WDIV reporter Lauren Podell has resigned, after community activists accused her of using the N-word off-air while reporting a story six months ago.
Podell had covered the Easter Sunday shooting death of a three-year-old girl, and been overheard using the racial slur while talking to her photographer:
Podell & #WDIV owe #Detroit an apology for using the language of hate during an election cycle when #hatewon a presidential election. pic.twitter.com/NUQ45JbNGW
Advertisement— samriddle (@samriddle) November 12, 2016
The Detroit News reports WDIV general manager Marla Drutz confirmed Podell’s resignation, but offered no further comment, and Podell did not respond to a request for comment from the paper.
Three years ago, Podell made news when she had technical problems and said, without realizing she was live, “I can’t this f—ing IFB to work.”
In keeping with local news practice, the NBC affiliate immediately removed Podell’s bio from the station website. Activists say a planned protest outside the station planned for Thursday will go on, despite Podell’s resignation.