Media Frenzy

By Rob Holbert Managing Editor

The man who oversaw the firing of three anchors in one day at WPMI-TV has himself been fired.

Bob Franklin, who has served as the NBC affiliate’s general manager since October 2006, was abruptly terminated within the last 24 hours. Charlie Henrich, vice president for operations with Newport TV, which owns WPMI, confirmed Franklin’s dismissal.

“Yes, Mr. Franklin has moved on to other opportunities,” Henrich said. “We appreciate what he has done for us and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Henrich would not speak to the reason for Franklin’s firing, but both present and former employees have told Lagniappe personal issues may have been the cause. Another employee was also reportedly terminated in conjunction with Franklin’s firing.

Franklin’s most memorable moments during his tenure at WPMI were arguably his firing of longtime anchors Peter Albrecht, Drexel Gilbert and Kim McCrea, who were all let go at one time. The move was abrupt and the release of all of a station’s main nighttime anchors at once was almost unheard of in television circles. The move threw the station into turmoil for some time and led to a stream of high-profile departures of other on-air talent.

Franklin also was at the helm when the station became the target of a series of threatening e-mails decrying “Dictator Bob Franklin” and threatening a Virginia Tech type of scenario. Eventually the e-mails were traced back to Daniel Leonard, an employee at the Alabama School of Math and Science who was also the roommate of then-WPMI reporter Richard Allyn. Leonard is currently in jail and Allyn left the station.

Frankling came to WPMI after a 30-year career that took him to stations in Tallahassee, Tampa, Charleston and San Francisco. Efforts to reach him for this story were unsuccessful.

Rob Holbert is Lagniappe managing editor. Contact him at rholbert@lagniappemobile.com.

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