"No one at the station Fox/KTVU has contacted me. On September 26, it was reported thatSomerville was pulled off the air over his coverage of Gabby's casejust days after Joy Reid's "missing white women" comments. "I feel like a total idiot," Somerville allegedly said. ContactGeorge Kelly at 408-859-5180. Somerville was booked into Santa Rita Jail in Dublin after his arrest, then released with a citation to appear in court. 2 Frank Somerville Credit: Facebook/Frank Somerville Who is Frank Somerville's wife? ), He disputed one comment that said he looked sick on a video he posted talking about an incident in which his daughter was allegedly racially profiled. [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. I would give anything to work there. Longtime KTVU anchor Frank Somerville shared a Facebook post Saturday reflecting on his arrest and his termination from . frank somerville house. Reynolds said Somerville may have been well-intentioned, and that he certainly seems passionate about fairness in coverage. Joshua Bote is the tech editor at SFGATE. KTVU was prepared to air a news report detailing the latest developments in the case. DSW is closing on Powell Street, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen says the metaverse scares her, and SF Mayor London Breed has come out vocally in support of the recall of three school board members. Previously: Anchorman Frank Somerville's Future at KTVU In Doubt As Rumors Swirl About High Drama In the Newsroom. Who is Frank Somerville's wife? | The US Sun He took a nine-week leave to focus on his health and had only returned in August. 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 since after slurring his speech on air. "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.". A station spokesperson could not be reached as of Friday evening, and Eikel declined to comment. KTVU anchor Frank Somerville remains off air after abrupt Sunday exit Its really, really sad, because Ive given 31 years to the station, he said. Former SF anchor Frank Somerville publicly opens up about arrest, KTVU exit. The longtime KTVU news anchor is married to his wife, Donna Wright, a television producer. He is due to appear Feb. 28. Frank Somerville (born March 19, 1958) is an American television journalist. Who is Frank Somerville? This property is currently available for sale and was listed by MLS PIN on Mar . As per his date of birth, his birth sign is Pisces. I work out every day.. Twitter just announced the launch of its Twitter Blue product, a new subscription service with extra perks for avid users that is rolling out today in Australia and Canada ahead of a wider launch. She'd now be 8 years old, and her case got little national attention at the time and she remains unaccounted for. She graduated from Northwestern University with a BA degree in German studies and from Mills College with a MFA degree in creative writing and English. 42 Portfolio, Somerville, MA 02143 is a 9 bedroom, 18 bathroom, 15,789 sqft multi-family built in 1900. His name came after his father's friend, Frank Patty and his parental grandfather, William Somerville . All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! "[11], On December 30, 2021, Somerville was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after an automobile collision. Somerville has had a tumultuous year. According to station sources, Somerville, 63, has been "suspended indefinitely" by Channel 2 management after a disagreement with news director Amber Eikel over coverage of the Gabby Petito. On Wednesday night's 6 o'clock broadcast, Heather Holmes anchored the show with Andre Senior, saying at the top of the hour, "Frank and Julie are off tonight.". TV anchor Frank Somerville 'pulled off air' over Gabby Petito dispute 1. Somerville's attorney said that he is "attending meetings and working on himself. If not, Ill go to other stations outside of the market. 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. 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. 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 . Chuck Barney is the TV critic and columnist for the Bay Area News Group. Staff writers Harry Harris and Rick Hurd contributed to this report. The New York-born Petito was slain during a cross-country van trip with her fiance, Brian Laundrie. Former Bay Area TV anchor Frank Somerville charged with driving with a Reid said. The disagreement, said sources, occurred earlier in the week after the body of Petito was discovered in Wyoming. 42 Portfolio, Somerville, MA 02143 | MLS# 73083938 | Trulia Somervilles next hearing will take place May 6. Somerville, now 64, was arrested at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 30 in the 2200 block of Broadway following a collision between his 2014 Porsche 911 and a silver Audi, according to a probable cause statement by Officer Natalie Windham. After the collision, the Audis driver managed to get out of their car, according to the statement, but Somerville kept driving east on West Grand, pushing the Audi across the intersectionuntil it hit a pole on the southwest corner. He said the couple spend their "together time" at the gym and that the pair "encourage each otherto keep pushing.". Somerville wanted to add a brief tagline at the end of the report that questioned the extraordinary level of media coverage devoted to the story. Somervilles last newscast for KTVU was on Sept. 21. 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. Frank Somerville speaks out after arrest for suspected DUI - SFGATE Jay C. Barmann is a fiction writer and web editor who's lived in San Francisco for 20+ years. 