Following a car crash late last December, embattled Bay Areareporter Frank Somerville now faces two DUI charges. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Former SF anchor Frank Somerville publicly opens up about arrest, KTVU exit. He first joined the San Francisco Bay Area station in 1991 and in 2008 became an anchor of the six o'clock and ten o'clock news broadcasts. OAKLAND The Alameda County District Attorney's Office has filed two misdemeanor charges against former KTVU news anchor Frank Somerville in connection with his arrest late last year on. Frank Somerville - Facebook 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. Viral Kids' Star Ms. Rachel Is Taking a Break From Social Media After Backlash Over Co-Star Who Uses They/Them Pronouns, Actor Tom Sizemore, of Saving Private Ryan,' Dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of Wife and Son, Los Gatos Mom Accused of Hosting Alcohol-Fueled Teen Parties Attacked in Jail, Hospitalized. There was no word on how heated the discussion got. All rights reserved, with driving under the influence following an arrest in late December in Oakland. Frank Somerville Speaks, Says He's Likely Out at KTVU - SFist Somervilles next hearing will take place May 6. 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. Somerville displayed symptoms of driving under the influence of alcohol, with bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his person. After a field sobriety test showed signs of impairment, the documents said, two separate breathalyzer tests found that Somerville had blood alcohol levels of 0.239% and 0.219%. KTVU again removes Frank Somerville from the air - The Mercury News Somerville was off the air for more than nine weeks before returning in August to Channel 2s The Ten OClock News without addressing his unusual absence. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox, Longtime Bay Area Anchor Frank Somerville Off Air Since Slurred-Speech Broadcast On Sunday, AdWeek's TVSpy blog is covering his disappearance, fake names of the pilots of Asiana Airlines Flight 214, Day Around the Bay: San Jose Man Arrested In Connection With PG&E Transformer Explosions, Berkeley Poised to Close Famed Anthropology Library, Angry Students In Full Occupy Mode, The SFPD Brags About Busting Johns Seeking Sex Workers on Capp Street. The collision occurred eastbound on West Grand Avenue, Windham wrote. Crime and Public Safety | Jay C. Barmann is a fiction writer and web editor who's lived in San Francisco for 20+ years. When an officer-administered field sobriety test showed signs of impairment, Somerville consented to an alcohol screening test; he blew two tests, registering .239 and .219 blood-alcohol levels, according to the statement. They had told me long before that.. Silence irks activists, stirs questions about suspension, Oakland NAACP calls for Frank Somervilles reinstatement at KTVU. Frank Somerville (born March 19, 1958) is an American television journalist. Somerville, a white male, is being lionized and becoming the topic of the story and not the women who have been ignored, Reynolds said. OAKLAND The Alameda County District Attorneys Office has filed two misdemeanor charges against former KTVU news anchor Frank Somerville in connection with his arrest late last year on suspicion of driving under the influence, authorities said. 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. Martin Reynolds, co-executive director for the Oakland-based Maynard Institute, which promotes diversity in Americas newsrooms, said Somervilles reported solution, to tack a commentary on at the end of a straight news story, would have been lazy, as opposed to assigning a full story on the topic. All this drama isnt good, Somerville said. Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox. After the initial collision, the driver of the Audi got out of their vehicle and Somerville, in his Porsche, allegedly pushed the Audi across the intersection of Broadway and West Grand Avenue until the Audi hit a pole on the southwest corner of the intersection, Windham's statement said. Neither Fox nor KTVU has made any official statement on the matter. 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. He added that the decision was made long before December, when the alleged DUI took place. A KTVU spokesperson later explained that he left the air to focus on his health.. KTVU's "Ten O'Clock News" has long held the top spot for the Bay Area's highest rated news broadcast. I would give anything to work there. As first reported by the Mercury News on Thursday, the venerated KTVU broadcaster faces two misdemeanor charges from the Alameda County District Attorneys Office one for driving under the influence of alcohol and a second for driving with a blood alcohol level of over 0.08% with potentially enhanced penalties because his BAC was over 0.15%. Sources said that Somerville was informed by station management the next day that he was being suspended. Frank Somerville says he's 'never going to anchor' at KTVU again KTVU anchor Frank Somerville remains off air after abrupt Sunday exit All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! The longtime news anchor faced a rocky 2021. The Alameda County District Attorneys Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from SFGATE. (He was a prolific Facebook user until September. 53-127 m (174-417 ft) (avg. Franqueville ( French pronunciation: [fkvil]; Picard: Franqville) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France . Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox, Frank Somerville Speaks, Says He's Likely Out at KTVU, fairly strange Memorial Day Weekend broadcast, just took up a local missing-persons case, Anchorman Frank Somerville's Future at KTVU In Doubt As Rumors Swirl About High Drama In the Newsroom, Day Around the Bay: San Jose Man Arrested In Connection With PG&E Transformer Explosions, Berkeley Poised to Close Famed Anthropology Library, Angry Students In Full Occupy Mode, The SFPD Brags About Busting Johns Seeking Sex Workers on Capp Street. 