Tuesday, November 26, 2013

WTHR Reportedly Fired Nicole Pence For Ethical Violations

WTHR-TV abruptly fired weekend anchor Nicole Pence last week just before she was scheduled to air an investigative story on the 35-year old unsolved murder of four young employees of a Burger Chef in Speedway, who were kidnapped from the restaurant and later found dead in a wooded area in Johnson County. Speedway Indianapolis police badly botched the original investigation by failing to treat the restaurant as a crime scene after discovering the unexplained disappearance of the four employees when a delivery man arrived at the store to find the store unlocked and nobody present and cash missing from the restaurant's register. It wasn't until one of the victim's car was found abandoned several miles away days later that police became suspicious. WTHR-TV aired the story, which offered little new information about the cold case after Pence's firing.

FTVLive is reporting that Pence was fired for ethical violations centering around the exchange of information with police handling the investigation. Pence is the niece of Gov. Mike Pence. The Indiana State Police, which has a bad track record when it comes to solving cold case files, is the focus of the story, which claims to break ground with a new police theory of the case. The story included an interview with Sgt. Bill Vann. He identified two potential suspects who may have been linked to the robbery of another Burger Chef in Plainfield who may have been seen at the Burger Chef in Speedway near the time of the store's closing. Sgt. Vann told WTHR-TV that he believed one of the store's employees may have recognized one of the robbers, which is why the four employees were kidnapped and murdered. Pence has reportedly hired an attorney to sue the TV station for her firing. Frankly, I found the story very disappointing after days of hype by the TV station. I thought another TV station in town had done a very similar story a few years ago, but I could be mistaken.

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think that is ridiculous that Nicole would be fired for a similar story that another tv station had aired a few years ago! She was a great reporter and I feel bad for her. It is unfortunate that they would fire her for what they consider an "ethical violation"! Sounds like someone was looking for a reason to get rid of her. What a shame. We always looked forward to the Nicole's on the weekend. Now we have neither!

Observer said...

As someone who has worked as a journalist, your integrity and ethics is everything. If the reason for her firing is true, the station is right for choosing credibility over popularity. Either way, the truth is liable to come out seeing how Pence is consulting with her attorney. Keep in mind, too, a producer was also fired, so there may be something to all of this.

Anonymous said...

I often considered commenting on Nicole Pence, but didn't want to hurt her feelings. She has a voice that is like fingernails on a blackboard. I muted the sound whenever she spoke or simply changed the channel.

Anonymous said...

It's a shame that this woman was trying to do a good job and bring us something that was actually an interesting story and was fired for it. Maybe, she should have played it safe and done stupid stories like Carrie Cline did at the toy store. Wow! That was riveting Wthr.

Anonymous said...

wthr should hire McKenzie roth from channel 8 who does a talk show called indy today who also does andy mour auto commercials.( wow ) what a fox.she could replace Nicole pence.

Anonymous said...

You seem like a person who thinks highly of themselves for know credible reason or your very insecure!

Anonymous said...

She had the most sincere smile
of all your newscasters. Some
smiles are just too fake.
She loved her work and one could
tell. In my opinion you have lost
your best female broadcaster.

labed said...

They LOVED Nicole Pence in Lexington Ky.…Loved her…She had the number 1 morning show there. Too bad she gave it all up to go through this.

Anonymous said...

I loved Nicole Pence and I really miss her and Nicole Misensik on the weekends.

Anonymous said...

Now you have neither what? Also, ethical violations have absolutely nothing to do with whether another station aired a similar story in the past. You did read the second paragraph, right...?

Anonymous said...

Wow, four grammar mistakes in a single sentence. Four! Thanks for responding, Ms. Anonymous Replier. You've brought me a great deal of amusement.

Anonymous said...

Nicole Pence is way bigger than WTHR. Look for her someday on the Today Show or GMA, if she chooses to continue a career in broadcasting.

Anonymous said...

Broadcasting can be a very political. Sueing the station is not going to get her job offers in Indiana. Maybe she should go back to Kentucky if they will have her.

A follower from Kentucky said...

Nicole was moving up the ladder at a rapid pace. Learning as she
accepted the new challenge. She will be very successful. I would hope she follows her goals and keeps us informed wherever she goes on her career. God be with you Nicole.

