OAKLAND The Alameda County District Attorneys Office has filed two misdemeanor charges against former KTVU news anchor Frank Somerville in connection with his arrest late last year on suspicion of driving under the influence, authorities said. His suspension came just six weeks after a previous leave of absence for health issues when he struggled to read his teleprompter and slurred his words during a broadcast in May. Somerville, 63, took over as anchor of the six o'clock and ten o'clock news broadcasts at KTVU in 2008, following the retirement of Dennis Richmond. Sources said he wanted to point out that the U.S. media often disproportionately covers tragedies involving young White women, while largely ignoring similar cases involving women of color and Indigenous people. I work out every day.. KTVU anchor Frank Somerville remains off air after abrupt Sunday exit On Tuesday, the district attorneys office charged Somerville with driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as driving with a blood-alcohol level over .08, with an added clause for having a level over .15. Theyre the backbone of Channel 2. This property is currently available for sale and was listed by MLS PIN on Mar . Somerville was pulled off the air over his coverage of Gabby's case, MSNBC host Joy Reiddiscussed the Gabby Petito case. "I feel like a total idiot," Somerville allegedly said. Jay C. Barmann is a fiction writer and web editor who's lived in San Francisco for 20+ years. The disagreement, said sources, occurred earlier in the week after the body of Petito was discovered in Wyoming. Frank Somerville - Wikipedia Longtime Bay Area Anchor Frank Somerville Off Air Since Slurred - SFist He was named after his father's childhood friend, Frank Patty, and his paternal grandfather, William Somerville. Former SF anchor Frank Somerville publicly opens up about arrest, KTVU exit [9] In September 2021, he was suspended for disobedience after seeking to keep a "tag" concerning domestic violence and "missing white woman syndrome" in a story on the Gabby Petito case. After a brief return, he was suspended indefinitely by KTVU management following a dispute over coverage of the Gabby Petito missing person and homicide case. Somerville was not involved in that flub. [13], In December 2022, Somerville went public about his dismissal from the station on a Facebook post. Somerville has a Black daughter and wanted to add a note at the end of any news story on Petito about the rates of domestic violence Black women in America face, an unnamed source with knowledge of the situation told SFGATE in September. When an officer-administered field sobriety test showed signs of impairment, Somerville consented to an alcohol screening test; he blew two tests, registering .239 and .219 blood-alcohol levels, according to the statement. Jay C. Barmann is a fiction writer and web editor who's lived in San Francisco for 20+ years. This latest incident, coming just six weeks after Somervilles return to the anchor desk, will undoubtedly trigger speculation about his future with the station. Former Bay Area TV anchor Frank Somerville charged with driving with a The longtime news anchor faced a rocky 2021. Somerville did not reply to repeated efforts to contact him, nor did representatives from Fox News, who said last month only that the anchor had been suspended pending further review. No one at KTVU, including news director Amber Eikel, would speak on the record. Its really, really sad, because Ive given 31 years to the station, he said. She has previously reported or edited for Bay Area news and lifestyle publications, including Walnut Creek Patch, and Diablo, Oakland and Alameda magazines, as well as The Nation in Bangkok, Thailand and The Economist. His last video was published March 31, voicing his perspective on the Will Smith slap at the Oscars and recounting anincident in which his wifes boss repeatedly harassed her. Somerville does not believe that his Dec. 30 arrest in Oakland on suspicion of driving under the influence was a factor in the stations decision. [citation needed] He attended Berkeley High School, graduating in 1976. There was no word on how heated the discussion got. Somerville takes these charges very seriously. "I still want to continue working, Somerville tells the Mercury News. The collision occurred eastbound on West Grand Avenue, Windham wrote. Frank Somerville suspension: How the dispute over 'Gabby' Petito Who is Frank Somerville's wife? | The US Sun Frank Somerville Wife, Family, Daughter, House, Bio & Net Worth [citation needed] He attended Berkeley High School, graduating in 1976. PUBLISHED: June 1, 2021 at 12:54 p.m. | UPDATED: November 9, 2021 at 3:19 p.m. KTVU news anchor Frank Somerville was off the air again Tuesday following his abrupt exit from a Sunday night . As of now, he is already 64 years old and his zodiac sign is Pisces. Sources said that Somerville was informed by station management the next day that he was being suspended. The couple has two daughters - one of which, Callie, who was adopted in 2005 when she was a baby. Somerville spoke this morning to local media hound Rich Lieberman who said Somerville was speaking to him exclusively but very quickly Somerville gave quotes to the Mercury News and the Chronicle saying that he's all