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. Before the 6 p.m. broadcast, a producer, not familiar with the earlier discussions between Somerville and Eikel, noticed that a shortened tag had been added to the Petito update. The couple has two daughters - one of which, Callie, who was adopted in 2005 when she was a baby. According to The Mercury News, Somerville wanted to add a tagline to a segment about the case to point out the disparity in the coverage of missing persons cases of white women relative to women of color. And I wont stop fighting for equal media representation for all victims.. But the way this story captivated the nation has many wondering why not the same media attention when people of color go missing?" 80346 /80620. 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. Officers who spoke with Somerville said he exhibited symptoms of being under the influence of an alcoholic beverage: bloodshot/watery eyes, thick/slurred speech, and odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his person.. Frank Somerville has spoken out for the first time since his Dec. 30 arrest for a suspected DUI. Joshua Bote is the tech editor at SFGATE. ", He adds, "It makes me really sad, because Ive given 31 years to the station. Somerville, 63, won the awards at KTVU, which included an accolade for best on-camera news anchor. 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. In a May broadcast of KTVUs 10 p.m. news program, Somerville was recorded slurring his words and abruptly left midbroadcast with no explanation. Somerville, who has an adopted black daughter, reportedly pushed back after the tagline was refused. The driver of the Audi stepped out before Somerville pushed the vehicle across the intersection with his car before ramming it into a light pole, according to documents provided to SFGATE by the district attorneys office. [8] He returned to the anchor chair on August 4 without addressing the incident that saw his brief departure. The ABC News report also said that onlyabout one-fifth of missing person cases involving minorities are covered by the news, according to a 2016 analysis published in the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. Frank Somerville says KTVU wouldnt re-sign, 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), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Los Gatos: Hundreds still without power as Black Road repair project finishes early, Frank Somerville says KTVU wouldnt re-sign him: I am done at Channel 2, Bay Area TV anchor Frank Somerville arrested on suspicion of DUI after crash in Oakland, Frank Somerville says hes done at KTVU, apologizes to newsroom for drama, Wheres Frank Somerville? Since his departure from KTVU, he has steadily posted videos on Instagram featuring an assortment of commentary. Frank Somerville is an American journalist and three-time Emmy Award winner. He's still in mourning over the cancellation of "Freaks and Geeks. But even with such declarations, community activists say they have yet to hear from the station managers or Fox about their concerns. KTVU News Director Amber Eikel has allegedly taken Somerville off the air until further notice, as Liberman reports. 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. Neither Fox nor KTVU has made any official statement on the matter. 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. Frank Somerville says he's done at KTVU, apologizes to newsroom for Woman suspected of making threats toward Christian schools campus in Walnut Creek arrested Crime and Public Safety | He works out and practices the Israeli martial art of Krav Maga.[20]. Frank Somerville is a journalist and news anchor for KTVU. ", "My guess is that Im not coming back to Channel 2, Somerville tells the Chronicle. 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 Celeste, Gibson Sotheby's International Realty. As of now, he is already 64 years old and his zodiac sign is Pisces. [6] That's a shivering duck sheltering a puppy with its wings. Who is KTVU TV anchor Frank Somerville? | The US Sun I think its really indicative of the silencing and invisibility of Black and brown people, said Galvis, whose group worked with Restoring Justice for Indigenous Peoples to organize the rally. [14][15], Somerville was married to television producer Donna Wright Somerville for more than 20 years; the couple has two daughters. I just dont notice the things you see, he added. I appreciate and admire what they do every day.. KTVU again removes Frank Somerville from the air He has been taking many steps to address the circumstances that led to this case, including attending meetings and working on himself so that nothing like this ever happens again, Dugan said. Shortly before the 5 p.m. broadcast, Eikel told Somerville she planned to cut the tag after newsroom editors raised concerns. 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 telling the press that he doesn't expect he'll be back at the station and also, no one from the station or Fox has even bothered contacting him. 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. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. 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. NEW - 21 HRS AGO. [2][3][4], Somerville was born on March 19, 1958, in San Luis Obispo, California, but was raised in Berkeley. But she hadnt and the new tag was removed. Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox. [13], In December 2022, Somerville went public about his dismissal from the station on a Facebook post. But as community groups voice frustration, questions also remain over Somervilles suspension. 69 m or 226 ft) 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km 2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. ", KTVU again removes Frank Somerville from the air, 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), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Los Gatos: Hundreds still without power as Black Road repair project finishes early. So I am done at Channel 2, Somerville said in a brief phone interview this week with the Bay Area News Group. 