Baltimore TV Anchor Ousted After Question About African American Female Mayors

A Baltimore TV station has dismissed one of its anchors after she drew intense criticism for a question she posed about the race of the city’s past three mayors.

“Mary Bubala is no longer a WJZ-TV employee. The station apologizes to its viewers for her remarks,” WJZ-TV said in a statement to The Hill.

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Bubala confirmed her departure on Tuesday, saying in a statement on Facebook that “WJZ was forced to let me go” because of the mistake in the language she used on air.

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Bubala’s dismissal came days after she appeared to link the race and gender of the last three Baltimore mayors after two resigned, while one decided not to pursue reelection.

“We’ve had three female, African-American mayors in a row,” Bubala said while speaking with Loyola University Maryland professor Karsonya “Kaye” Wise Whitehead. “They were all passionate public servants. Two resigned, though. Is this a signal that a different kind of leadership is needed to move Baltimore City forward?”

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The question Bubala posed drew swift backlash after Nicki Mayo, a former president of the Baltimore Association of Black Journalists (BABJ), posted a video of the segment on Twitter.

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