On March 6 Russia Today reporter Liz Wahl quit her job in an unusual, though fitting fashion: she resigned on air. Upset over the network’s supposed “whitewashing” of the facts when covering Russian president Vladimir Putin, Wahl delivered a minute-long monologue that culminated in her announcing that “after this newscast, I am resigning.”
Though ending her employment in such a public fashion was certainly atypical, it was by no means unique. Here’s a few preludes to Wahl’s own “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore” moment:
“Innetta the Moodsetta”
In Aug. 2006 a DJ on WBLX in Mobile, Alabama named Innetta Hinton quit her position live on air as the jaunty beat for Grandmaster Flash's “The Message” played in the background. Hinton went on a minute-long tirade about how upset she was about her work conditions, culminating with her quitting and referring to her job in less-than-glowing terms.
The video is not safe for work, but is quite amusing, and can be listened to here.
Pete Sheppard
Unlike Hinton, On April 13, 2013, WEEI Boston sports correspondent Pete Sheppard gave the honor of letting listeners know via Twitter that “something special “would happen on air at 6:15. True to his word, Sheppard went off on how he couldn’t stand working for the station anymore and announced his resignation. He alluded to a previous firing form the station, and explained he quit on air because “I'm going out on my own terms this time.”
Cindy Michaels and Tony Consiglio
Like Hinton and Sheppard, the co-anchors of the Bangor, Maine Fox affiliate nightly news quit because of a spat with management. They were a little more cordial though, referring to their resignations as “the best possible alternative we could take.” Michaels assured viewers she would be venturing into freelance writing and working on her novel; Consiglio only alluded to “working in another capacity,” and the pair concluded the broadcast by hugging.
John Clarke
In February a presenter (and the former head of) Dublin radio station 2F quit his post on air, saying that he could see the writing on the wall and knew his ouster was coming. He cited the fact that a drivetime show he produced on the station had just gotten the ax “even though it was the number one music show for 15 to 34s on the station.” He felt the move was clearly one that had been made against him personally, and decided that he wouldn’t wait around to be sacked. He claimed he’d always survived in media because he “(knew) when is the right time to move.” So he did just that.
