Miami News Station Urges Staff to Maintain Professionalism on Social Media

A Miami news station director, Bill Pohovey, addressed staff via memo about their social media habits. He emphasized the need to stop posting content that doesn’t align with their professional journalistic duties.

WPLG Vice President of News, Pohovey, expressed concern over staff sharing influencer-like content. This detracts from their journalistic mission, according to a report by FTVLive.

I have emailed about this numerous times, but we need a course correction, Pohovey reportedly wrote.

The memo resurfaced as WPLG anchor Jenise Fernandez shared bikini photos from a Fiji vacation on her personal social media. She has around 28,000 followers. However, the memo predated her recent posts.

Fernandez, who joined WPLG in 2014 and was a Miss Miami titleholder, appeared in a fire-red bikini in the images. She shared experiences from a resort boat and a floating bar.

FTVLive noted the memo wasn’t a reaction to Fernandez’s posts. Pohovey confirmed this to the New York Post, indicating the memo reiterated long-standing social media guidelines.

According to Pohovey, the memo did not prohibit vacation photos or candid daily life images on personal accounts. He stressed that Fernadez’s photos didn’t breach the directive.

The memo reminded employees their public image should not overshadow their roles as journalists. Pohovey discouraged content like dance videos or fashion showcases on work-related accounts. Filming inside the newsroom for social media was also restricted.

People are losing trust in the news, and unprofessional behavior worsens this perception, Pohovey noted. Likes and follows should not come at the cost of credibility.

Currently, Fox News Digital seeks comments from Fernandez and Pohovey.

Julia Bonavita, a writer at Fox News Digital, covers media and culture topics. You can reach her at [email protected].