Tori Yorgey is joining Pittsburgh ABC affiliate WTAE.
Yorgey became the news last week after she was hit by a car in a live shot during her last week at WSAZ in Huntington, W.Va.
She told Trib Live writer Rob Owen she’s seen the video replayed “more times than I really want to because everybody’s been replaying it.”
After she was hit, Yorgey could be heard reassuring the driver that she was OK. “I truly think the reason I mentioned it at that point was I was so in shock but also to make (the driver) feel better and also me,” Yorgey said. “I’m just a funny person. I’m a little weird. Like, I kind of talk myself through stuff. I’m trying to talk myself through and reassure viewers and (the anchor) and even myself that I’m OK.”
The reaction from fellow journalists after the accident showed a lot of concern for Yorgey’s safety and opened a discussion about one man bands—or multi-media journalists—and station budgets.
WTAE news director Jim Parsons told Owen his station has no plans to start hiring MMJs.
Yorgey also said while a conversation about using MMJs in local news is important, what happened to her isn’t likely to happen again.
“I think a conversation (about MMJs) should be had, but in my particular incident, I will always say that was a freak accident as far as the safety aspect goes,” Yorgey said. “I understand people saying we should have photographers with us. … I don’t know if my incident should be the reason it’s a conversation just because I didn’t feel I was in danger. If I felt I was in danger, I wouldn’t have been there.”
Yorgey starts at WTAE on Feb. 1.