CNN — Two news directors at a Michigan NBC affiliate were ousted on Thursday following the circulation of an internal memo calling for scaled-back coverage of Pride Month events and directing the station’s journalists to “get both sides” on LGBTQ issues, a source with knowledge of the situation told CNN.
The email, sent earlier this month by Stanton Tang, news director of Grand Rapids-based WOOD-TV, and Amy Fox, the station’s assistant news director, said the “polarizing” nature of Pride events had upset some of its conservative viewers, CNN previously reported.
“We need to recognize that some stories related to LGBTQ issues are going to be controversial and polarizing in our community,” the memo sent by Fox said.
“While you personally may not agree with a certain position, people are entitled to their opinions and they are our viewers.”
“If we are covering Pride events we need to consider how to make the story balanced and get both sides of the issue,” she added.
The memo sparked fierce backlash from the newsroom’s staff, prompting the station’s owner, Texas-based Nexstar, to launch an investigation into the matter …
