A directive from the Vice President of News at a Miami station criticized staff for their social media activities. This comes amid debate over an anchor’s Instagram content featuring swimwear photos.
The memo, authored by Bill Pohovey of WPLG, reprimanded staff for posts resembling influencer content, which he stated detracts from their journalistic duties. FTVLive highlighted these concerns.
Pohovey expressed disappointment, noting repeated past reminders. His memo preceded new images posted by anchor Jenise Fernandez, showcasing a Fiji vacation to her personal followers.
The images showed Fernandez in a red bikini on a boat, captioned with excitement about her experiences. Her station bio mentions her Miss Miami title and a strong showing in the Miss Florida Pageant.
Additional photos depicted her at a floating bar with companions. Reports suggest the memo circulated post-sharing, but Pohovey refuted this, stating it was a general reminder predating these posts.
According to Pohovey, the pictures did not breach directives. He clarified to the New York Post that staff were always allowed to post about personal life, adding that these were non-controversial images.
He emphasized social media should reflect professionalism and not distract from journalistic integrity. The memo denounced unnecessary content like dance and fashion videos, advising against filming in the newsroom.
Pohovey urged staff to apply similar restraint to personal accounts, describing some content as “cringeworthy.” He stressed preserving trust in journalism was more valuable than seeking likes.
Fox News Digital sought comments from Fernandez and Pohovey. Julia Bonavita, a media writer at Fox News Digital, provided this coverage.
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