Earned his first newspaper paycheck at the Belleville (Ill.) News-Democrat, fled the Midwest for Los Angeles Daily News and finally ended up at the Orange County Register. Romeros departure leaves KTLA without a full-time Latina anchor to serve a market in which Latinos make up nearly 50% of the population. The NBCUniversal-owned station announced Tuesday that Romero. Vera Jimenez, who was born in Mexico and moved to L.A. at age 3, is the stations meteorologist for its weeknight newscasts. Furious fans are calling for a boycott of the CW affiliate after its unforgivable decision to give them both the boot. in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. KTLA management had hoped that she would stay here her entire career, and KTLA worked hard to make that happen but Lynette has decided to move on to another opportunity elsewhere.. A Los Angeles news anchor was fired after he slammed his own station on the air for how it handled his former co-anchors abrupt departure from the airwaves, a report said. Mester had infuriated management for apologizing on the stations behalf after his co-anchors abrupt exit, Former KTLA weekend anchors Lynette Romero and Mark Mester (Nexstar). Romero did not immediately reply for TheWraps request for comment. The most lucrative majors? Mark was 100% in the right. KTLA fired anchor Mark Mester days after he was suspended for going off-script and calling out how the station handled the resignation of his longtime co-anchor Lynette Romero, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. After nearly 24 years at KTLA, our Lynette Romero has decided to move on and pursue another opportunity. News that Romero was leaving KTLA after 24 years was first announced on the KTLA morning news on Wednesday, Sept. 14. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy. CCNMA: Latino Journalists of California also sought a meeting this year with KTLA leaders. How we let people know, and we didnt give her a proper goodbye.. In early 2021, the National Assn. Viewers wish KTLA reporter a speedy recovery. But Romero, who had worked the weekend shift for eight years, wanted opportunities to work weekdays, said people close to the station who were not authorized to comment. KTLA-TV Channel 5 fired news anchor Mark Mester Thursday afternoon, days after he was suspended following an off-script segment in which he criticized the . Pic credit: KTLA Lynette Romero is leaving KTLA after 24 years, it was. And a dog named Buddy. As the Times notes, Mester isn't listed on KTLA's online staff list. Her last day anchoring the KTLA weekend morning news was scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 18, which coincided with the end of her employment contract. Her co-anchor on the weekend . Of the more than 14 hours of news KTLA produces weekdays, only one hour is anchored by a Latino: Pedro Rivera, who joined the station last year. Along with . The Times, citing anonymous sources at the station, said Romero was seeking a weekday anchor shift to spend more time with her family, but management declined due to lack of openings. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. Just days later, Mark appeared on KTLA's weekend show and addressed his co . Mark Mester is no longer employed by KTLA, a spokesperson for the stations parent company, Nexstar, told TheWrap. The Emmy Award-winning reporter and anchor's departure was announced live on air, before being shared by the station on Twitter. A member of the Company Town team for two decades, James specializes in covering television, corporate media and investigative projects. Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Other Top Actors Sign Letter to SAG-AFTRA: Were Prepared to Strike, Who Is David Corenswet? Her decision meant that she wouldnt be at KTLA to say goodbye to viewers or to the weekend team, Weitman said. Now, he's been fired. KTLA fires Mark Mester after he criticized station for co-anchor The station also announced the news on Twitter. The station had been in conversations for months to keep Romero, including offering a salary increase to match the KNBC offer. After nearly 24 years, Lynette Romero, our friend Lynette, has decided to move on from anchoring our weekend morning news, anchor Sam Rubin said in a Wednesday broadcast. Why did I. Times staff writer Jonah Valdez contributed to this report. Prior to Saturdays broadcast, Romeros weekend co-anchor Mark Mester had posted on social media to tune in because he was going to speak about his friend Lynette Romero.DuringMestersheartfelt remarks about his co-anchor, he expressed how wrong her exit was handled by the station. During her time at KTLA, Romero covered a wide range of issues and started SundaysLink Up with Lynette, a segment that focused on sharing good news on air. He previously worked for Complex Magazine in New York City. He was fired last Thursday after an emotional on-air appeal, accusing his bosses of cruel treatment toward viewers and Romero, which the stations management denies. Sun 18 July 2021 6:17, UK. authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. Please join us! Romero, reportedly beloved by her colleagues in the KTLA newsroom, wasnt permitted to clean out her own belongings or say goodbye to longtime viewers of the newscast. Mark Mester Fired for Criticizing KTLA's Treatment of Lynette Romero Miraclesbiopage was vacated on the ABC7 site following her announcement, and it doesnt appear she was given a chance for an on-air signoff either, writing, I anchored my last show a couple weeks ago.Neither Miracle nor