Miami News Director Warns Staff About Social Media Conduct

A Miami news station director has cautioned staff to avoid posting what has been described as “foolish nonsense” on their social media accounts. This issue resurfaced after an anchor’s bikini photos raised questions about policy compliance.

Bill Pohovey, WPLG Vice President of News, issued an internal memo highlighting the need for a focus on their primary journalistic responsibilities. FTVLive reported that Pohovey expressed concern about influencer-like content distracting from their work.

“I have emailed about this several times, but things seem to be regressing,” Pohovey reportedly wrote.

The memo came to attention following Instagram posts by WPLG anchor and reporter Jenise Fernandez. She shared images with her 28,000 followers of her trip to Fiji. The memo, however, dates back to weeks before her photos were uploaded.

Fernandez, a Miami ABC affiliate anchor, posted images on her personal account wearing a bikini during her vacation. The photos attracted attention as they coincided with an internal discussion on newsroom social media guidelines.

According to her biography, Fernandez has been with WPLG since 2014. She once held the title Miss Miami and was a runner-up in the Miss Florida Pageant.

While some reports suggested the memo followed Fernandez’s posts, Pohovey clarified to the New York Post that his memo was a general reminder of existing guidelines and not a reaction to any specific post.

Pohovey stated, “The memo was not in response to any single post but a reminder of long-standing guidelines.” He confirmed that Fernandez’s photos did not violate the station’s policy, as the guideline did not prohibit sharing vacation images.

The memo instructed staff to maintain a professional persona on social media. Pohovey criticized posts like dance videos, fashion shows, and other content detracting from journalistic integrity.

The memo also discouraged creating social media content within the newsroom, a practice common in other stations. Pohovey advised applying similar rules to personal accounts, describing some postings as “cringeworthy.”

Pohovey emphasized growing public distrust in media, where the term “fake news” is gaining traction. He argued that unprofessional behavior undermines credibility, stating that likes and follows are not worth damaging the trustworthiness of the news organization.

Fox News Digital contacted Fernandez and Pohovey for further comments.