PITTSBURGH — Journalists Alexis Johnson and Michael Santiago were both taken off any assignments related to recent protests in the area. The decision was made by leaders at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
Johnson said she was taken off a week ago after the paper claimed she showed bias following something she posted on social media.
Horrifying scenes and aftermath from selfish LOOTERS who don’t care about this city!!!!!
— Alexis Johnson (@alexisjreports) May 31, 2020
.... oh wait sorry. No, these are pictures from a Kenny Chesney concert tailgate. Whoops. pic.twitter.com/lKRNrBsltU
“I thought it was funny. I thought it was clever. I thought it was food for thought,” Johnson said.
Her tweet had been retweeted nearly 60,000 times and nearly 200,000 people liked it. Not all who read it were in agreement, though.
Johnson was asked if the tweet was appropriate.
“I do think so because I didn’t say Pittsburgh. I didn’t name the city. I didn’t say look what happened in Pittsburgh. Those Kenny Chesney pictures could’ve been pulled from anywhere Kenny Chesney travels across the country honestly, and I absolutely don’t see anything wrong with what I said,” she replied.
Michael Santiago said he was pulled from protest coverage without explanation.
You can customize your WPXI News App to receive alerts for Allegheny County news. CLICK HERE to find out how.
“I haven’t heard from management about why I was taken off. I got a phone call on Friday from a coworker and all she said was that I was off, and if I had any issues with it, to just reach out to our editors,” he said.
Newspaper guild president Michael Fuocco said the decision to pull Johnson and Santiago from coverage was unconscionable.
Channel 11 reached out to the Post Gazette for a response, but we have not heard back.
TRENDING NOW:
