{"id":1963140,"date":"2023-07-03T10:55:03","date_gmt":"2023-07-03T14:55:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/news-directors-fired-after-asking-team-to-cover-both-sides-of-pride-month-but-they-arent-the-only-ones-gone\/"},"modified":"2023-07-03T10:58:36","modified_gmt":"2023-07-03T14:58:36","slug":"news-directors-fired-after-asking-team-to-cover-both-sides-of-pride-month-but-they-arent-the-only-ones-gone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/news-directors-fired-after-asking-team-to-cover-both-sides-of-pride-month-but-they-arent-the-only-ones-gone\/","title":{"rendered":"News directors fired for requesting coverage of both sides of &#8216;Pride&#8217; Month, but they&#8217;re not the only ones ousted."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">38<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnews-directors-fired-after-asking-team-to-cover-both-sides-of-pride-month-but-they-arent-the-only-ones-gone%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1963140&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>News Directors Fired After Asking Team to Cover Both Sides of &#8216;Pride&#8217; Month &#8211; But They Aren&#8217;t the Only Ones Gone<\/h2>\n<p>There are doubtlessly countless corporate executives breathing a sigh of relief that the month of June \u2014 LGBT \u201cpride month\u201d \u2014 has passed them by.<\/p>\n<p>For the first time in recent memory, virtue-signaling toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, as well as any other identities added to the alphabet soup in recent years, was met with serious resistance when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/news-directors-fired-after-asking-team-to-cover-both-sides-of-pride-month-but-they-arent-the-only-ones-gone\/\" title=\"News directors fired for requesting coverage of both sides of 'Pride' Month, but they're not the only ones ousted.\">numerous campaigns began shoving values inimical<\/a> to many Americans\u2019 into their faces \u2014 and Americans began shoving back.<\/p>\n<p>Thus, for those employed to market <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/bud-lights-dylan-mulvaney-partnership-now-cost-645-people-jobs-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bud Light<\/a>, Target, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/fact-check-ford-rolled-lgbt-gay-raptor-truck\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ford<\/a> and others, \u201cpride month\u201d is now \u201cdamage control months\u201d as C-suite types scramble to undo what the diversity, equity and inclusion inculcators hath wrought.<\/p>\n<p>And now media giant Nexstar may be among them.<\/p>\n<p>You might not know the brand Nexstar, but you likely know one of its brands; the media conglomerate is the largest owner of individual television stations in the United States.<\/p>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2023\/06\/16\/business\/nexstar-news-probes-local-pride-coverage\/index.html?cid=external-feeds_iluminar_yahoo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CNN<\/a>, the company faced a crisis in the midst of \u201cpride month\u201d when the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/diversity-group-linked-to-swing-district-dem-pushes-for-critical-race-theory-in-michigan-schools\/\" title=\"\u2018Diversity\u2019 Group Linked to Swing-District Dem Pushes for Critical Race Theory in Michigan Schools\">news director<\/a> and assistant news director at WOOD-TV in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/newborn-dramatic-birth-hole-separating-heart-now-called-miracle-baby\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Grand Rapids<\/a>, Michigan told reporters to \u201cget both sides\u201d on LGBT controversies, saying they\u2019d faced feedback from conservative viewers that their coverage was \u201cpolarizing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe need to recognize that some stories related to LGBTQ issues are going to be controversial and polarizing in our community. While you personally may not agree with a certain position, people are entitled to their opinions and they are our viewers,\u201d the memo read, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/thedesk.net\/2023\/06\/amy-fox-wood-tv-lgbt-memo-conservative-viewers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Desk<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>That resulted in a backlash from people in the newsroom.<\/p>\n<p>At the time, it sounded like the news director was the only one in trouble. \u201cWe\u2019re looking into the situation at WOOD-TV, as the communication regarding the station\u2019s coverage of PRIDE month activities in the area is not consistent with Nexstar\u2019s values, the way we cover the news, or the respect we have for our viewers,\u201d the company said in a statement, according to CNN\u2019s June 16 report.<\/p>\n<p>Nexstar said it would \u201ctake appropriate action as necessary to address this situation\u201d and issued an apology \u201cfor offending members of the LGBTQ community and WOOD-TV\u2019s viewers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Well, it has taken \u201cappropriate action\u201d \u2014 and the people who found themselves sans employment were both those who complained about the travesty of being forced to cover both sides of the story, along with those who tried to get them to do it.<\/p>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/news\/local\/michigan\/2023\/06\/30\/grand-rapids-journalists-fired-after-criticizing-pride-month-memo\/70373659007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Detroit News<\/a>, two executive producers at WOOD \u2014 Madeline Odle and Luke Stier \u2014 were fired last week after making their criticism of the memo public, violating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/ap-nexstar-media-selling-19-tv-stations-for-1-32-billion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the company\u2019s<\/a> confidentiality agreement.