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. ", 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. Longtime KTVU news anchor Frank Somerville was booked into jail early Friday morning for allegedly driving under the influence, after a car crash at a busy intersection in downtown Oakland. Frank Somerville is an American journalist and three-time Emmy Award winner. In November, Somerville insisted he was right to push for the commentary, but he publicly apologized for all the drama because of the way it affected people who work at the station. 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. 2. It should have been much more about stepping into the journalism and giving respect and honor to the issue and people youre purporting to be in service of.. Email us at exclusive@the-sun.com or call 212 416 4552. Frank Somerville, the anchor for KTVU, has been 'suspended indefinitely' by the network Credit: Facebook/Frank Somerville. But if Petitos story needs to be told, so do the stories of thousands of overlooked women of color, they said. 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. Look closely at this picture. The couple has two daughters - one of which, Callie, who was adopted in 2005 when she was a baby. ", He adds, "It makes me really sad, because Ive given 31 years to the station. NEW - 21 HRS AGO. $5,550,000. 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. He grew up in the Los Angeles area, went to UC Berkeley and has previously worked as a news reporter at USA Today and SFGATE and as a music writer at NPR. Reynolds said Somerville may have been well-intentioned, and that he certainly seems passionate about fairness in coverage. 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. Frank Somerville publicly opens up about arrest, KTVU exit An ABC News report,citing statistics from the FBIs National Crime Information Center stated that at the end of 2020, the FBI had more than 89,000 active missing person cases, and 45 percent of those were people of color. For whatever reason, they decided not to re-sign me.. Frank Somervilles 31-year career at KTVU, where his nightly anchoring duties made him one of the Bay Areas most beloved TV news personalities, officially came to an end Friday, as his contract expired and the station opted to not bring him back. Somerville has had a tumultuous year. The case of Gabby has sparked a national outcry as her fianc Brian Laundrie continues to evade authorities. 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. Why is 'Gabriel Salazar car accident' trending? Somerville was hospitalized shortly after the incident and was booked at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. There was no word on how heated the discussion got. As per his date of birth, his birth sign is Pisces. When I saw Will Smith stand up for his wife, it reminded me of what I didnt do 30 years ago, he says in the video. He is also survived by many uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. Venerated KTVU anchor Frank Somerville will be 'taking time - SFGATE But a shortened version of the tag made it into the script for that evening's broadcast, which allegedly prompted Somerville's suspension for insubordination. 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Martha Ross is a Bay Area News Group features writer for The Mercury News and East Bay Times who covers everything and anything related to popular culture, society, health, womens issues and families. Visitation will be held on Monday, March 6th 2023 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Cusick Funeral Home (80 Mountain Ave, Somerville, NJ 08876). 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 . 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. He returned in August, but a month after, was suspended permanently following turmoil over the coverage of Gabby Petito, the missing van-lifer who was killed by her fiance Brian Laundrie in September. 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. [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. 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. Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox. Frank Somerville, a veteran TV newscaster suspended from KTVU following a dispute over coverage of the Gabby Petito homicide case, said Tuesday that he believes he is not returning to the station . The crash had nothing to do with it, Somerville said, saying managers had decided to cut him loose months earlier. 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. He became co-anchor of KTVU's morning news program in 1992 and was the first anchor of the 5 p.m. newscast when it launched in 2005. Joshua Bote is the tech editor at SFGATE. Somerville, who has an adopted black daughter, reportedly pushed back after the tagline was refused. 42 Portfolio, Somerville, MA 02143 | MLS# 73083938 | Trulia The public silence from Channel 2 and Fox, its parent network, has fueled community frustration over the ostensible reason he was suspended a reported dispute over his push to add a brief commentary on racial inequity to the end of a straight-news story about the disappearance of social media influencer Gabby Petito, whose case had attracted a firestorm of media coverage. Seven weeks later, he was off the air again. Mr. But the way this story captivated the nation has many wondering why not the same media attention when people of color go missing?" Thats just a guess. Crime and Public Safety | Somerville did reply to local media commentator Rich Lieberman on Monday saying he'd be back on the air that night and that the incident was simply a mistake regarding his prescription medication. Somerville, who has a mixed-race daughter, wanted to make a statement at the end of a segment regarding "missing white woman syndrome," a term coined by the late Gwen Ifill about American media's obsession with the disappearance of young, pretty Caucasian women, when very little national attention is given to the thousands of people of color who go missing every year. Following the suspension and subsequent social media attention, two rallies were held in support of Somerville outside KTVU headquarters in Oakland. 2. 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), Wheres Frank Somerville? ContactGeorge Kelly at 408-859-5180. Elevation. He was named after his father's childhood friend, Frank Patty, and his paternal grandfather, William Somerville. 