Bill Shory (Courtesy: WBIR)
Earlier this month, WBIR news director Bill Shory left the Knoxville, Tenn., NBC affiliate after 8 years at the helm of the station.
The Knoxville News Sentinel reports he said he was proud of the work they accomplished over that time, but others said his departure was representative of a “hostile work environment” he allegedly created.
The firing also came after a two-week investigation by parent company Gannett.
Many current and former employees, though, say otherwise in a blog post from Katie Granju, a former online producer for the station.
“Through it all, he was a wonderful boss, always advocating for journalistic ethics, accuracy, fairness and compassion,” Granju wrote. “He was an invaluable mentor and guide from whom many journalists learned a great deal, even as he was always willing to learn from others to become better at his own job.”
WBIR morning anchor Brittany Bailey reflected on her impression of Shory after reading the blog post.
“In every journalist’s life, there are a select few people who shape the course of that journalist’s career. In my life, one of those people has been Bill Shory,” she wrote.
Neither Gannett nor general manager Jeff Lee would comment on exactly why Shory was shown the door.
“We do not comment on personnel matters,” Lee told the Knoxville News Sentinel.
[…] Shory left without explanation in March amid rumors from staff members he created a “hostile work environment.” […]