<\/p>\n<p>The two released a statement Friday, confirming they were \u201cwaking up reading the news instead of writing it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>More\u2019s the pity.<\/p>\n<p>They also have non-compete clauses, which makes it a bit difficult to get work at other stations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have been told our non-compete clauses remain in effect, which means we are looking at unexpected career changes,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s more, they don\u2019t exactly have a spouse to rely on for a second income: \u201cOdle and Stier, who are getting married to each other next month, both tweeted on June 15 that a newsroom memo about toning down Pride Month coverage faced opposition among staff,\u201d the Detroit News reported.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis memo does not reflect our views,\u201d Odle said regarding the memo. \u201cIt has not and will not change how we cover members of our community.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"zxx\"><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Ny47jdUCbA\">pic.twitter.com\/Ny47jdUCbA<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Madeline Odle (@MadelineOdleTV) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MadelineOdleTV\/status\/1674773066004541442?\">June 30, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>However, the authors of the memo \u2014 station news director Stanton Tang and assistant news director Amy Fox \u2014 were also let go Thursday, per <a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2023\/06\/30\/media\/michigan-news-directors-fired-pride-coverage\/index.html#:~:text=Two%20news%20directors%20at%20a,of%20the%20situation%20told%20CNN.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CNN<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Nexstar said the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/two-top-anheuser-busch-execs-behind-mulvaney-partnership-now-job-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">firings<\/a> were made to \u201censure its ability to continue providing outstanding local news coverage and service to the Grand Rapids community and surrounding area.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So, in other words: At Nexstar, asking your reporters to cover both sides of a controversial topic will get you fired, and complaining about being asked to cover both sides of a controversial topic will get you fired.<\/p>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-container\" class=\"one-half\">\n<div class=\"firefly-poll-question\">Was firing these people the right decision?<\/div>\n<div id=\"pollFormBox\" style=\"display: none\">\n<p>\t\t<label>Yes<\/label><br \/>\n\t\t<label>No<\/label><br \/>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-poll-disclaimer\">\n\t\tCompleting this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/about\/privacy-policy\/\">Privacy Policy<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/about\/terms-service\/\">Terms of Use<\/a>.\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-results\" style=\"display: none\">\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-results-yes\" style=\"width: 0%\">\n\t\t\tYes: 0% (0 Votes)\n\t\t<\/div>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-results-no\" style=\"width: 100%\">\n\t\t\tNo: 100% (2 Votes)\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\tfunction ffp_getCookie(cname) {<br \/>\n\t\t\tvar name = cname + &#8220;=&#8221;;<br \/>\n\t\t\tvar decodedCookie = decodeURIComponent(document.cookie);<br \/>\n\t\t\tvar ca = decodedCookie.split(&#8216;;&#8217;);<br \/>\n\t\t\tfor(var i = 0; i <ca.length; i++) {\n\t\t\t\tvar c = ca[i];\n\t\t\t\twhile (c.charAt(0) == ' ') {\n\t\t\t\t\tc = c.substring(1);\n\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\tif (c.indexOf(name) == 0) {\n\t\t\t\t\treturn c.substring(name.length, c.length);\n\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\treturn \"\";\n\t\t}\n\n\t\tfunction ffp_setCookie(cname, cvalue, exdays) {\n\t\t\tvar d = new Date();\n\t\t\td.setTime(d.getTime() + (exdays*24*60*60*1000));\n\t\t\tvar expires = \"expires=\"+ d.toUTCString();\n\t\t\tdocument.cookie = cname + \"=\" + cvalue + \";\" + expires + \";path=\/\";\n\t\t}\n\n\t\twindow.ff_poll_voted = false;\n\n\t\tvar voted_cookie_name = 'firefly_voted_3400329';\n\n\t\tfunction ff_poll_submit( event ) {\n\t\t\tevent.preventDefault();\n\n\t\t\tvar fireflyPoll = jQuery( '#firefly-poll' );\n\t\t\tvar fireflyPollContainer = jQuery('#firefly-poll-container');\n\t\t\tvar pollFormBox = jQuery('#pollFormBox');\n\n\t\t\tif( window.ff_poll_voted || ffp_getCookie( voted_cookie_name ) ){ return; }\n\t\t\twindow.ff_poll_voted = true;\n\n\t\t\tfireflyPollContainer.addClass('loading');\n\n            \/\/Need to assign URL here as it was defined only in firefly.