WOOD TV-8 fires executives responsible for Pride Month memo, advocates against it

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Holland Sentinel is a content partner of WOOD TV-8.

GRAND RAPIDS — News broke Thursday, June 29, that Grand Rapids-based outlet WOOD TV-8 has fired both the officials responsible for a controversial Pride Month memo and those accused of leaking it.

More: WOOD TV reporters, producers rail against internal memo calling for less Pride coverage

That's according to a report from TheDesk, which said news director Stanton Tang was informed of his dismissal during a one-on-one with the station's general manager after a two-week investigation by executives at parent company Nexstar.

The outlet came under fire in early June, from both the public and employees, for allegedly telling reporters to cover fewer Pride events because it was upsetting conservative viewers.

"We know that West Michigan is a conservative area in many ways," the internal memo said, according to TheDesk. "We need to recognize that some stories related to LGBTQ issues are going to be controversial and polarizing in our community."

The memo suggested reporters need not cover every Pride event, adding: "We need to do some work to discern the newsworthy-ness of the event. If we are covering Pride events, we need to consider how to make the story balanced and get both sides of the issue."

News anchor Michele DeSelms took issue with this portion of the memo, tweeting: "Our newsroom immediately stood up to the two managers who wrote a memo mandating that we cover 'the other side' of Pride events — essentially requiring us to give equal time to hate and discrimination.

"We said no, and will continue to fight for our LGBTQ colleagues, family members, friends and the community. This fight is not over. Please know we are standing up for what’s right, standing strong together and we will not let hate win."

Executive producer Luke Stier was also vocal about the newsroom's opposition.

"This memo was met with immediate pushback from our newsroom. The guidance is not being followed," he wrote on Twitter. "The only two people involved in its creation have been removed from any discussions surrounding @WOODTV Pride coverage as our corporation conducts a thorough investigation."

Producer Kyle McIlmurray wrote: "It has been an awfully difficult week for our newsroom. The silver lining in this mess is that our staff is united in pushing back on this ridiculous and hurtful memo that was sent out."

But that vocal opposition haunted the newsroom Thursday, when, in addition to Tang and assistant news director Amy Fox — whom Tang directed to write and distribute the memo, according to TheDesk — the company also terminated Stier and producer Madeline Odle. According to TheDesk, the company accused both of leaking the memo to media.

TheDesk reports, in the two weeks leading up to his firing, Tang faced mounting pressure to resign "from within his own newsroom." Former and current employees told TheDesk the memo was the latest in a series of incidents, including a newsroom-wide memo that allegedly warned reporters against participating in Michigan's primary election in 2022.

In a statement following the initial leak, Nexstar Executive Vice President Gary Weitman released a statement apologizing "for offending members of the LGBTQ community and WOOD TV’s viewers," and pledged to "take appropriate action as necessary to address this situation."

He said the company is "looking into the situation" and "the communication regarding the station’s coverage of PRIDE month activities in the area is not consistent with Nexstar’s values, the way we cover the news, or the respect we have for our viewers."

He added that "diversity, equity, and inclusion are among Nexstar’s core values. Our local TV stations are expected to cover and report the news of the day in an expansive and inclusive fashion, consistent with these values."

Many viewed the firing of Stier and Odle "as an attempt to chill future leaks," TheDesk wrote. "Some are talking about resigning in solidarity with their colleagues."

“This whole situation killed what used to be a very enjoyable job,” one journalist told the outlet on Thursday. “I have no passion for it anymore.”

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Stier and Odle took to social media Friday with a statement of their own:

"After 20 combined years in one of the best newsrooms in America, we are waking up reading the news instead of writing it," they wrote. "We’ve had a front row seat to history for countless events in the city we love, working with the best journalists in the industry. We are heartbroken to not be with our team today continuing the incredible legacy we have fought so hard for.

"We have been told our non-compete clauses remain in effect, which means we are looking at unexpected career changes. If you are aware of any job openings in the Grand Rapids area, please reach out to us. We’re ready."

— Cassandra Lybrink is the local editor of The Holland Sentinel. Sarah Leach is the executive editor of The Holland Sentinel. Contact them at newsroom@hollandsentinel.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: WOOD fires executives over Pride Month memo, advocates against it