but certain he won't ever be at the anchor desk again at KTVU. KTVU anchor Frank Somerville anchors the five o'clock news at the KTVU studio on Tuesday, May 5, 2009, in Oakland, Calif. It's been one year since Somerville replaced longtime anchor Dennis . And I guess thats the issue, isnt it?. Meanwhile, the media coverage issue Somerville had hoped to raise has garnered plenty of attention in recent days as debate rages over how much is too much. In a statement Thursday afternoon, Somervilles attorney Shannan Dugan acknowledged the charges. [12], Somerville's suspension from KTVU would become permanent in January 2022 when his contract expired and KTVU would decide not to re-sign him. These rallies were followed by the City of San Leandro issuing an official proclamation honoring Somerville "for speaking out about missing women of color and setting an example of strength and equity to our community and those worldwide.". He was named after his father's childhood friend, Frank Patty, and his paternal grandfather, William Somerville. Info stolen in Oakland ransomware attack set to be released ", "My guess is that Im not coming back to Channel 2, Somerville tells the Chronicle. Reportedly, Somerville butted heads with KTVU News Director Amber Eikel over the addition of this "tag" that Somerville wanted to say on air, with Eikel saying that the topic deserved separate coverage at a later date. ", Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. But Reynolds also faulted KTVU for fueling the controversy by not meeting with activists to discuss their complaints about coverage, saying that journalism organizations must offer a level of transparency and accountability., While not publicly commenting to reporters about his suspension, Somerville took to Instagram late last month to thank his fans for his support in standing up for what he believes no matter the consequences., We in the media cant be afraid to look in the mirror and ask ourselves tough questions about race and our coverage, Somerville said. Why is 'Gabriel Salazar car accident' trending? During a now-infamous May 30 newscast, he repeatedly slurred and stumbled over his words and appeared to have trouble reading off the teleprompter. I would give anything to work there. What Somerville did that was so wrong is less clear. Somerville has kept his relationship with Donna mostly private, however, in an interview with the National Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences, he opened up about his personal life. Petito, 22, had been reported missing earlier this month while on a cross-country camping trip. 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Days later, a spokesperson for Fox the network that owns and operates KTVU announced that Somerville would take an indefinite leave of absence to focus on his health.. Frank Somerville's 31-year career at KTVU, where his nightly anchoring duties made him one of the Bay Area's most beloved TV news personalities, officially came to an end Friday, as his. After the initial collision, the driver of the Audi got out of their vehicle and Somerville, in his Porsche, allegedly pushed the Audi across the intersection of Broadway and West Grand Avenue until the Audi hit a pole on the southwest corner of the intersection, Windham's statement said. AdWeek's TVSpy blog is covering his disappearance from the air as well. As of Thursday afternoon, officials at KTVU and at Fox had not responded to repeated emails asking about Somervilles departure or about whether they had offically signed a replacement. But the way this story captivated the nation has many wondering why not the same media attention when people of color go missing?" He said it was deeply concerning that KTVU wasnt even willing to have a conversation about media coverage when it serves the Bay Areas diverse viewers. Hes one of the highest paid anchors in the Bay Area, but his contract is up in March. Somerville did reply to local media commentator Rich Lieberman on Monday saying he'd be back on the air that night and that the incident was simply a mistake regarding his prescription medication. In wake of scandal, East Bay school district keeps a close eye on staff behavior In further comments to Lieberman over the phone, reported on his 415 Media blog, Somerville allegedly insisted he had not been drinking, and had just mistakenly taken Ambien before going on the air. Alameda County DA charges former TV anchor, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Alameda County DA charges former TV anchor Frank Somerville with DUIs, Info stolen in Oakland ransomware attack set to be released, Woman suspected of making threats toward Christian schools campus in Walnut Creek arrested, Federal jury finds Bay Area man guilty in string of East Bay bank robberies, Jurors hopelessly deadlocked in Bay Point murder trial, mistrial declared, In wake of scandal, East Bay school district keeps a close eye on staff behavior. Theyre not re-signing me. The longtime news anchor faced a rocky 2021. But beyond that, the outlet did not get much more information from Somerville, who has had a rocky 2021. "Frank Somerville to replace Dennis Richmond", "KTVU's Somerville settling in as Richmond's replacement", "Asiana: Anchor says KTVU never sounded-out racist pilot names", "KTVU