U.S. TV station ends relationship with anchorwoman after racially charged Facebook post
Facing social media backlash, Wendy Bell apologizes, saying her words 'could be viewed as racist'
Pittsburgh television station WTAE has ended its relationship with anchorwoman Wendy Bell over racially charged comments she posted on Facebook.
The parent company, Hearst Television, released a statement that said Bell's comments were "inconsistent with the company's ethics and journalistic standards."
Bell's post, which has since been removed, was about an ambush shooting at a cookout that killed five people, including a woman who was pregnant.
"You needn't be a criminal profiler to draw a mental sketch of the killers who broke so many hearts two weeks ago Wednesday …. They are young black men, likely in their teens or in their early 20s," Bell wrote. "They have multiple siblings from multiple fathers and their mothers work multiple jobs. These boys have been in the system before. They've grown up there. They know the police. They've been arrested."
Social media responded with outrage to the racially charged comments.
Wendy Bell is trending nationally. Yay Pittsburgh! She was fired for this awful, barely-coded-racist Facebook post <a href="https://t.co/pIEtEi5xYy">pic.twitter.com/pIEtEi5xYy</a>
—@MrEAndersWendy Bell pulling the "black on black crime" card to defend herself. Ugh. it's like she's arguing from the standard racist script.
—@herenowhere3In the same Facebook post, Bell said there was hope, and she praised a black restaurant worker who was "hustling like nobody's business." She told the manager the young man was "the best thing the restaurant had going" before leaving.
"I wonder how long it had been since someone told him he was special," she wrote.
Some readers felt the message was condescending.
Wendy Bell told me "thanks" for opening the door for her once, I wonder if she thought she was saving my life? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pittsburgh?src=hash">#Pittsburgh</a>
—@DDisBOREDPoor <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WendyBell?src=hash">#WendyBell</a>... But there is HOPE! I saw an aspiring news anchor bussing tables at the Cheesecake Factory... and she's going to make it!
—@ChachiRadioAfter the post circulated on social media, Bell issued an apology.
I have removed a post that I initially placed here on Monday. I sincerely apologize for that post about the... <a href="https://t.co/SPdfljNykO">https://t.co/SPdfljNykO</a>
—@WendyBellWTAEThis post has also been removed, but CBS News reported that Bell said she realized her words "could be viewed as racist."
Some Twitter users were pleased.
<a href="https://twitter.com/WendyBellWTAE">@WendyBellWTAE</a> Glad you removed it! Thank you. Hoping this will spark a larger conversation about ending stereotyping, esp. in the media.
—@DearMomDiarySome thought there was nothing wrong with Bell's comments and showed their support for the anchor.
<a href="https://twitter.com/WendyBellWTAE">@WendyBellWTAE</a> No need to apologize for speaking the truth! Tell it like it is! You have my respect.
—@BeachedBikerMany users felt the apology did little to make up for her post.
<a href="https://twitter.com/WendyBellWTAE">@WendyBellWTAE</a> do u realize y ur racist? Do u see y ur views disqualify u as an objective journalist? Ur apology is par for the course,empty
—@klpqueen<a href="https://twitter.com/WendyBellWTAE">@WendyBellWTAE</a> I'm not saying you're racist. Assumptions are easy to make. But... what the hell were you thinking?
—@WackoNewsThe mixed responses led to Facebook pages in support and opposition created for the Emmy Award-winning, and now former, WTAE anchor.
With files from The Associated Press