Last month in a Patron Only Story, FTVLive told you that a main Anchor at Atlanta’s WGCL had tested positive for the coronavirus.

The station did not release the Anchor’s name and the Anchor himself did not come forward to say he had the virus, that is until yesterday.

Yesterday, WGCL Anchor Rick Folbaum finally stepped forward and said that he had the tested positive.

“Rick is sharing the story of his diagnosis, illness and two week journey back to health in hopes of demonstrating that Coronavirus patients can recover and play an important role in the medical and social response to this pandemic,” the station posted on their website.

Folbaum was last on the air on March 16th and said that he started to feel ill while at work. “March 16, I came to work, we worked together that day. I didn’t have any symptoms at all. I had a great morning I spent with my kids before coming into work. And then I did our early shows, four o’clock news and then the five o’clock news with you Tracye, and then I had a little half hour break. I went back to my desk and thought, wow I feel really tired. And so, I literally put my head down and closed my eyes and fell fast asleep for a full half-hour until my producer had to wake me up to go anchor the six-o’clock news. So I ran out to the studio and during the 6pm news I realized something was going on and that I needed to go home as soon as possible which is exactly what I did.”

People in the newsroom that interacted with Folbaum say they felt they were left in the dark. “The next thing we knew, he called out the following day but wouldn’t reveal to his coworkers that he was ill and the entire newsroom couldn’t get answers as to if they were exposed,” said a station insider.

One staffer tells FTVLive, “One manager even told people it was not Rick (Foldbaum) that was positive and to stop gossiping or face consequences.”

Word is that WGCL has 3 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the station and some insiders are pissed.

As to Folbaum, one staffer thinks he should have given his co-workers a heads up much earlier. “He magically pops up 15 days later (yesterday) on a video meeting to announce he’s positive, coming back and now ready to share his story with the world and wants to film a story of him going back to the hospital and thanking nurses.” The staffer adds, “If he wanted to stay “private”, he shouldn’t be milking it now.”

HIPPA laws prevent stations from disclosing which people have tested positive, but it does not prevent the employee from doing so.

Other talent like WABC Anchor Bill Ritter has been upfront with viewers and his co-workers from the moment he tested positive.

People inside WGCL think Folbaum should have been as well.