Anchor Frank Somerville says he likely won’t return to KTVU after suspension

Longtime KTVU anchor Frank Somerville likely is not returning to the TV station after being suspended for a disagreement on coverage of the Gabby Petito case.

Somerville told the Mercury News that “all indications” were that he will not be given the opportunity to return as an anchor. He also apologized to his co-workers for the drama that unfolded as a result of his suspension.

“All this drama isn’t good,” Somerville told the publication. “I wish I could apologize to all of them in person. They’re the backbone of Channel 2. I appreciate and admire what they do every day.”

Somerville was suspended indefinitely in late September after a disagreement with KTVU managers over coverage of 22-year-old cross-country traveler Gabby Petito, whose missing persons case received widespread media attention earlier that month.

Somerville wanted to add a tagline to the Petito story that criticized the constant coverage and called attention to “missing white woman syndrome,” a term used to describe the disproportionate news coverage missing white girls and women receive compared to missing people of color.

Editors were concerned about adding opinion to a straightforward news story, according to the Mercury News. News director Amber Eikel removed that section of the story and instead offered to assign a reporter to do a separate piece.

Somerville then attempted to add the tagline into the story, telling a producer unfamiliar with the situation that Eikel had approved it when she had not.

He was suspended the following day and told the Mercury News he hasn’t heard from the TV station since then.

“It makes me really sad, because I’ve given 31 years to the station,” Somerville said. “I helped make ‘Mornings on 2’ the No. 1 newscast in the market. I also helped make the noon and 5 p.m. newscasts No. 1.”