ABC 7 News in NYC “immediately” fired news anchor Ken Rosato after he called a Black female co-anchor an insult on an open mic.
The incident happened last week while Rosato was off the air. His mic was still hot when he called “Eyewitness News This Morning” co-anchor Shirleen Allicot a “cunt”.
A source told Page Six that the longtime anchor was “immediately fired.”
On Friday, May 12, the station’s general manager alerted staffers via email that Rosato “is no longer with WABC,” according to The NY Post.
“We thank him for his years of service,” they wrote.
Rosato joined Eyewitness News as a freelance reporter in 2003 and was promoted to morning and noon anchor in 2007.
The openly gay anchor is in a protected class (LGBT+), along with Allicot, who is Black.
Co-workers say Rosato and Allicot were good friends and that she has not commented on the incident.
Rosato has been in a domestic relationship with a man, Chris Sobel, for 24 years.
Rosato’s bio and profile were removed from the station’s website as of Friday, May 12. His last tweet from the anchor desk was on May 2.
