In a recent development, a Michigan-based TV station has terminated the employment of four individuals after a leaked internal memo surfaced, instructing journalists to curtail their coverage of Pride Month and to provide a “balanced” perspective on LGBTQ+ issues. Nextstar Media Group, the country’s largest operator of local TV stations, conducted a thorough investigation that led to the dismissal of WOOD-TV’s news director Stanton Tang, assistant news director Amy Fox, and two journalists accused of leaking the memo.
The controversy erupted when news staff at WOOD-TV, an NBC affiliate in Grand Rapids, received the memo on June 13. Allegedly composed by Amy Fox at the request of news director Stanton Tang, the memo acknowledged the dissatisfaction of conservative viewers with the station’s Pride-related stories. It urged journalists to exercise discretion in determining the newsworthiness of Pride events and to ensure a balanced approach by considering “both sides of the issue.”
The leaked memo triggered a swift response from the newsroom, with employees expressing their disapproval via email and on social media platforms. Executive producer Luke Stier, taking to Twitter, revealed that the memo faced immediate pushback from their colleagues. He further emphasized that the guidance had not been followed and announced the removal of the two individuals involved in its creation from discussions pertaining to the station’s Pride Month coverage.
The uproar gained momentum when WOOD-TV anchor Michele DeSelms tweeted in solidarity with the newsroom, highlighting their refusal to provide equal time to hate and discrimination. According to DeSelms, the newsroom rallied against the memo’s mandate, standing up for their LGBTQ+ colleagues and family members. The reaction prompted Nextstar to issue a statement, acknowledging that the communication regarding the station’s Pride Month coverage did not align with the company’s values or journalistic principles. Nextstar apologized for any offense caused to the LGBTQ+ community and the viewers of WOOD-TV.
The controversy surrounding the leaked memo also brought to light allegations against news director Stanton Tang. Newsroom sources accused Tang of making editorial decisions based on his personal political views, which were reportedly conservative and even conspiratorial in nature. They claimed that his behavior fostered a toxic atmosphere within the station. Tang faced pressure to resign following the memo’s leak, and WOOD-TV employees criticized Nextstar for focusing more on finding the source of the leak than addressing the memo’s content.
As a consequence of Nextstar’s investigation, executive producers Luke Stier and Madeline Odle were fired alongside Tang and Fox, raising suspicions that their dismissals aimed to discourage future leaks. Stier and Odle expressed their distress in a joint statement on Twitter, noting the impact of non-compete clauses in their contracts on their ability to find new employment.
Michigan State Representative Phil Skaggs commended the courage of the WOOD-TV journalists who insisted on conducting their work with integrity and supporting the dignity of LGBTQ+ community members. While Skaggs praised Nextstar Media for terminating Tang and Fox, he criticized the company for the dismissal of Stier and Odle. Skaggs called on Nextstar to reinstate the fired journalists, arguing that terminating them for wanting to inform the community about its diverse interests was unacceptable.
In response to this incident, the LGBTQ+ community, media accountability advocates, and supporters of journalistic integrity continue to closely follow developments, underscoring the importance of fair and inclusive media representation for marginalized communities during Pride Month and beyond.
