U.S. TV station ends relationship with anchorwoman after racially charged Facebook post - Action News
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U.S. TV station ends relationship with anchorwoman after racially charged Facebook post

Pittsburgh television station WTAE has ended its relationship with anchorwoman Wendy Bell over comments she posted on Facebook.

Facing social media backlash, Wendy Bell apologizes, saying her words 'could be viewed as racist'

Wendy Bell, former WTAE anchor, apologized after a Facebook post, saying she realized her words "could be viewed as racist." (Twitter)

Pittsburgh television station WTAE has ended its relationshipwith anchorwoman Wendy Bell over racially charged comments she posted on Facebook.

The parent company, Hearst Television, released a statement that said Bell's comments were "inconsistent with the company's ethics and journalistic standards."

Bell's post, which has since been removed, was about an ambush shooting at a cookout that killedfive people, including a woman who was pregnant.

"You needn't be a criminal profiler to draw a mental sketch of the killers who broke so many hearts two weeks ago Wednesday . They are young black men, likely in their teens or in their early 20s," Bell wrote."They have multiple siblings from multiple fathers and their mothers work multiple jobs. These boys have been in the system before. They've grown up there. They know the police. They've been arrested."

Social media responded withoutrage to the racially charged comments.

In the same Facebook post, Bell said there was hope, and shepraised a black restaurant worker who was "hustling like nobody's business." She told the manager the young man was "the best thing the restaurant had going" before leaving.

"I wonder how long it had been since someone told him he was special," she wrote.

Some readers felt the message was condescending.

After the post circulated on social media, Bell issued an apology.

This post has also been removed, butCBS Newsreported thatBell said she realized her words "could be viewed as racist."

Some Twitter users were pleased.

Some thought there was nothing wrong with Bell's comments and showed their support for the anchor.

Many users felt the apology did little to make up for her post.

The mixed responses led toFacebook pages in support and opposition created for the Emmy Award-winning, and now former, WTAE anchor.

With files from The Associated Press