WJLA-TV fires veteran anchor Doug McKelway, cites insubordination, misconduct

[oberliner]

WJLA-TV has fired veteran anchorman Doug McKelway for a verbal confrontation this summer with the station's news director that came after McKelway broadcast a sharply worded live report about congressional Democrats and President Obama.

McKelway was placed on indefinite suspension in late July after his run-in with ABC7's news director and general manager, Bill Lord. In a letter to McKelway this week, the station said it was terminating his contract immediately, citing insubordination and misconduct.

Amid the ongoing BP oil spill in July, McKelway covered a Capitol Hill demonstration by environmental groups protesting the influence of oil-industry contributions to members of Congress.

In his piece, McKelway said the sparsely attended event attracted protesters "largely representing far-left environmental groups." He went on to say the protest "may be a risky strategy because the one man who has more campaign contributions from BP than anybody else in history is now sitting in the Oval Office, President Barack Obama, who accepted $77,051 in campaign contributions from BP."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/16/AR2010091606645.html

[Lost4words]

1. I always like Doug McKelway we lived in Arlington for 27 years

all adult years! Seems like the nation has the federal govt up their backsides. Forefathers tell us what to do to save/restore our democracy

[marmar]

2. Wow, read the whole piece.....He was quite the Repug media whore.

nt

[oberliner]

6. Yeah - it was quite an interesting story

I wonder if he will become a new "tea party hero" or the like.

[onenote]

3. probably a safe bet: McKelway gets hired by FoxNews by year end

if not by week's end.

[oberliner]

7. Or at least will make the rounds on their programs

I am guessing the RW talk show hosts will run with this as well.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Buh bye, you right wing hack.

[leveymg]

5. The local ABC News affiliate has consistently had the market's lowest ratings.

There may be more commercial than political factors at work behind this shakeup. WJLA has also hired several veteran newspeople let go by the once flagship CBS News Affiliate WUSA-TV. The DC affiliate local news desks were at one time stepping-stones to national network news. The quality and viewership of local TV-News in DC has declined steeply, along with ad revenues, in recent years.