News Anchor Fired from ABC for What He Was Allegedly Caught on Hot Mic Saying
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
An anchor with New York City’s ABC affiliate was abruptly fired in May after a hot mic allegedly caught him using a four-letter word while he referred to a female colleague.
The word did not make it on the air, but it did reportedly lead to the anchor’s termination.
Page Six reported WABC-TV host Ken Rosato made a disparaging comment about fellow anchor Shirleen Allicot during a broadcast.
The outlet reported that the longtime host of the city’s “Eyewitness News This Morning” was “immediately” terminated after he “called her a c**t” on a hot mic.
Insiders at the network told Page Six that upon using the four-letter word, Rosato was “immediately let go” by management.
WABC-TV has not confirmed Rosato’s termination.
Additionally, the host has not commented publicly on the matter and denied requests for comment.
It was initially claimed he had used a racial slur while referring to Allicot but a representative for Rosato told Page Six that was untrue.
“Being fired for any racial slur is 100 percent inaccurate and untrue,” the person said. “Ken Rosato had a benchmark of 20 years at WABC of supporting all equality.”
Station staffers were reportedly informed that Rosato would not return to the network but were not told what word he had used.
Rosato’s final tweet was posted on May 2:
Commuter Alert: @heatherorourke7 and @FlyJohnnyD say in NJ.. watch out for flooding on the EB I-280 exit ramp to exit 17 #abc7NY pic.twitter.com/DWvvBJ5sS2
— Ken Rosato (@KenRosatoTV) May 2, 2023
On Twitter that same day, the veteran tagged Allicot:
Sam’s AccuWeather forecast is calling for clouds and sun.. it’ll be brisk and cool with scattered showers.. highs around 55°. #abc7NY @SamChampion @heatherorourke7 @ShirleenAllicot pic.twitter.com/VBpw16GYTm
— Ken Rosato (@KenRosatoTV) May 2, 2023
Rosato was also active on Instagram until recently.
He posed with Allicot in a short Instagram video.
On his LinkedIn page, Rosato says he began at WABC-TV in the year 2003 after he spent a year with New York City’s FOX affiliate WNYW-TV.
Rosato was also the news director of WLNY-TV in New York beginning in 1996.
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