Reporter Fired For Wearing Obama T-shirt

Sandra Rose October 3, 2008

After 13 years as a radio reporter at WWJ (950 AM) in Detroit, Karen Dinkins was let go on Monday. The reason: she wore a pro-Obama t-shirt while covering a rally for the station on Sunday.

Reached by telephone, Dinkins acknowledged that she wore the shirt, and that the radio station fired her Monday. But she declined to elaborate.

“I don’t want to comment at this time,” she said.

Georgeann Herbert, WWJ’s director of programming, said in a statement that Dinkins compromised the station’s objectivity by wearing the T-shirt.

“(The station) believes that our credibility with our listeners rests on the independence of our newsroom staff,” the statement said. “WWJ does not favor any candidate, party or issue.

“While we encourage employees to exercise their rights as citizens, we expect them to be on guard against any actual or perceived conflict of interest when covering news stories.” (Source)

PAGESINADIARY

WHAT THEY GONE DO ABOUT E. HASSELBAECK THEN?

EVERYBODY HATIN THESE DAYS!!!
PAGESINADIARY

BULL SHTY AZZ CALL. I BET THEY DID THAT ONLY BECAUSE A LISTENER WAS CRYING LIKE A BABY!!
http://myspace.com/thegameoncw Bird

I guess they wanted to send a strong message to their listeners. They could have suspended her. But I do think she deserved to be disciplined if she knew the station had made the concious decision not to endorse any candidate. Anyway who works for an AM station for 13 years. Don’t a sista want to move up in the world? This might be a blessing for her. Now she can find a better job.
Anna

I don’t want to comment at this time,” she said
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What black woman is not going to want comment about being fired? She is looking for or scheming something.
mizzdallas

ummm Im still tripping off a sista still working for an AM station..

Where is Kym? its her B-day! and she dont even want to step in for a minute..
KaraZ

She knew better than that, most companies, especially in the media industry, have a policy about this.
missdisrection

I’m the last to fool with anyones livelihood but she deserved to get fired. I pray she can find another gig with the quickness.
http://myspace.com/lorettadivine DivineBrown

This is an unfortunate situation!

No comment usually means “I’ve been instructed by my lawyers not to speak on it until further notice”
http://myspace.com/eastpointvet eastpointvet

yeah she knew better than that especially at a rally
toosexy

Well you have to follow the rules, I understand the stations point of view, from a business aspect. Well I hope another door opens for her, I don’ wish anybody any bad luck during these times.
Sharonda

Oh maybe it would been better if it was McCain
intensemocha

Anna Says:

I don’t want to comment at this time,” she said
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What black woman is not going to want comment about being fired? She is looking for or scheming something.

Divine Brown
No comment usually means “I’ve been instructed by my lawyers not to speak on it until further notice”

I agree

I’m not sure that firing ole girl was the right measure to take unless there were other pending issues-it’s okay to make a statement that something will not be tolerated but unless she was specifically informed and made aware that she couldn’t wear the shirt then I don’t agree with her being FIRED-IF SHE KNEW THEN OK

FIRED MY FOLKS-is very serious for something as trivial as a shirt

I pray also that she either fights back legally and is compensated or is blessed with another job also-I wholeheartedly disagree that it was necessary to fire her-disciplinary actions o.k. but that was extreme.
intensemocha

After 13 yrs of service-they could have shown some leniency…
Fenix6376

Hmmmmm.. Fired!!??? I can understand suspension or censure, but fired??? That seems a bit extreme. I am wondering what’s the rest of this story.. Oh well.. To be continued I guess..
ReadTheBlog

But she was on radio? I wonder if there were any policies against it? Lawsuit.
http://myspace.com/diva_mama2 DivaMama

I tell you man, this is ridiculous. There has to be something else. I need to see the rest of the story.
iyonah

“After 13 yrs of service-they could have shown some leniency…”

That is what I am saying … suspension or something but outright firing her is not right. I hope she can find something else new soon … I didn’t know people still find time for AM radio …
http://myspace.com/hune916 HunE916

She should have been fired for that wig and hideous make-up!
http://myspace.com/tamarlese Peachizz

I know that how it is here I work I wear My Super Obama Pin coming in and going out the buidling.
prynsexxx

She bout to get paid! That is unless they specifically stated and or had it written that this was NOT part of the uniform dress code. If they can come up with her signature anywhere stating that she UNDERSTOOD this policy, then she won’t have a leg to stand on in court (if of course those are her intentions).
Charles

She bout to get paid! That is unless they specifically stated and or had it written that this was NOT part of the uniform dress code. If they can come up with her signature anywhere stating that she UNDERSTOOD this policy, then she won’t have a leg to stand on in court (if of course those are her intentions).

————————————————————

NO shes about to be collecting unemploymen tbtu thats about it she knew better as a journalist i agree she should have bene fired
free

dumb *ss. with that level of experience, there is no excuse. firing is harsh so i’m thinking she has done this before or they were looking for a reason to get rid of her legitimately and she gave them one.
pointhimout

she’s been in radio all those years, trust me, she knew better. her support for obaman can cost the station advertising and everything else. No, you do not have freedom of speech, press or anything damn thing else when you’re at work covering what we pay you to cover.

you will NEVER hear a reporter speak for or against anything cuz they know the ramifications of those actions. wear that Obama tshirt to the unemployment office genius.
MzTee

I don’t think she should have been fired; however, if it is against company policy to publicly endorse a candidate, they are within their right to fire her because she violated a policy. She was working when chose to wear the Obama T-shirt at an event. Unfortunately, because she is an employee of theirs, her wearing the shirt during company time could be misconstrued by the public as the radio station endorsing Obama.

Old girl is a 13-year veteran of the station, she clearly knows better. She got caught up in the hype and lost her job because it. I know she won’t do that ISHT again at her next job.

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