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. Alameda County DA charges former TV anchor, 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), Alameda County DA charges former TV anchor Frank Somerville with DUIs, Info stolen in Oakland ransomware attack set to be released, Woman suspected of making threats toward Christian schools campus in Walnut Creek arrested, Federal jury finds Bay Area man guilty in string of East Bay bank robberies, Jurors hopelessly deadlocked in Bay Point murder trial, mistrial declared, In wake of scandal, East Bay school district keeps a close eye on staff behavior. (He was a prolific Facebook user until September. During a now-infamous May 30 newscast, he repeatedly slurred and stumbled over his words and appeared to have trouble reading off the teleprompter. KTVU was prepared to air a news report detailing the latest developments in the case. Elevation. The photo shows him with a beard and the caption: I think I look pretty cool for 63 if I do say so myself In response to a follower who said Somerville didnt look well, he said, I feel great. 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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). Somerville, driving a 2014 Porsche 911, rear-ended a silver Audi. In interviews this week, Somerville declined to say anything more about his departure from KTVU, his arrest or his plans. Mr. $5,550,000. Somerville reportedly told the producer that Eikel had approved a shortened version, a source said. Related Articles 1. 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. 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. Following Somervilles suspension, two rallies were held outside the KTVU studios in Jack London Square in October, both sparked by his reported desire to address disparities in media coverage of White crime victims like Petito versus women of color. MSNBC host Joy Reid criticized her own industry on her prime-time program, calling the Petito coverage an example of missing White woman syndrome, a term coined by the late PBS anchor Gwen Ifill to describe the medias often lopsided focus on white women and girls when they go missing. He is a graduate of Bowie State University in Maryland with a BS degree in communications. Somerville wanted the tag to address domestic violence and the medias tendency to overlook reports about missing and slain women of color, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, which obtained a copy of Somervilles original tag. This latest incident, coming just six weeks after Somervilles return to the anchor desk, will undoubtedly trigger speculation about his future with the station. Somerville has reportedly been "suspended indefinitely" after a behind-the-scenes disagreement about his coverage of the22-year-old vlogger's disappearance. 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. Somerville has said in the past that he wants to work two or three more years and would like to finish his career at KTVU. 42 Portfolio, Somerville, MA 02143 is a 9 bedroom, 18 bathroom, 15,789 sqft multi-family built in 1900. [14][15], Somerville was married to television producer Donna Wright Somerville for more than 20 years; the couple has two daughters. Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox. 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. FRANK Somerville has reportedly been pulled off the air at KTVU over his coverage of the Gabby Petito case. But she hadnt and the new tag was removed. You can see video of the Sunday 10 o'clock broadcast below, in which Somerville has difficulty reading from his teleprompter. AdWeek's TVSpy blog is covering his disappearance from the air as well. Frank Somerville has spoken out for the first time since his Dec. 30 arrest for a suspected DUI. [2][3][4], Somerville was born on March 19, 1958, in San Luis Obispo, California, but was raised in Berkeley. A KTVU spokesperson later explained that he left the air to focus on his health.. 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. Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox. Somerville did not reply to repeated efforts to contact him, nor did representatives from Fox News, who said last month only that the anchor had been suspended pending further review. No one at KTVU, including news director Amber Eikel, would speak on the record. Somervilles next hearing will take place May 6. 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. His suspension came just six weeks after a previous leave of absence for health issues when he struggled to read his teleprompter and slurred his words during a broadcast in May. On March 19, 1958, Frank Somerville was born in San Luis Obispo, California, US. Somerville has a Black daughter and wanted to add a note at the end of any news story on Petito about the rates of domestic violence for Black women in America. Reynolds said Somerville may have been well-intentioned, and that he certainly seems passionate about fairness in coverage. Among them, whether the anchor was offering an effective or appropriate way to challenge the medias often lopsided obsession with stories about White women in jeopardy. Theylearned that Somerville had been driving a 2014 Porsche east on West Grand when he rear-ended an Audi stopped at the intersection. Its another strange twist in a turbulent year for Somerville. In wake of scandal, East Bay school district keeps a close eye on staff behavior The crash had nothing to do with it, Somerville said, saying managers had decided to cut him loose months earlier. 