ABC New York news anchor fired over hot mic incident

Ken Rosato, longtime anchor of Eyewitness News This Morning on New York’s WABC 7, was fired after he was reportedly caught on a hot mic, directing a vulgar insult at a colleague.

News of Rosato’s firing was first reported by Page Six last Friday after the anchor had been off-air since May 2. On Monday, Page Six reported the ousting allegedly came after a hot mic picked up Rosato calling his co-anchor Shirleen Allicot a c**t. According to Page Six, Rosato was off-air when he uttered the vulgar word, but it was picked up on an open mic.

There was initial speculation that Rosato may have been fired after uttering a racial slur on a hot mic, but a representative of the veteran news anchor denied that allegation in a statement to Page Six.

“Being fired for any racial slur is 100 percent inaccurate and untrue. Ken Rosato had a benchmark of 20 years at WABC of supporting all equality,” the statement to Page Six read.

While the cause for dismissing Rosato is no longer believed to include a racial slur, his firing was reportedly over a vulgar insult, although audio of the incident has not surfaced. ABC 7  did not officially announce Rosato’s firing or departure, but his bio has been removed from the station’s website and Page Six received an internal email confirming his exit.

Rosato had been with Eyewitness News for two decades, joining as a freelance reporter in 2003, being promoted to morning and noon anchor in 2007. Rosato co-hosted ABC 7’s morning newscast with Allicot, traffic reporter Heather O’Rourke and meteorologist Sam Champion. ABC Anchors Michelle Charlesworth and David Novarro have filled in for Rosato over the last two weeks.

[Page Six]