anchor Somerville to take time away after slurred newscast", "Frank Somerville returns to KTVU after two months of leave", "Frank Somerville suspension: How the dispute over 'Gabby' Petito coverage unfolded at KTVU", "Frank Somerville says he's done at KTVU, apologizes to newsroom for 'drama', "Frank Somerville arrested for suspected DUI after crash", "Frank Somerville says KTVU wouldn't re-sign him: 'I am done', "Frank Somerville publicly opens up about arrest, KTVU exit", "Former KTVU Anchor Frank Somerville Speaks Publicly About Addiction Issues", "Image of Bay Area news anchor doing his daughter's hair touches people all over country | The Mommy Files | an SFGate.com blog", "Tender photo of TV anchor un-braiding daughter's hair goes viral", "A white dad does his black daughter's hair, and the Internet smiles", "10 Questions for Frank Somerville; Up Close and Personal with KTVU's Top Dog; And Something that may Surprise You", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frank_Somerville&oldid=1133399814, American television reporters and correspondents, Berkeley High School (Berkeley, California) alumni, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 13 January 2023, at 16:12. Somerville's attorney said that he is "attending meetings and working on himself. As per his date of birth, his birth sign is Pisces. 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The local Fox affiliate has yet to comment on the incident, and as the Mercury News reported, Somerville has declined to respond to them for comment. Staff writer Harry Harris contributed to this report. Mini Bio (1) Frank Somerville co-anchors the weekday editions of "KTVU Channel 2 News at 5," "KTVU Channel 2 News at 6" and "The Ten O'Clock News on KTVU Channel 2." Somerville joined San Francisco's KTVU Channel 2's Mornings on 2 and The Noon News in January 1992. He works out and practices the Israeli martial art of Krav Maga.[20]. Since his suspension, Somerville has shared videos and posts on Instagram his social media platform of choice since leaving KTVU. He is also survived by many uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. On March 19, 1958, Frank Somerville was born in San Luis Obispo, California, US. The photo shows him with a beard and the caption: I think I look pretty cool for 63 if I do say so myself In response to a follower who said Somerville didnt look well, he said, I feel great. Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox. February 27, 2023 equitable estoppel california No Comments . Following Somervilles suspension, two rallies were held outside the KTVU studios in Jack London Square in October, both sparked by his reported desire to address disparities in media coverage of White crime victims like Petito versus women of color. But I have no reason to think otherwise.". Frank Somerville Speaks, Says He's Likely Out at KTVU - SFist In related news, CNN is reckoning with its Petito coverage and just took up a local missing-persons case involving Arianna Fitts, a Bay Area girl who is black, and who went missing in 2016 at the age of 2. Federal jury finds Bay Area man guilty in string of East Bay bank robberies The Berkeley native had been an intern at KTVU many years before. Venerated KTVU anchor Frank Somerville will be 'taking time - SFGATE MSNBC host Joy Reid criticized her own industry on her prime-time program, calling the Petito coverage an example of missing White woman syndrome, a term coined by the late PBS anchor Gwen Ifill to describe the medias often lopsided focus on white women and girls when they go missing. Frank Somerville- Bio, Age, Net Worth, Height, Married, Facts That's a shivering duck sheltering a puppy with its wings. KTVU's news division was infamously responsible for broadcasting the offensive fake names of the pilots of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 following a July 2013 crash at SFO, a mistake they blamed on the National Transportation Safety Board who, in turn, blamed a summer intern. A station spokesperson could not be reached as of Friday evening, and Eikel declined to comment. Franqueville ( French pronunciation: [fkvil]; Picard: Franqville) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France . He noted that his contract is up in January, so it seems like the management is just waiting that out. Neither Fox nor KTVU has made any official statement on the matter. Longtime Bay Area News Anchor Frank Somerville Charged With DUI The FBI has issued an arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie, Petitos 23-year-old fianc. He is due to appear Feb. 28. All this drama isnt good, Somerville said. Somervilles next hearing will take place May 6. A picture of him styling his Black, adopted daughter's hair went viral on the Internet. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, March 7th 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the same location. In 1992, he became co-anchor of the station's popular Mornings on 2 show. The venerated KTVU anchor spoke to the Bay Area News Group in an interview published . Somerville pushed back, but was overruled, a newsroom source said. Sign up for NBC Bay Areas Housing Deconstructed newsletter. Now, though, Somerville appears to be putting it out there that he's looking for a job. Frank Somerville finally returns to KTVU: Are viewers owed an explanation? 