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Officers who spoke with Somerville said he exhibited symptoms of being under the influence of an alcoholic beverage: bloodshot/watery eyes, thick/slurred speech, and odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his person.. 80346 /80620. He is due to appear Feb. 28. [6] He's still in mourning over the cancellation of "Freaks and Geeks. About Frank; Contact Information; Court Records; Frank Bacci is 50 years old today because Frank's birthday is on 09/10/1972. 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. He has worked as an online coordinator and, before that, a copy editor and page designer for Bay Area-based newspapers and magazines. Off work, he enjoys playing in bands, busking and karaoke. His name came after his father's friend, Frank Patty and his parental grandfather, William Somerville . Frank Somerville finally returns to KTVU: Are viewers owed an explanation? The FBI has issued an arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie, Petitos 23-year-old fianc. Petito, 22, had been reported missing earlier this month while on a cross-country camping trip. Meanwhile, the media coverage issue Somerville had hoped to raise has garnered plenty of attention in recent days as debate rages over how much is too much. But as community groups voice frustration, questions also remain over Somervilles suspension. 1 newscast in the market. Twitter just announced the launch of its Twitter Blue product, a new subscription service with extra perks for avid users that is rolling out today in Australia and Canada ahead of a wider launch. 3,096 sqft. 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. Look closely at this picture. Stay up to date! Following a car crash late last December, embattled Bay Areareporter Frank Somerville now faces two DUI charges. He said it was deeply concerning that KTVU wasnt even willing to have a conversation about media coverage when it serves the Bay Areas diverse viewers. 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. "I feel like a total idiot," Somerville allegedly said. 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. Since then, Fox and station management have refused to publicly speak to the issue. But even with such declarations, community activists say they have yet to hear from the station managers or Fox about their concerns. 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. I wish I could apologize to all of them in person. And I wont stop fighting for equal media representation for all victims.. Jay C. Barmann is a fiction writer and web editor who's lived in San Francisco for 20+ years. Neither Fox nor KTVU has made any official statement on the matter. "No one at the station Fox/KTVU has contacted me. And the photo has since gone. At the time, Somerville said he had not yet lined up offers to work at other stations but wanted to keep working and was disappointed about how his time at KTVU had ended. ", He adds, "It makes me really sad, because Ive given 31 years to the station. Born Frank William Somerville on 19th March 1958 in San Luis Obispo, California, Frank Somerville is a journalist. The request was denied by KTVU news director Amber Eikel, who called the tagline inappropriate, a source told SFGATE in September, leading to criticism from the Oakland chapter of the NAACP. However, she agreed with the editors who thought the tag on its own wasnt a sufficient way to cover the story and would blur the lines between an anchor delivering a straight news story and offering editorial commentary, sources said. Sources said that Somerville was informed by station management the next day that he was being suspended. [6], Somerville was an intern at KTVU in 1981, while attending San Francisco State. Sign up for NBC Bay Areas Housing Deconstructed newsletter. That's a shivering duck sheltering a puppy with its wings. For whatever reason, they decided not to re-sign me.. Crime and Public Safety | As of Thursday afternoon, officials at KTVU and at Fox had not responded to repeated emails asking about Somervilles departure or about whether they had offically signed a replacement. DSW is closing on Powell Street, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen says the metaverse scares her, and SF Mayor London Breed has come out vocally in support of the recall of three school board members. Who is Frank Somerville? His first newspaper job was as a Washington Post paperboy. Info stolen in Oakland ransomware attack set to be released 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.. FRANK Somerville has reportedly been pulled off the air at KTVU over his coverage of the Gabby Petito case. Somerville, a white male, is being lionized and becoming the topic of the story and not the women who have been ignored, Reynolds said. 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Frank Somerville finally returns to KTVU: Are viewers owed an explanation? This was Somervilles second suspension in a tumultuous year. 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. If not, Ill go to other stations outside of the market. George Galvis, executive director of Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice, which helped organize the Oct. 12 rally, said KTVUs silence is a response.. 