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. He took a nine-week leave to focus on his health and had only returned in August. Ive given my heart and soul to Channel 2, he told the Bay Area News Group. But beyond that, the outlet did not get much more information from Somerville, who has had a rocky 2021. Related Articles He is due to appear Feb. 28. Sources at the station said news director Amber Eikel and editors didnt think Somervilles proposed tag, a brief closing the story, was an appropriate way to cover the issue and would blur the lines between an anchor delivering a straight news story and offering editorial commentary. Frank Somerville - Biography - IMDb Venerated KTVU anchor Frank Somerville, days after an odd Sunday broadcast in which he can be seen on-air slurring his speech while reading a teleprompter, will be on indefinite leave starting . [16][17][18][19], Somerville has been a vegetarian since the age of 12. But Reynolds also faulted KTVU for fueling the controversy by not meeting with activists to discuss their complaints about coverage, saying that journalism organizations must offer a level of transparency and accountability., While not publicly commenting to reporters about his suspension, Somerville took to Instagram late last month to thank his fans for his support in standing up for what he believes no matter the consequences., We in the media cant be afraid to look in the mirror and ask ourselves tough questions about race and our coverage, Somerville said. The longtime news anchor faced a rocky 2021. Jurors hopelessly deadlocked in Bay Point murder trial, mistrial declared Update: A spokesperson for Fox tells the Mercury News, "We can confirm Frank is taking time away from the desk to focus on his health and we welcome his return when he is ready.". Frank Somerville says KTVU wouldn't re-sign him: 'I am done' [7], In June 2021, Somerville took a personal leave of absence from KTVU following an on-air incident during which he struggled to read the script for several stories and appeared to slur his words. Robert Neil O'Keefe Jr. Obituary (1981 - 2023) | Somerville, New Jersey I work out every day.. He became co-anchor of the stations highly rated Mornings on 2 in 1992. ", Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Off work, he enjoys playing in bands, busking and karaoke. Write by: . Somerville pushed back, but was overruled, a newsroom source said. I wish I could apologize to all of them in person. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Joshua Bote is the tech editor at SFGATE. Since his departure from KTVU, he has steadily posted videos on Instagram featuring an assortment of commentary. Frank Somerville suspension: How the dispute over 'Gabby' Petito In November, Somerville told this news organization that management had not contacted him since September, when he was suspended from his anchoring duties for an off-air dispute about coverage of the Gabby Petito case. "I still want to continue working, Somerville tells the Mercury News. American Idol star giving out ice cream to homeless children in Sacramento, William backed Harry and Meghans eviction, prefers brother never set foot in England again, Torture porn: Lily-Rose Depp filmed scenes of extreme sexual violence for new HBO show, report says, Pop stars snub King Charles coronation: I dont know what there is to gain by associating with him, Dear Abby: I love my wife but I think I better get divorced, Bobcat seen using Highway 17 wildlife crossing hours after it opens, Harriette Cole: She has gone too far with the remote work option, Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life, Miss Manners: I felt bad that they all skipped her baby shower -- and then I found out why, Drought is now over in more than half of California, including the Bay Area, feds say, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Kurtenbach: An unlikely combo could prove huge for the Warriors down the stretch, Wife of popular Wild 94.9 radio host JV says new information suggests 'he will not be coming back', California extends Bay Area tax deadlines to match IRS, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Frank Celeste, Gibson Sotheby's International Realty. Holland wondered if KTVU or Fox simply hope the controversy will disappear. 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. Crime and Public Safety | "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. 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Who is Frank Somerville's wife? | The US Sun Longtime KTVU anchor Frank Somerville shared a Facebook post Saturday reflecting on his arrest and his termination from . He said the couple spend their "together time" at the gym and that the pair "encourage each otherto keep pushing.". But he wouldn't be back on the air until August, and then within weeks, this controversy erupted behind the scenes about the Petito case. The New York-born Petito was slain during a cross-country van trip with her fiance, Brian Laundrie. Stay up to date! 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. Somervilles last newscast for KTVU was on Sept. 21. Staff writers Harry Harris and Rick Hurd contributed to this report. But even with such declarations, community activists say they have yet to hear from the station managers or Fox about their concerns. 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. He also was off the air for much of last summer following a now-infamous May 30, 2021 newscast, when he repeatedly slurred and stumbled over his words and appeared to have trouble reading off the teleprompter. Franqueville, Somme - Wikipedia Somerville was not involved in that flub. I also helped make the noon and 5 p.m. newscasts No. 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. KTVU suspended veteran anchor Frank Somerville after the station news director nixed his proposal to add commentary about racial justice to coverage of the Gabrielle "Gabby" Petito homicide . frank somerville house. 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. Galvis said activists intentions werent to wag the finger but to foster a dialogue with a media organization thats a Bay Area icon with tremendous power.. 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. 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.