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WABC-7 fires anchor for unspecified ‘open-mic’ comment

WABC-7 has canned morning show stalwart Ken Rosato for saying something he should not have.

What, exactly, remains to be seen.

From Page Six:

Ken Rosato, longtime anchor of “Eyewitness News This Morning” on New York’s WABC 7, has been given the boot after allegedly making an off-color remark, Page Six has exclusively learned.

Rosato was off the air when he uttered the phrase, we’re told, but an insider told us his remark was picked up “on an open mic” and was “immediately let go.”

It’s unclear what Rosato said or when exactly he made the comment.

(…)

Our insider also doesn’t know what he uttered, but speculated that it could have been a “racial slur.”

A rep for Rosato sharply denied that, telling us: “Being fired for any racial slur is 100 percent inaccurate and untrue. Ken Rosato had a benchmark of 20 years at WABC of supporting all equality.”

I have never worked in television, but I know enough to know you have to always assume the microphone is on and you are on the air. And that there is always a tape rolling somewhere and whatever Rosato said will eventually leak out. And probably on TMZ.

One final thought: We — meaning everyone who lives in the metropolitan area — really take the quality of our local television news for granted. We have the best of the best since it is New York. The same goes for places like Chicago and Los Angeles, for the most part. But go to a smaller town and holy cow can it be bad. Trust me.

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James Kratch can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @jameskratch.

James Kratch is the managing editor of ESNY. He previously worked as a Rutgers and Giants (and Mike Francesa) beat reporter for NJ Advance Media.