ABC7 responded to requests for comment. After a tumultuous exit from KTLA-TV Channel 5, news anchor Lynette Romero has landed at crosstown rival KNBC-TV Channel 4. On Sep. 14, 2022, the official KTLA Twitter page posted an announcement about Lynette. In her absence, we intended to honor Lynettes dedication and work with a story and video retrospective on [the following] Saturday mornings weekend news, Weitman said. Lynette Romero is keeping in touch with her former co-anchor Mark Mester after they exited news station KTLA in September. I love you so much, and you really are my best friend, you did not deserve what happened to you on Wednesday. Peter Larsen has been the Pop Culture Reporter for the Orange County Register since 2004, finally achieving the neat trick of getting paid to report and write about the stuff he's obsessed about pretty much all his life. We had hoped she would record a farewell message to viewers but she declined. Industry executives have widely criticized KTLA for its handling of Romeros departure. KTLA news anchor Mark Mester has been suspended from work after he criticized the way the station handled the sudden departure of his former co-host, Lynette Romero, which did not sit well with the ma Nexstar Media Inc. offered a statement from KTLA Vice President and General Manager Jenene Drafs in response to Romero's departure. Inside Anchor Lynette Romero's First Day at New Station After KTLA Drama If I had an anchor who I absolutely wanted, I renegotiated the terms of their contract a year out so it didnt go down to the wire, Madison said. A KTLA spokesman declined to comment on the stations refusal to meet with the group but defended their efforts to diversify the newsroom. #BoycottKTLA. Newsrooms across Los Angeles also have been reckoning with longstanding disparities among their ranks. NJ HS football player dies after suffering head injury dur Southwest flyers' wheelchair 'pre-boarding scam' leaves fellow passengers fuming, 'Baywatch' star looks unrecognizable with sleeve tattoos in rare outing, Titanic sub's voice recordings, data to be probed as officials mull possible criminality, Kelly Clarkson says she wouldnt have made it through divorce without anti-depressants, Wizards of Waverly Place alum Dan Benson feels like a badass after trading Disney for porn career, Bre Tiesi reveals whether shed have more kids with father of 12 Nick Cannon, Todays Iconic Moment in NY Sports: Carlos Delgado sets Mets' RBI record, Tom Hanks Niece Carly Reeves Goes Viral After Screaming Meltdown on Claim to Fame: I Should Have More Camera Time!, Kim Kardashian called out for 'unnecessary' Photoshop: 'This is truly sad'. They declined to comment further. Longtime KTLA News anchor Lynette Romero will join NBC4's "Today in LA" as an anchor and reporter, KNBC announced Tuesday, with her first day on-air scheduled for Oct. 10. The turmoil at KTLA which airs L.A.s top-rated local morning news show comes as TV stations confront dwindling ratings and rising competition for viewers. The station's parent company, Nexstar Media Inc., confirmed Mester was no longer with the company when reached by PEOPLE on Thursday. A new chapter for Lynette Romero is about to take center stage. Mester went off-script during a Saturday broadcast, saying the handling of her exit was cruel and inappropriate, and apologized on the stations behalf. Lynette Romero officiates wedding of KTLA photographer Updated: Jan 29, 2022 / 03:49 AM PST This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. She became the stations first female general manager, arriving from a Seattle station where she had worked since 1992. "We owe you an apology, and we owe Lynette an apology.". Sept. 22, 2022 Sept. 14 KTLA announces Lynette Romero's exit In a news broadcast at the end of its 10 a.m. show, the newsroom's director Pete Saiers handed entertainment reporter Sam Rubin. KTLA fires anchor Mark Mester after Lynette Romero defense - Los "I know that a lot of you are asking a lot of questions. Madison and other industry executives said KTLA was following standard industry practice to downplay the move of a key anchor to a rival. Why did I. Earlier this year, Romero shared that her mother passed away from Alzheimers and partnered with the Alzheimers Association of California Southland. News. Fans of KTLAs weekend news team Lynette Romero and Mark Mester are fuming at the Los Angeles CW affiliates decision to boot both in short succession, with many calling for a boycott. After nearly 24 years, Lynette Romero, our friend Lynette, has decided to move on from anchoring our weekend morning news, anchor Sam Rubin said in a Wednesdaybroadcast. Lynette Romero leaving KTLA after 24 years - Monsters and Critics The 18 best stores to find Midcentury Modern furniture in L.A. He started at PEOPLE's Los Angeles Bureau as a writer and reporter in 2017 and interviewed the likes of Kobe Bryant, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Brady. We wish Lynette nothing but the best of luck on her next chapter. Why KTLA fired Mark Mester after behind-the-scenes drama - Los Angeles This story was updated to reflect Nexstars statement. I want to start right now by offering up an apology to you, Mester began. September 22, 2022 7:39pm. Meet DCs New Superman, Barack Obama Reveals He Watched His Daughters Work on Swarm, Jennifer Lawrence Says She Was Immediately Turned Down for Twilight, Almost Didnt Take on Hunger Games Because of Fandom, Steven Weber Set to Host 'Lead with Love 4' Telethon, Dilbert Comic Strip Creator Dropped From Several Publications