Anchor fired for race comments gets new broadcasting job

PITTSBURGH – A Pittsburgh newscaster who was previously fired for comments deemed racially insensitive about a shooting has a new job in broadcasting.

KDKA-AM News Radio 1020 announced Thursday that it hired former WTAE-TV anchor Wendy Bell as part of its on-air team for 2019. Bell will serve as a mid-day host alongside Marty Griffin.

Bell said in a statement that she is looking forward to the job.

WTAE-TV fired Bell in 2016 after she made comments on Facebook about a shooting of five people in a Pittsburgh suburb, speculating the gunmen were black men with multiple siblings and from multiple fathers.

She later filed a lawsuit against the station, alleging the station violated her civil rights by firing her. The lawsuit was settled earlier this year, and terms were not disclosed.