About That Gay Stuff, We Kind of Screwed Up

After FTVLive showed you an internal memo (Patron Only Story) that went out to the staff at Nexstar’s WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, the company launched an investigation.

The email from Assistant News Director Amy Fox said that the station needed to pull back on the Gay Pride stories as it was pissing off their conservative viewers.

“We need to be thoughtful about what Pride events and stories we cover, and how we cover them. If there is a news reason for the story, we should do it. If we are just showing one more Pride event, that may not be a good enough reason to do the story,” Fox wrote in the memo.

After FTVLive’s story, corporate stepped in and told the staff at Fox and News Director Stanton Tang no longer had editorial control over Pride Month stories.

The station has now said they are sorry and are “committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to covering and reporting the news of the day in an expansive and inclusive fashion…” which, if you read the entire memo, you would know wasn’t the case last week.

Sources at Nexstar tell FTVLive that a decision is being made on Tamg’s future at the station and the company.

A number of WOOD station insiders feel that the company needs to let him go.

“In my opinion, it is imperative for Stanton Tang to step down from his role as a news director at WOOD TV with dignity and respect. I also strongly believe that Julie Brinks, the station president, should receive education and awareness about the crucial significance of prioritizing the mental well-being of the employees she represents. I firmly believe that Julie Brinks owes an apology to the entire newsroom for the negative experiences and distress caused by the recent events in our newsroom,” said one station employee to FTVLive.

Stay tuned…