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed watching Nicole Pence on the weekends especially when it was Nicole and Nicole. They worked well together and made it enjoyable. Now it is so boring I never watch it and probably won't go back. Doesn't even come close to enjoyable for me.

Anonymous said...

As a former anchor I can tell you folks one thing, Nicole Pence was the worst talent WTHR has hired since the 90's with the likes of Teresa Tanoos and a couple of others with no talent. Even my wife, who never spent more than a minute inside a studio, said what were they thinking when they hired this one ?
I am sure it had a lot to do with connections and what a reporter might be able to get with those connections, as it often does in the TV.

Anonymous said...

unethical is her middle name from friends to work. karma.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

I did not care for Nicole Pence from the beginning! The change from weekend anchor Kris Kirshner was abrupt to viewers, and miss Nicole Misensik too! They were a great duo!
And yes, politics are all over television, that is why she got her job, and I guess Karma made the last call.

Anonymous said...

I agree they worked well together

Anonymous said...

I certainly didn't care for NP at all. Her voice was annoying and seemed contrived. I loved Kris Kirshner when she did weekend news but I think she chose to scale back her schedule due to her family. Linsey Clutter isn't much better, she stumbles over her words all the time.
Good luck to NP, perhaps Lexington will take her back.

Anonymous said...

I find it funny that an NBC affiliate would consider anything unethical.

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed watching both Nicole's. I have also changed from WTHR and moved to Channel 6 news.
I'm not sure where they found the weather reporter that is now on there, but she doesn't have the personality to be a weather anchor.
I watched the Today Show for many yrs. and after the firing of Ann on national TV and not Matt, I will not watch it again until he is fired!!!

Joe Schmoe said...

The reason I watched WTHR weekends was Nicole Pence. She had the WHOLE package for a reporter. The new girl is awful.You really screwed up WTHR. Nicole is a budding star of the future. You'll make the big time someday Nicole. As for WTHR, YOU SUCK! I'm done with you....

chad said...

Nicole was great and I will miss her. What's on now is dreadful. I will have to find a new weekend news channel. This is very disappointing

John Garrett said...

I always enjoyed Nicole's reporting. She was a breath of fresh air when you listened to her. She was the only reason I watched WTHR news. I'll go back to channel 8 now. Good luck Nicole and let Indiana know where you end up next so we can watch you blossom in your career!

Unknown said...

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Anonymous said...

Karma chameleon

Anonymous said...

The weekend cast of Nicole and Nicole was unbeatable. the anchors there today have zero charisma. I switched to Jim O'Brien and Ron Smiley on Fox 59. There's a reason they're called "personalities".

Anonymous said...

I say, "Good ridance". Kris Kirshner was head over heels better than Nicole Pence on weekend sunrise. Can't believe the wthr made that move. Don't think it was just about spending more family time either.

Anonymous said...

Speaking as a Lexingtonian, we do not want Nicole back under any circumstances. She has a terrible TV voice and delivery. Nice to look at but, since she is related to the IN governor, she should stay in Indiana somewhere. She should sue so there would be an investigation into her filing. We need the truth.

Anonymous said...

I actually went to high school with her and was astounded she landed a job as a reporter on WTHR! It's sad that she got fired like that. It sounded like she had such a great career going for her!

Anonymous said...

The one they should fire is Anne Marie Tiernon. That one screws up on air more than all other anchors combined. She must be sleeping with a producer to keep that job. As a health beat reporter, I've never seen anyone who can't pronounce medical terms or the products she's reporting on, like her. Truly painful to watch. That's why I don't, anymore.

steve morris said...

I am glad to see her on 59 that's the news I watch ttc

Anonymous said...

Lexington blows ass and so does uk

Anonymous said...

Right, because they're not news anchors there to report, not to entertain. Go watch Fox news if you want entertainment.

Anonymous said...

I hope everyone feels better now after throwing your opinions around on something they really know nothing about. But hey. Its the American way right?

Anonymous said...

To Anonymous: If you were a news anchor like you claim, it's obvious you have a green eyed monster rearing its ugly head, as both Nicole Pence and Teresa Tanoos were why I watched WTHR in the first place.

Unknown said...

She was fired because he's the governor's niece in Indianapolis is a predominantly democratic socialist area