Amanda Porter at WOOD TV

[Mister News Gem]

“if you are unable to accurately pronounce routing English words, you are fair game to be let go. It's real simple, anchors are hired to "deliver the news"...so when an anchor is unable to do that in a clear and accurate manner, they are not successfully fulfilling their job requirements.”

By “routing” did you mean to type “ROUTINE”? See how easy it is for a typo to makes a person look silly?

Porter was not let go. She was set to extend her contract, but she decided to step away from the position because of the quality of WOOD TV and racism from the station which deeply impacts minority communities.

The news station has a due diligence to provide quality training, equipment and fair treatment to all employees. This was not done and you can clearly see it still impacting WOOD’s editorial reporting and footprint in the market. That’s why 3 Black journalists all left within the same year as Amanda Porter including Britany Flowers, Donovan Long and Demetrios Sanders.

Lauren the producer was demoted to associate producer.

Porter beat the PIP, fixed the weekends, and helped the new minority reporters get hired including Adriana Doria, and Josh Sanchez. These hires are directly related to Porter going to bat for minorities communities and the journalism they deserve from WOOD TV News 8.

Ahhh the ol' Racist Card. Well done. If you know anything about the shit LH and the weather giant got away with FOR years in that newsroom....you'd realize that using the racist card on Wood is desperate at best. As for a "typo"...that's one time on a thread in which I peruse in my "free time" very quickly with ZERO proof reading. If it was my FULL TIME job, AND i MADE the same mistake over and over....you darn right I'd be vulnerable to be called out/fired.

Here is a story that FTV Live did covering racism that happened at Wood TV 8 a few years ago, backing up what Newsyarentwe is saying about Porter. During the meeting mentioned in the FTV Live article, Ken Kolker admitted that West Michigan and Wood TV 8 have demonstrated racial bias toward the Black community for years. Other senior staffers at Wood admitted that Wood has treated Black talent and black stories poorly for 30-plus years. This thread is a prime example of some of the things we talked about during that meeting: racist trolls emailing/talking about our talent, crap-talking every black woman, from Whitney to Gaberalie and Amanda.

It's always the same crap; you will talk about their appearance if you can't talk about how they pronounce things. All of them are actually great at what they do; they just have to work in crappy fake nice communities like racist West Michigan. Even if they did everything the way you want, you would still talk crap because that's what trolls do.

So let's get down to the nitty-gritty: most of you are mad because Amanda is a pretty Black woman on TV that you would have no chance in hell with, so you get on these fan forums and expel your frustrations and obsession with her or other black news talent like her. Let's stop the obsession and get a life or at least move on from this trend of shit-talking Porter. She hasn't been in West MI for years.

What do you people do in daily life? Do you really have nothing better to do with yourselves? I encourage you to go become the news anchor you want Porter to be. You'll see how hard it is to be in the news on top of being Black and a woman.

How do you like this for a word salad and good ol racist card? And who the hell is LH LMAO? If you haven't worked at Wood in years; say full names!

(ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2024/12/9/rotting-wood)

[Mister News Gem]

Here is more for you to chew on for your trolling: https://griid.org/2024/11/21/rebecca-cr ... engage-in/

[Mister News Gem]

LH is a Leon Hendrix, a black man who got away with things in that newsroom that any other person NOT of color would have been fired for IMMEDIATELY....YEARS earlier. "I wouldn't have chance at dating her". I literally have no idea who this woman is, nor do I have any clue what she looks like...I am just here to call out BS excuses. If you can't pronounce words/names/towns properly, you are failing to do your job as a news anchor, period.
Spare us the "it's so hard as a woman of color". How about "it's so hard when you are person with below average reading skills". No sexism, no racism...just good ol' competency...or lack of.

So you're just some random internet troll reacting to random threads on the internet about people you don't know? You folks are proving my point, LMAO. Dude, life is too short to be on a forum bashing someone you don't know. Go enjoy life; there's so much you could all accomplish if you put your time and energy into more constructive things.

