The vice president and news director of WPLG Miami, Bill Pohovey, issued a memo instructing staff to avoid posting what he termed “foolish nonsense” on social media. This move came into focus as discussion arose about anchor Jenise Fernandez’s bikini photos, though the memo was sent out prior to her posts.
According to reports from FTVLive, Pohovey criticized staff for creating influencer-like content that detracted from their journalistic responsibilities. He emphasized that this was not a new issue, saying, “I have emailed about this numerous times in the past, but we seem to be going in the wrong direction again.”
The discussion reignited after Fernandez posted a series of holiday images on her Instagram account, where she commands around 28,000 followers. These photos featured her vacationing in Fiji. Yet, Pohovey clarified that the memo was not directly linked to her activities.
Pohovey clarified, “The memo was not a response to one individual post [but rather] just a reminder of long-standing guidelines.”
Fernandez, who has been with the station since 2014 and once held the title of Miss Miami, shared images showing her wearing a bikini while enjoying her vacation. Some photos depicted her on a boat and others by a floating bar.
In a statement to the New York Post, Pohovey mentioned that the memo reminded employees of maintaining professionalism on social media. He did not consider Fernandez’s photos to violate his guidelines, explaining that they were “tasteful and completely fine.”
The memo addressed staff conduct on platforms like Instagram, stressing that public personas should not undermine their roles as journalists. Pohovey stated, “Too many of our social media accounts are being used for foolish nonsense.” He further advised against creating dance videos or fashion-related content that detracts from journalistic credibility.
Pohovey also highlighted that filming within the newsroom for personal social media purposes was discouraged. He asked staff to consider applying similar rules to their personal accounts, remarking, “Some of what I see is cringeworthy.”
He added, “People are losing trust in the news, and the nickname ‘fake news’ is beginning to stick. We’re seen as not serious and this unprofessional behavior only adds fuel to that fire.”
The memo serves as a reminder for journalists to prioritize their credibility and the reputation of WPLG.