The rumor when Michael Scott was at KCTV5 was that co-anchor Karen Fuller avoided him except on the set when the two had to do the news together. Based on the latest story coming out from WAAY in Huntsville about Scott hitting his co-anchor, it sounds like Fuller was wise to steer clear of him. 05-29-2008
STORY UPDATE 05-29-2008
HUNTSVILLE MELTDOWN
Calkins-owned WAAY-31-ABC in Huntsville (Market #83) has fired primary news anchor Michael Scott, just days after suspending him for calling news producer Jabaree Pruitt a "nigger." Both men are black. According to Manny Calvo, acting general manager of WAAY and president of Calkins Media, "Michael Scott is no longer with the company." Scott was hired in September 2007 as the station's primary anchor. His well-traveled career had taken him to Los Angeles, Dallas, Denver, Omaha, Charlotte (3 months), and Kansas City. WAAY newsroom insiders say Scott had repeated problems during his eight months on the job and was issued several written and verbal warnings by management for his outlandish behavior. According to one station employee, Scott "told a female employee she needed to douche, berated a male reporter in the newsroom in front of other staff, and physically hit his co-anchor (Karen Adams) on and off air. Scott was relentless in his attack on her." In February, Manny Calvo announced that he would personally be replacing Ray Depa as general manager. In an all-hands-on-deck staff meeting, he openly criticized Depa's efforts and called the station "sloppy." Two months later, Calvo fired News Director Willy Walker and General Sales Manager Chris Kidd. Neither position has been filled.
BOTTOM LINE: The Huntsville Times is reporting that Michael Scott, former KCTV5 anchor, is out at WAAY-TV in Huntsville, AL. Scott was involved with a name-calling incident (see "Scott in Trouble...Again) and initially suspended from the station. 05-28-2008 WAAY anchor no longer with station By CHRIS WELCH Huntsville Times Entertainment Writer Search under way to replace Michael Scott, GM says Michael Scott, a 30-year broadcast veteran who was hired in July 2007 as WAAY-TV's evening anchor and managing editor, is no longer with the station, according to its acting general manager. Manny Calvo, acting general manager and president of Calkins Media, confirmed in an e-mail to The Times Tuesday afternoon that Scott is no longer with the company. He said a national search for a new anchor will begin immediately. Scott, 54, couldn't be reached for comment. According to sources within the station and newsblues.com, an Internet site for broadcast news professionals, Scott's departure came after a dispute with a producer that occurred during a commercial break in last Thursday's 10 p.m. newscast. Scott has worked previously in Los Angeles, Dallas, Denver, Omaha, Charlotte, Kansas City and Huntsville. Prior to this incident, Scott's was perhaps best known for "the attack of the gecko." He was interviewing a snake wrangler on the air in 2002 for KAXS-TV, the NBC-affiliate in Dallas-Fort Worth, when a gecko lizard jumped on him from a nearby table. He screamed, yelled an expletive and has been immortalized on YouTube. Scott eventually moved to Kansas City's KCTV5 in 2004 and left in 2006. No reason was given for his departure from Kansas City. LINK: http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/1211966166283350.xml&coll=1
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