A Miami TV news executive ripped his staff for acting like social media influencers instead of journalists after an anchor’s bikini vacation posts prompted an internal crackdown on what he called “cringeworthy” online behavior.
WPLG Vice President of News Bill Pohovey told staff he was fed up with what he described as “foolish nonsense” appearing on employees’ social media accounts, according to a memo obtained by industry site FTVLive.
“I have emailed about this numerous times in the past, but we seem to be going in the wrong direction again,” Pohovey wrote.
The memo was circulated after WPLG anchor and reporter Jenise Fernandez shared a series of vacation posts from Fiji showing her wearing a bright red bikini aboard what appeared to be a resort boat, sources told FTVLive.
But Pohovey denied this, telling The Post that memo was circulated months ago.
He said that the directive ” was not a response to one individual post [but rather] just a reminder of long-standing guidelines.”
When asked to clarify, Pohovey told The Post: “This had nothing to do with a current employee. As I said, the memo was sent out many months ago and is not new.”
One Instagram post showed Fernandez emerging from crystal-clear water in the swimsuit with the caption: “Now I know what it feels like to be on @cloud9_fiji.”
Additional Instagram Stories showed Fernandez leaning against a bar in the same bikini while visiting the floating venue, while another clip captured her and two companions raising shot glasses for a toast.
Fernandez, a Miami native who joined WPLG in 2014, is a six-time Emmy Award-winning journalist who anchors the station’s weekday 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts.
According to her station biography, she is also a former Miss Miami and was fourth runner-up in the Miss Florida pageant.
The posts prompted management to remind newsroom employees that they are journalists first — not social media personalities.
“Too many of our social media accounts are being used for foolish nonsense,” Pohovey wrote.
“We don’t want dance videos with our staff. We don’t want fashion shows, outfits of the day, or other silly content that detracts from you as journalists.”
The veteran news executive made clear that the station’s newsroom, studios and news set were off limits for that type of content.
“We should never produce such content, and we should absolutely NEVER create such content inside the station, in our newsroom or studios, using our news set as the background,” he wrote.
Pohovey also warned employees that the same standards should extend beyond company-owned accounts.
“Your station social media accounts should be used to share news/weather/sports information and help to drive traffic to our newscasts and website,” he wrote.
“But I think these same guidelines apply to personal social media accounts. Whether you are working or not, you still represent the station and must always remember your role as a credible, trusted journalist, not a Kardashian.”
He added bluntly: “Some of what I see is cringeworthy.”
The memo concluded with an appeal for employees to remember that public confidence in journalism is already under strain.
“I’m exhausted to have to repeat this but we are not influencers, we are journalists,” Pohovey wrote.
He invoked longtime Local 10 broadcasting legends Dwight Lauderdale and Ann Bishop, asking staff whether they would have behaved similarly had social media existed during their careers.
“I’ve been accused of being old and out of touch on this subject, but journalism and journalists are already under attack,” Pohovey wrote.
“People are losing trust in the news, and the nickname ‘fake news’ is beginning to stick. We’re seen as not serious and this unprofessional behavior only adds fuel to that fire.”
“The likes and follows are not worth eroding your credibility and the credibility of this news organization.”
The Post has sought comment from Fernandez.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