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. Another white person in Pacific Heights has been captured on video being an asshole to a person of color, this time questioning a man who was delivering Narcan to a nearby halfway house. I wish I could apologize to all of them in person. He believes that his automotive collision that happened the month before did not play a role, instead, he believes management had already decided to cut him loose months earlier. Frank Somerville, the anchor for KTVU, has been 'suspended indefinitely' by the network Credit: Facebook/Frank Somerville. 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I work out every day.. "The Petito family certainly deserves answers and justice. Somerville takes these charges very seriously. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, booked into Santa Rita Jail on that charge and later released with a citation to appear. As per the sources, he was named after his father's friend Frank Patty. This past week, Mornings On 2 anchor Mike Mibach has been in Somervilles chair, including on Thursday nights newscasts at 5 and 6 p.m. when he simply introduced himself: Im Mike Mibach., Somerville said his health was great, a point he also made in a photo he shared on Instagram with his 5,100 followers this week. On March 19, 1958, Frank Somerville was born in San Luis Obispo, California, US. But beyond that, the outlet did not get much more information from Somerville, who has had a rocky 2021. So, nothing like this happens again. Frank Somerville Wife, Family, Daughter, House, Bio & Net Worth Seven weeks later, he was off the air again. Frank Somerville finally returns to KTVU: Are viewers owed an explanation? Silence irks activists, stirs questions about suspension. Off work, he enjoys playing in bands, busking and karaoke. Frank Somerville: KTVU anchor fired for discussion on 'missing - MEAWW Theyre the backbone of Channel 2. Its another strange twist in a turbulent year for Somerville. Holland wondered if KTVU or Fox simply hope the controversy will disappear. 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. Former SF anchor Frank Somerville publicly opens up about arrest, KTVU exit In a statement Thursday afternoon, Somervilles attorney Shannan Dugan acknowledged the charges. [6], Somerville was an intern at KTVU in 1981, while attending San Francisco State. Reynolds, a former editor at the Oakland Tribune and Bay Area News Group, said it would have resulted in the very disparity (in coverage) he was seeking to address.. Somerville is the adoptive father of a Black teen daughter. The case of Gabby has sparked a national outcry as her fianc Brian Laundrie continues to evade authorities. The Alameda County District Attorneys Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from SFGATE. Alameda County DA charges former TV anchor Frank Somerville with DUIs Frank Somerville has spoken out for the first time since his Dec. 30 arrest for a suspected DUI. In 1992, he became co-anchor of the station's popular Mornings on 2 show. 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 . Speaking about the case ofmissing geologist Daniel Robinson, she added: "I never heard of it until this friend of mine sent it to me. Last fall, he told this news organization that he anticipated his days anchoring at KTVU were over after he was suspended in September for an off-air dispute about the coverage of the Gabby Petito case. Somerville, driving a 2014 Porsche 911, rear-ended a silver Audi. He is extremely sorry to the person he hit and has provided all information to his insurance company to cover the other drivers losses. Frank Somerville publicly opens up about arrest, KTVU exit 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. Arianna Fitts would now be eight years old, but she hasnt been seen since 2016, and CNN is shining new light on her case in hopes of a breakthrough. He has worked as an online coordinator and, before that, a copy editor and page designer for Bay Area-based newspapers and magazines. Frank Somerville - Biography - IMDb 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 . All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! 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. In 2008, he was elevated to one of the stations marquee positions when he was anointed co-anchor of the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts, replacing 40-year veteran Dennis Richmond. Because Mr. Somervilles case is pending, he cannot personally comment at this time, but he takes full responsibility for what happened that night.. Somerville was off the air for much of the summer following his now-infamous May 30 newscast, when he repeatedly slurred and stumbled over his words and appeared to have trouble reading off the teleprompter. 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. The City of San Leandro also issued an official proclamation honoring him for speaking out about missing women of color and setting an example of strength and equity to our community and those worldwide.. 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. They had told me long before that.. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! "I still want to continue working, Somerville tells the Mercury News. Crime and Public Safety | According to station sources, Somerville, 63, has been suspended indefinitely by Channel 2 management after a disagreement with news director Amber Eikel over coverage of the Gabby Petito homicide case. Born Frank William Somerville on 19th March 1958 in San Luis Obispo, California, Frank Somerville is a journalist. Jurors hopelessly deadlocked in Bay Point murder trial, mistrial declared At the time, Somerville said he had not yet lined up offers to work at other stations but wanted to keep working and was disappointed about how his time at KTVU had ended. In interviews this week, Somerville declined to say anything more about his departure from KTVU, his arrest or his plans. 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. "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.