Frustrated Anchors Resign on Air: Maine Anchors Cite 'Belittling of Staff' (Video Footage)
Two frustrated news anchors have resigned live on air on Maine TV, shocking watching viewers, as well as many at the network they were working for.
The two co-anchors explained their decision to quit directly to viewers, and later told they had been having a longstanding battle with the network's management over journalistic practices.
They made their announcement at the end of their news segment.
Tony Consiglio and Cindy Michaels made the shock announcement at the end of Tuesday's 6 p.m. (local time) newscast on station WVII.
Consiglio, who is 28 years old, starting working with the WVII network about six and a half years ago in April 2006. Where as Michaels, 46, who was the news director, had also spent about six years at the network.
The network management did not seem fazed by the incident, with General manager Mike Palmer later claiming that they were on their way out anyway, according to the Associated Press.
He played down the unique style of their resignations, saying that it was usual for people to sometimes leave their jobs before they were pushed.
Michaels cited "constant disrespecting and belittling of staff" and editorial intervention by management at the network.
She also added, "It's a little complicated, but we were expected to do somewhat unbalanced news, politically, in general."
"I just wanted to know that I was doing the best job I could and was being honest and ethical as a journalist, and I thought there were times when I wasn't able to do that," Consiglio also added.