\n            var firefly_ajax_url = 'https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php';\n\n\t\t\tvar posting = jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, jQuery( event.target ).serialize() );\n\n            \/\/Check the Datalayer\n            if(window.dataLayer){\n                window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];\n                window.dataLayer.push( {\n                    'event': 'in-article poll vote',\n                    'pollAnswer': jQuery( 'input:radio[name=answer]:checked' ).val(),\n                    'pollName': jQuery( '.firefly-poll-question').text(),\n                    'pollSubmitMethod': 'email',\n                } );\n            }\n\n\t\t\tffp_setCookie( voted_cookie_name, 1, 7 );\n\n\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) {\n\t\t\t\tif( response.success ){\n\t\t\t\t\tyes_el = document.getElementById( 'firefly-poll-results-yes' );\n\t\t\t\t\tno_el = document.getElementById( 'firefly-poll-results-no' );\n\n\t\t\t\t\tyes_el.style.width = response.data.percents.yes + '%';\n\t\t\t\t\tyes_el.innerHTML = 'Yes: ' + response.data.percents.yes + '% (' + response.data.votes.yes + ' Votes)';\n\n\t\t\t\t\tno_el.style.width = response.data.percents.no + '%';\n\t\t\t\t\tno_el.innerHTML = 'No: ' + response.data.percents.no + '% (' + response.data.votes.no + ' Votes)';\n\n\t\t\t\t\tfireflyPoll.remove();\n\n\t\t\t\t\tpollFormBox.hide();\n\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById( 'firefly-poll-results' ).style.display = 'block';\n\t\t\t\t}\n\n\t\t\t\tfireflyPollContainer.removeClass('loading');\n\t\t\t});\n\t\t};\n\n\t\tif ( ffp_getCookie( voted_cookie_name ) ) {\n\t\t\tdocument.getElementById( 'pollFormBox' ).style.display = 'none';\n\t\t\tdocument.getElementById( 'firefly-poll-results' ).style.display = 'block';\n\t\t} else {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tif( ffp_getCookie( 'ff_source' ) == 'email' ) {\n\t\t\t\t\tvar emailField = document.querySelector( '#firefly-poll input[name=\"email\"]' );\n\t\t\t\t\temailField.required = false;\n\t\t\t\t\temailField.style.display = 'none';\n\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tdocument.getElementById( 'pollFormBox' ).style.display = 'block';\n\t\t\tdocument.getElementById( 'firefly-poll-results' ).style.display = 'none';\n\t\t}\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\t#firefly-poll-container {\n\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #d6d6d6;\n\t\t\tpadding: 15px;\n\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\tmargin-right: 15px;\n\t\t\tmargin-bottom: 15px;\n\t\t\twidth: 50%;\n\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\tbackground: #ddd;\n\t\t\tborder-radius: 3px;\n\t\t}\n\n\t\t#firefly-poll-container input[type=email] {\n\t\t\tmargin-top: 5px;\n\t\t\tmargin-bottom: 5px;\n\t\t\tpadding-top: 10px;\n\t\t\tpadding-bottom: 10px;\n\t\t\tpadding-left: 10px;\n\t\t\tbackground-color: #F5F5F5;\n\t\t\tborder-radius: 3px;\n\t\t\tborder-color: #d6d6d6;\n\t\t\tborder: 1px solid #d6d6d6;\n\t\t}\n\n\t\t#firefly-poll-container input[type=submit] {\n\t\t\tpadding: 10px;\n\t\t\tborder: 1px solid #d6d6d6;\n\t\t\tcursor: pointer;\n\t\t}\n\n\t\t#firefly-poll-results-yes {\n\t\t\tbackground-color: lightgrey;\n\t\t\twhite-space: nowrap;\n\t\t\tmargin-bottom: 5px;\n\t\t\tborder-radius: 4px;\n\t\t\tpadding-left: 5px;\n\t\t}\n\n\t\t#firefly-poll-results-no {\n\t\t\tbackground-color: lightgrey;\n\t\t\twhite-space: nowrap;\n\t\t\tborder-radius: 4px;\n\t\t\tpadding-left: 5px;\n\t\t}\n\n\t\t.firefly-poll-question {\n\t\t\tfont-weight: bold;\n\t\t\tfont-size: var( --big-font-size );\n\t\t}\n\n\t\t.firefly-poll-Disclaimer {\n\t\t\tfont-size: var(--smallest-font-size);\n\t\t}\n\n\t\t@media ( max-width: 768px ) {\n\t\t\t#firefly-poll-container {\n\t\t\t\twidth: 90%;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 20px;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t}\n\t<\/div>\n<p>That\u2019s one way to stand in the middle of the road. It still won\u2019t stop them from getting run over, one suspects, especially in Grand Rapids.<\/p>\n<p>The message seems to be that we\u2019ve reached a status quo. \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/republican-mayor-removed-refusing-back-woke-mob-pride-month\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pride month<\/a>\u201d is good, but don\u2019t go overboard. Don\u2019t make waves. Quietly acquiesce and hope that the controversy passes over you. Refuse and face the consequences.<\/p>\n<p>The issue is that these things don\u2019t just pass by anymore, particularly with social media putting every company under a magnifying glass. Firing everyone involved and starting afresh simply doesn\u2019t work, not in these times.<\/p>\n<p>It could very well be that Nexstar ends up being the final victim of corporate America\u2019s \u201cpride month\u201d from hell \u2014 all because it took umbrage at the idea that journalism exists to cover both sides of a story.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/news-directors-fired-asking-team-cover-sides-pride-month-arent-ones-gone\/\">News Directors Fired After Asking Team to Cover Both Sides of &#8216;Pride&#8217; Month &#8211; But They Aren&#8217;t the Only Ones Gone<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\">The Western Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Corporate executives can now breathe a sigh of relief as June, known as LGBT &#8220;pride month,&#8221; has come to an end. This year, there was a noticeable decrease in virtue-signaling towards the LGBTQ+ community and other newly added identities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":663,"featured_media":1963141,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1963140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1963140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/663"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1963140"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1963140\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1963141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1963140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1963140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1963140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}