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 homicide case. We wanted to give KTVU a chance to see if they would independently respond, said George Holland, the president of the Oakland chapter of the NAACP, which hosted a rally for 40 to 50 people on Oct. 2. Reid hosted a discussion with representatives from the Black and Missing Foundation andNot Our Native Daughters Foundation when she made the comments. Somervilles Bay Area roots helped make him popular with viewers. 2. The Berkeley native had been an intern at KTVU many years before. "I couldn't leave work at work," Somerville. The case of Gabby has sparked a national outcry as her fianc Brian Laundrie continues to evade authorities. 53-127 m (174-417 ft) (avg. Speaking about the case ofmissing geologist Daniel Robinson, she added: "I never heard of it until this friend of mine sent it to me. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. [1] During his three decades at KTVU in Oakland, California, Somerville received three Emmy Awards, including one for best on-camera news anchor. This property is currently available for sale and was listed by MLS PIN on Mar . 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. 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. Somerville, who has an adopted black daughter, reportedly pushed back after the tagline was refused. All this drama isnt good, Somerville said. Over the years he has become one of the station's most recognisable having presented on screen for more than two decades. The New York-born Petito was slain during a cross-country van trip with her fiance, Brian Laundrie. Longtime KTVU anchor Frank Somerville is facing two DUI charges following a car accident on Dec. 30, 2021. Franqueville ( French pronunciation: [fkvil]; Picard: Franqville) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France . The City of San Leandro also issued an official proclamation honoring him for speaking out about missing women of color and setting an example of strength and equity to our community and those worldwide.. I work out every day.. Somerville was off the air for much of the summer following his now-infamous May 30 newscast, when he repeatedly slurred and stumbled over his words and appeared to have trouble reading off the teleprompter. I would love to work at one of the other stations in the market. Frank Somerville says KTVU wouldnt re-sign, 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, Frank Somerville says KTVU wouldnt re-sign him: I am done at Channel 2, Bay Area TV anchor Frank Somerville arrested on suspicion of DUI after crash in Oakland, Frank Somerville says hes done at KTVU, apologizes to newsroom for drama, Wheres Frank Somerville? "[11], On December 30, 2021, Somerville was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after an automobile collision. Somerville wanted to add a brief tagline at the end of the report that questioned the extraordinary level of media coverage devoted to the story. Former SF anchor Frank Somerville publicly opens up about arrest, KTVU exit. George Kelly is a breaking news reporter for the Bay Area News Group's East Bay Times and Mercury News. I work out every day.. 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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. The longtime news anchor faced a rocky 2021. Theyre not re-signing me. The Alameda County District Attorneys Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from SFGATE. Somerville was hospitalized shortly after the incident and was booked at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. Before moving to Frank's current city of Somerville, MA, Frank lived in Bolton MA.In the past, Frank has also been known as Frank J Bacci. [5] He then attended San Francisco State University. He works out and practices the Israeli martial art of Krav Maga.[20]. What Somerville did that was so wrong is less clear. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. The veteran anchor was told that the tagline was inappropriate and he apparently pushed back on it. 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. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Since his suspension, Somerville has shared videos and posts on Instagram his social media platform of choice since leaving KTVU. There was no word on how heated the discussion got. These rallies were followed by the City of San Leandro issuing an official proclamation honoring Somerville "for speaking out about missing women of color and setting an example of strength and equity to our community and those worldwide.". Early Life and Education. 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. 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. [12], Somerville's suspension from KTVU would become permanent in January 2022 when his contract expired and KTVU would decide not to re-sign him. [8] He returned to the anchor chair on August 4 without addressing the incident that saw his brief departure. Somerville, now 64, was arrested at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 30 in the 2200 block of Broadway following a collision between his 2014 Porsche 911 and a silver Audi, according to a probable cause statement by Officer Natalie Windham. Frank Somerville has spoken out for the first time since his Dec. 30 arrest for a suspected DUI. He is extremely sorry to the person he hit and has provided all information to his insurance company to cover the other drivers losses. A picture of him styling his Black, adopted daughter's hair went viral on the Internet. A search-warrant obtained blood sample later yielded a result of .24 blood-alcohol content. His parents raised him in Berkeley, California. Woman suspected of making threats toward Christian schools campus in Walnut Creek arrested