CBS Punts on Felony Strangulation Charge Against Former Anchor; Reported Fox News Reporter's Arrest

Matthew Balan
February 23rd, 2013 12:32 PM
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On Wednesday, the New York Daily News reported that Rob Morrison, an anchor for CBS's New York City affiliate WCBS, had quit his job after being arrested the previous weekend for an alleged assault on his wife, CBS MoneyWatch anchor Ashley Morrison. While this news story has been picked up by CNN, the New York Times, and UPI, CBS's own morning and evening newscasts have yet to report on it.

By contrast, CBS This Morning devoted several news items to the arrest and trial of Fox News correspondent Douglas Kennedy in 2012. During a April 4, 2012 report, then-anchor Erica Hill pointed out his affiliation with the news outlet before interviewing the journalist's attorney:

ERICA HILL: Douglas Kennedy is part of a political dynasty, as well as Fox News reporter. However, Robert F. Kennedy's youngest son made some news of his own two months ago when he was arrested at a New York hospital, charged with mistreating his newborn son.

The morning show devoted a news brief on February 25, 2012 to Kennedy's arrest, and a full report on November 21, 2012 to his acquittal.

Rob Morrison, Former WCBS Reporter; Screen Cap From YouTube Video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0y1S5Oki5o | NewsBusters.orgMediaBistro's TVSpy blog picked up on the Morrison story on Monday, and noted that "olice said he became 'increasingly belligerent' over the evening and used both hands to choke her. He is charged with second-degree strangulation, second-degree threatening and disorderly conduct. He posted the $100,000 bail." It also pointed that WCBS itself reported on the incident during its 5 pm local news broadcast on Monday evening. However, an update to TVSpy's post stated that a "WCBS spokesperson said the issue is a 'personal matter' and declined to comment."

The Daily News's Wednesday article cited unnamed sources that alleged that "the NYPD responded to eight domestic disturbance calls between 2003 and 2009" when Morrison and his wife lived in the Big Apple. It also reported that there were "charges from former television colleagues about a 2008 affair with a co-worker while at NBC."