A news anchor from Los Angeles ended up getting suspended and then fired after he mentioned in a segment that it was unfortunate she was not given a decent sendoff.
Fired was Mark Mester of KTLA for going off-script in defense of former co-anchor and pal, Lynette Romero.
Romero was not given a chance to say goodbye on air according to several employees in a report from the Los Angeles Times.
Newsroom workers were told about the termination of Mester during a short speech that was delivered on Thursday, Sept. 22.
“I want to start off right now by offering up an apology to you,” Mester said to the viewers. “What the viewers experienced was rude, it was cruel, it was inappropriate and we are so sorry.
“I also want to say sorry to Lynette Romero because Lynette, I love you so much, you literally are my best friend. You did not deserve what happened to you,” Mester added.
Aside from this, there was a plane that flew over the station that carried a message of gratitude for Romero. The outlet added that it was Mester who had hired the plane with the banner that read: “We love you Lynette.”
It was also revealed that Mester had intended to include the footage of the plane in a compilation of images and videos the station played during the farewell.
A script was done by producers but Mester ended up going rogue, adding that he was appalled that Romero was not given the chance to tell viewers that she was leaving.
“We’re going to offer you dignity and grace, which is what this station should’ve done from the beginning,” Mester said. “You did not deserve this, we are sorry, it was a mistake and we just hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive us.”
Romero ended up leaving the station after reportedly asking management if she could work on a weekday anchor shift rather than weekends.
However, Mester got miffed when reporter Sam Rubin mentioned that Romero had moved on from anchoring weekend morning news.
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