42 Portfolio, Somerville, MA 02143 is a 9 bedroom, 18 bathroom, 15,789 sqft multi-family built in 1900. [14][15], Somerville was married to television producer Donna Wright Somerville for more than 20 years; the couple has two daughters. His parents raised him in Berkeley, California. I helped make Mornings on 2 the No. KTVU anchor Frank Somerville, one of the most recognizable of the Bay Area's news personalities having been on the air at KTVU since 1991, was pulled from a Sunday broadcast and has not returned . Somerville has a Black daughter and wanted to add a note at the end of any news story on Petito about the rates of domestic violence for Black women in America. By the end of the broadcast, co-anchor Julie Haener had taken over solo, and did the signoff for the show. So I am done at Channel 2, Somerville said in a brief phone interview this week with the Bay Area News Group. Frank Somerville is a journalist and news anchor for KTVU. 4ba. George Kelly is a breaking news reporter for the Bay Area News Group's East Bay Times and Mercury News. Ive given my heart and soul to Channel 2, he told the Bay Area News Group. His name came after his father's friend, Frank Patty and his parental grandfather, William Somerville . Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. At that point, Somerville stopped driving; police arrived a short time later. Joshua Bote is the tech editor at SFGATE. When I saw Will Smith stand up for his wife, it reminded me of what I didnt do 30 years ago, he says in the video. And the photo has since gone. Frank Somerville speaks out after arrest for suspected DUI - SFGATE Since then, Fox and station management have refused to publicly speak to the issue. He said the couple spend their "together time" at the gym and that the pair "encourage each otherto keep pushing.". frank somerville house. Look closely at this picture. Martin Reynolds, co-executive director for the Oakland-based Maynard Institute, which promotes diversity in Americas newsrooms, said Somervilles reported solution, to tack a commentary on at the end of a straight news story, would have been lazy, as opposed to assigning a full story on the topic. In November, Somerville told this news organization that management had not contacted him since September, when he was suspended from his anchoring duties for an off-air dispute about coverage of the Gabby Petito case. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Wheres Frank Somerville? frank somerville house I would love to work at one of the other stations in the market. 2. [1] During his three decades at KTVU in Oakland, California, Somerville received three Emmy Awards, including one for best on-camera news anchor. Longtime KTVU anchor Frank Somerville, who's been off the air since being suspended by management in September over a disagreement about the coverage of the Gabby Petito case, is speaking out and . Frank Somerville says he's 'never going to anchor' at KTVU again Email us at exclusive@the-sun.com or call 212 416 4552. Former SF anchor Frank Somerville publicly opens up about arrest, KTVU exit. But if Petitos story needs to be told, so do the stories of thousands of overlooked women of color, they said. Frank Somerville, the anchor for KTVU, has been 'suspended indefinitely' by the network Credit: Facebook/Frank Somerville. Reid hosted a discussion with representatives from the Black and Missing Foundation andNot Our Native Daughters Foundation when she made the comments. It should have been much more about stepping into the journalism and giving respect and honor to the issue and people youre purporting to be in service of.. FRANK Somerville has reportedly been pulled off the air at KTVU over his coverage of the Gabby Petito case. FRANK Somerville has reportedly been pulled off the air at KTVU over his coverage of the Gabby Petito case. Sources said Eikel was willing to assign a reporter to do a separate, more in-depth story. The Alameda County District Attorney's Office filed charges against former Bay Area news anchor Frank Somerville following a Dec. 30 car wreck in a busy downtown Oakland intersection. Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox, Frank Somerville Speaks, Says He's Likely Out at KTVU, fairly strange Memorial Day Weekend broadcast, just took up a local missing-persons case, Anchorman Frank Somerville's Future at KTVU In Doubt As Rumors Swirl About High Drama In the Newsroom, Day Around the Bay: San Jose Man Arrested In Connection With PG&E Transformer Explosions, Berkeley Poised to Close Famed Anthropology Library, Angry Students In Full Occupy Mode, The SFPD Brags About Busting Johns Seeking Sex Workers on Capp Street. 80346 /80620. Driver allegedly hit by Frank Somerville says TV anchor floored his Now, the tagline controversy has put Somerville in a position that journalists usually find uncomfortable: instead of reporting on the story, he is the story. "Well, the answer actually has a name: Missing White Woman Syndrome, the term coined by the late and greatGwen Ifillto describe the media and public fascination with missing white women likeLaci PetersonorNatalee Holloway,while ignoring cases involving of people of color.".
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