Yahoo Autos News Anchor Mark Mester Fired After Criticizing KTLA's Treatment of Former Co-Anchor Lynette Romero
Mark Mester, a Los Angeles-area news anchor, was fired from CW affiliate KTLA just days after criticizing the station's executives for how they handled his co-anchor's departure.
The station's parent company, Nexstar Media Inc., confirmed Mester was no longer with the company when reached by PEOPLE on Thursday. They declined to comment further.
According to the Los Angeles Times, KTLA informed staffers of Mester's firing on Thursday afternoon, just over a week after the station announced his Weekend Morning News co-anchor, Lynette Romero, had resigned.
The news station executives have faced mounting criticism for how they announced Romero was leaving. Namely, KTLA had entertainment reporter Sam Rubin break the news during a 40-second segment on a weekday news broadcast, instead of having Romero — a member of KTLA for nearly 24 years — say goodbye to viewers herself.
RELATED: News Anchor Suspended for Criticizing the Treatment of Former Co-Anchor amid Controversial Departure
As the Times notes, Mester isn't listed on KTLA's online staff list.
After nearly 24 years at KTLA, our Lynette Romero has decided to move on and pursue another opportunity. We wish Lynette nothing but the best of luck on her next chapter. pic.twitter.com/dnjrhCItSs
— KTLA (@KTLA) September 14, 2022
The news of Mester's firing comes after his segment last Saturday, where he apologized to viewers for the short segment announcing Romero's departure, and called it "unfortunate" and "inappropriate."
"I'm going to take some time speak directly to you at this hour, to tell you, what it is that happened here on [Wednesday's broadcast]," Mester said in a clip from the show that was posted on social media. "I want to start off right now by offering up an apology to you [the viewers]. What the viewers experienced was rude, it was cruel, it was inappropriate and we are so sorry. I also want to say sorry to Lynette Romero, because Lynette ... I love you so much, and you really are my best friend, you did not deserve what happened to you on Wednesday."
"Lynette deserved to say goodbye, it didn't happen, I don't know who wrote the script, I don't know who handed it to Sam Rubin, regardless, this was a mistake," Mester continued, in part. "We owe you an apology, and we owe Lynette an apology."