EXCLUSIVE! Fired Nashville Sports Anchor Speaks Out
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7 days ago, FTVLive told you that WZTV (Nashville) had parted ways with Sports Anchor Dan Phillips.
Phillips claimed that he was fired because of a "Prince themed" sportscast that he did to honor the late singers death.
“Unfortunately, there were apparently some viewers, as well as management at the station, who did not feel the same way. They felt I was insensitive. And as a result, I was terminated today,” Phillips wrote on social media.
6 days ago, FTVLive reported that sources inside the station said that had been fired for dropping the F-bomb all over Reporter Meagan O’Halloran's Facebook LIVE broadcast with different people around the station.
Sources tell FTVLive that O’Halloran was having other reporters in the newsroom pull questions from a fishbowl, so the audience could get to know them better. According to our source, when O'Halloran approached Phillips office, he said something, “You better not come into my fucking office”. She did, and word is that Phillips threw down a few more F-Bombs on live Facebook broadcast.
FTVLive talked to Dan Phillips and he admits that he was not feeling the whole Facebook live thing and he was just getting ready to sit down to his dinner. He admits that he told O’Halloran not to come in his office.
He says he does not believe that he used any profanity, but he also says he would not rule out that he might have. "I was not aware it was live and felt like I was being ambushed, " Phillips tells FTVLive.
He also adds that the Facebook Live incident, nor the F-bombs were never brought up in the 3 meetings he had with management before he was fired. "The (Prince) sportscast was the only thing that was brought up in those meetings," Phillips said.
Phillips says that after the sportscast, he was, "suspended for the weekend." the suspension turned into a firing and Phillips thinks he got a raw deal. "I did nothing wrong," he says and he also adds that he has not spoken ill of the station since his firing. "I have never said anything dispararging about the station and I've worked there for 10 years," he tells FTVLive.
It took 3 meetings with management before they fired him. Phillips insist that the only reason he was told he was fired was for the Prince sportscast. A sportscast that he was proud of. "If that is the last thing I ever do on TV I'm proud of it," he says.
He also say that he has gotten a lot of support from people that are standing behind him.
It seems strange to be fired for just that sportscast and no other reason, but Phillips claims that is the only reason he was given.
He says at the moment he is not actively pursuing another job in television, but he doesn't rule it out.
One thing for sure, it's a good bet you won't see him doing any Facebook Lives in the near future.
Fuck that.