After Racist Comments, As Writers Standoff With Studios Drags on, Political Power Brokers Stay on Sidelines, Lewis Capaldi Will Take a Break From Touring for the Foreseeable Future, GLAAD, HRC Issue Letter Signed by 250+ Stars Asking Social Platforms to Curb Anti-LGBTQ Hate, Arnon Milchan Acknowledges Gifts to Netanyahu May Have Been Excessive, David Bohrman, Former CNN, ABC News and Current TV Executive, Dies at 69, This Beauty Brand Is Touting the Benefits of Greek Yogurt for Your Skin, This $30 Cooling Eye Balm Is Saving My Tired, Puffy Eyes This Summer and Beyond, Dysons Hollywood Hairstylist-Loved Supersonic Hair Dryer Is at Its Lowest Price Since Black Friday, The Best 4th of July Beauty Sales on Makeup, Skincare and Hollywood-Loved Tools, Taylor Sheridan Does Whatever He Wants: I Will Tell My Stories My Way, Home Improvement Star Zachery Ty Bryan Amassed a Bitcoin Fortune, Then Spiraled Amid Domestic Violence Arrest, Allegations of Fraud, Tom Holland Breaks Free: Talking Zendaya, The Crowded Room and the Future of Spider-Man, The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News. Lynette Romero has been a familiar face on KLTA for a long time. Solar sprawl is tearing up the Mojave Desert. KTLA-TV Channel 5 is defending its handling of the departure of two popular anchors amid calls by viewers to boycott the station and criticism that station executives have been insensitive to concerns about a shortage of Latinos on air. Mester had spoken out about how the station handled the departure of his weekend co-anchor Lynette Romero. Good luck to Lynette Romero.. KTLA, a CW affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group, has . That morning, Drafs called to say the station was about to announce the news. Is there a better way? Mester then explained that while Romero left of her own choice for a new job, she deserved to say goodbye (and) it didnt happen., The problem was the message, he concluded. You should be. Shortly after Mester's speech, Deadline reported he had been suspended by KTLA. Also Read: Quinta Brunson Says Shes Talked to Kimmel Since Emmys, Suggests Fans Tune In and Watch Her on His Show, Lynette, we wish you luck, we miss you and we thank you for everything youve done for KTLA, Rubin continued, noting that this goodbye was on behalf of friends, fans, viewers. Lynette has been a wonderful member of the KTLA family and [we] wish her and her family the best., Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. General manager Janene Drafs informed the newsroom of the firing during a brief meeting, according to the Los Angeles Times, which first reported the firing. An earlier version of this story mistakenly referred to Lynette Romero by the wrong last name. The flap follows three years after KTLA was acquired by TV station chain Nexstar Media Group, part of its $4 billion acquisition of Tribune Media. Were going to offer you dignity and grace, which is what this station shouldve done from the beginning, Mester said in apparent defiance. ", "I'm going to take some time speak directly to you at this hour, to tell you, what it is that happened here on [Wednesday's broadcast]," Mester said in a clip from the show that was posted on social media. What happened to Lynette Romero? Fans wish KTLA reporter a - HITC A new chapter for Lynette Romero is about to take center stage.. On Oct. 4, the former KTLA news anchor was able to meet her new colleagues at NBC Los Angeles. We are very comfortable with our diversity efforts but it is always something that we are working to improve, KTLA and Nexstar spokesman Gary Weitman said. KNBC announces that anchor Lynette Romero, who abruptly left crosstown rival KTLA, will join its early newscast, Today in L.A., on Oct. 10. "After nearly 24 years, Lynette Romero, our friend Lynette, has decided to move on from anchoring our weekend morning news . Mark Master has been fired from L.A. television station KTLA days after being suspended for openly calling out his bosses for the way they treated co-host Lynette . A native of Wyoming, she is a graduate of the University of Colorado and Columbia University. Because this aint it. "I want to start off right now by offering up an apology to you [the viewers]. KTLA has long had L.A. in its DNA, but the larger corporate group has no history with this city, said Paula Madison, former general manager of KNBC-TV Channel 4 and former NBCUniversal chief diversity officer. I want to start off right now by offering up an apology to you, Mester said to the viewers on Saturday. Miracle announced Tuesday on Twitter that shes leaving ABC7, which she joined in 2017 after a three-year stint at ABC30 in Fresno, California. 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, Mester added. The Emmy-winning news anchor has announced she is joining KNBC 's Today in L.A. as weekday anchor and reporter following her sudden . The way Sam Rubin read that off-handed comment on air, without letting Lynette say goodbye to the viewers, was just wrong, said Ulloa-Pedroni, the viewer. Mester declined to comment for this story. A Northern California native, he spent spent much of his career at San Franciscos CBS station. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. I had @KTLA on whether or not I was watching. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. Some community college grads can outearn elite university peers. What the viewers experienced was rude, it was cruel, it was inappropriate and we are so sorry. Prerna Nambiar. Lynette Romero Shares Update on Former KTLA Co-Anchor Mark - Yahoo