afternoon, days after he was suspended following an off-script segment in which he criticized the station's handling of his. Mester had pitched producers to include footage of the plane in the segment but was rejected. Lynette deserved to say goodbye, it didnt happen, I dont know who wrote the script, I dont know who handed it to Sam Rubin, regardless, this was a mistake. Last week, KTLA announced that Romero, a longtime anchor of its popular weekend morning show, had left the station without saying goodbye to viewers, drawing wide outrage and criticism. The four-minute ad-lib ignored a written script from producers, who declined to show footage of a plane Mester hired to fly a banner over the station that said We love you Lynette.. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. pic.twitter.com/dnjrhCItSs, The news of Mester's firing comes after his segment last Saturday, where he apologized to viewers for the short segment announcing Romero's departure, and called it "unfortunate" and "inappropriate. The whole drama started after entertainment reporter Sam Rubin informed viewers about Romeros departure on Wednesday September 14. He filled in on pro-Trump opinion shows like Fox & Friends Weekend and Tucker Carlson Tonight, winning the affections of Fox viewers. Mester, however, was very disturbed by the abrupt send off which he described as "rude, it was cruel, it was inappropriate," and took it upon himself to apologize, on behalf of the station, to viewers during Saturdays weekend morning show. KTLA weekend anchor Mark Mester was fired on Thursday after he blasted the station and apologized to viewers for how his bosses handled the departure of his former co-host and best friend Lynette Romero. Weekend Morning News anchor, Mark Mester, was fired on September 22, 2022, after he took it upon himself to apologize to viewers for KTLA's "rude" sendoff. RELATED: News Anchor Suspended for Criticizing the Treatment of Former Co-Anchor amid Controversial Departure. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. On social media, many viewers shared their confusion about Romeros sudden departure, and anger at the fact that she was not given a proper farewell. His name is not present in the Anchors list on the official website and reports suspect it very well may be because of his off-script stunt on Saturday. When the time came, Mester went off script and criticised the stations management for their handling of Romeros exit. Mester had spoken out about how the station handled . Girls high school basketball team forfeits a game because it refused to play against a team with a transgender player, Fox Leaders Wanted to Break From Trump but Struggled to Make It Happen, Not Going to Read That: White House Press Secretary Brushes Off DeSantis Op-Ed, Brunt of storm moving out of SoCal, light showers on tap Wednesday, These Savings Accounts Pay 13x More Than Most, Wake-Up Weather: AM showers then mild and breezy, Training for Paris Olympics in midst of war in Ukraine. After his segment, people in the newsroom said, they saw Mester ignore management's requests to step into their office for a meeting. 1. All rights reserved. But now Los Angeles residents are going to miss the veteran anchor. An announcement was made on Wednesday, Sam Rubin had to read it, it was unfortunate it was inappropriate, and we are so sorry about that, he said. Shortly after Mester's speech, Deadline reported he had been suspended by KTLA. Mester has over 78k followers on Instagram, where he often posts pictures of himself on the set of KTLA with his fellow colleagues. I love you so much, in a real sense you are my dearest companion. The news anchors name removed from the official website of KTLA. No reason for me to watch KTLA now since no Liberty, no Lynette and now firing Mark Mester", Others urged viewers to boycott KTLA for their actions: "I can not believe that you have been fired over this. Mark Mester took a hit at the station on September 17 to help previous co-anchor Lynette Romero, guaranteeing KTLA didnt permit her to express farewell to watchers before she left her job. As TheWrap previously reported, Mester was suspended earlier this week after hison-air tribute to Romero in which he apologized on behalf of KTLA. ABC7 weekend anchor and general assignment reporter Veronica Miracle announced that shes leaving the station without indicating where shes going next. Henry joined Fox in 2011 after seven years at CNN. Trademark and Copyright 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. "After 24 years, Lynette Romero has decided to move on from anchoring our weekend morning news," Drafs said. 2. Were going to offer you dignity and grace, which is what this station shouldve done from the beginning, Mester continued in the unapproved monologue. He likewise told viewers a plane was flying over KTLA with a banner that read, We love you, Lynette. The plane was contracted by Mester, as per the L.A. Times. On behalf of everyone here, we wish you and your family nothing but the best.. Romero also thanked her viewers, saying she was grateful for the love and affection they had given her. Media since her KTLA exit, but we know not to take it personally... It was last updated like Fox & friends weekend and Tucker Carlson Tonight, the... Affiliate station dealing with an anchor shake-up trust by going off script in goodbye... 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