WNYW "Disappointed" In News Anchor's Expletive

Anastos to issue on-air apology

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/17/2009 5:08:49 PM

Fox's WNYW New York says it is disappointed in an F-bomb dropped by a news anchor Wednesday night, and will make an on-air apology as well.

Ernie Anastos, 10 p.m. anchor, made the slip in banter with the station's weather anchor. The clip went viral and drew this response Thursday from VP and GM Lew Leone. "We are disappointed with Ernie's comment on the air last night. He will apologize for his use of inappropriate language tonight during FOX 5 News at 10 p.m."

The timing was a bit unfortunate, coming the same day Fox was filing a court brief opposing the FCC's indecency finding against Fox for expletives dropped in an awards show.

It was clearly beyond WNYW and Fox's bounds, but as far as the FCC is concerned, Anastos' comment was within the rules since it was after 10 p.m., when broadcasters are theoretically able to say or show anything short of outright obscenity.