But you'd rather spend your time talking about Porter? If it's that important to you, go get a job in news and become the anchor you've always wanted to be. You can do it, buddy; this thread believes in your passion! They will support your dreams. Literally all of your dreams. Here, WOOD is hiring; apply while it's hot: https://nexstar.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/n ... d%20rapids All of you are perfect for news. Come on now, you all want to work in news at WOOD TV 8, so you know what's happening behind the scenes right? Step on up, don't be a shy boy now! I want to see you on air killing it in that dress you have always wanted to wear so badly! Make sure to wear red and put on lipstick! If you don't, they'll make another thread about you

[Mister News Gem]

It's always the same crap; you will talk about their appearance if you can't talk about how they pronounce things. All of them are actually great at what they do;

All of them? Give me a fucking break.

Yep, all of them, buddy. They run circles around you, pal. You must hate seeing black women doing your dream job huh?

[Mister News Gem]

Watch her YouTube news channel. Tells you what a talent (or lack thereof) WOODTV Exagger8 let go.... I haven't watched any local news TV in many years. I do see social media posts and see why I pass the local TV news.

So you don't watch the newscast but are commenting about Porter anchoring a newscast? Make that one make sense to me, buddy!
You all keep on proving my point!!! You're just random internet trolls. None of you qualify to make any criticism of anyone in the news.

Especially if you DON’T watch the NEWS!

[Mister News Gem]

She left to start a successful YouTube news channel that garners nearly 6 viewers per video.

So you're a stalker? Got it. Look out for this one, ladies; he'll look you up on YouTube! Get a life pal.

[Mister News Gem]

If she's continuing in broadcasting let's hope, for other viewers, she's not an anchor.

As much as I hope the same, her signoff post had the hash tags "#onwardandupward" and "#thebestisyettocome" which make me thing anchor job in a larger market station. Her agent must managed to find some decent things for a demo reel to fool her new employer, who apparently neglected to stream a weekend News 8 newscast to see the trainwreck of an applicant.

Another stalker? What is wrong with you people?

[Mister News Gem]

She no longer has a facebook page...I can't find it anyway. Oh well.

Another stalker? Good Lord, get a life.

[Mister News Gem]

IMO Amanda Porter may go down as one of the all time worst "anchors" in GR broadcasting history. Most folks off the street would do a better job than her. I don't get why they keep throwing her out there every weekend.

She must be cheap.

Amanda, my dear, PLEASE read your damn scripts.

Well, put the dress on and have at it buddy. You clearly have several degrees in journalism and have worked in news for many years; you can do it! You internet trolls give the worst takes and have zero knowledge of how many people are involved in what the anchor reads on the screen.

[Mister News Gem]

She is flat out awful. How can anyone stand to watch the weekend news. Who is doing the hiring over at 8 as they need to be fired.

The guy who was doing the hiring got fired for being homophobic and racist. You remember Stanton Tang, right? You would have loved him!

[Mister News Gem]

Hopefully her replacement is more capable.

The replacement was great because they learned from Porter and the news station followed her suggestions on how to make the weekend shows better. Catch up on your reading, champ.

[Mister News Gem]

LH is a Leon Hendrix, a black man who got away with things in that newsroom that any other person NOT of color would have been fired for IMMEDIATELY....YEARS earlier. "I wouldn't have chance at dating her". I literally have no idea who this woman is, nor do I have any clue what she looks like...I am just here to call out BS excuses. If you can't pronounce words/names/towns properly, you are failing to do your job as a news anchor, period.
Spare us the "it's so hard as a woman of color". How about "it's so hard when you are person with below average reading skills". No sexism, no racism...just good ol' competency...or lack of.

So you're just some random internet troll reacting to random threads on the internet about people you don't know? You folks are proving my point, LMAO. Dude, life is too short to be on a forum bashing someone you don't know. Go enjoy life; there's so much you could all accomplish if you put your time and energy into more constructive things.

But you'd rather spend your time talking about Porter? If it's that important to you, go get a job in news and become the anchor you've always wanted to be. You can do it, buddy; this thread believes in your passion! They will support your dreams. Literally all of your dreams. Here, WOOD is hiring; apply while it's hot: https://nexstar.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/n ... d%20rapids All of you are perfect for news. Come on now, you all want to work in news at WOOD TV 8, so you know what's happening behind the scenes right? Step on up, don't be a shy boy now! I want to see you on air killing it in that dress you have always wanted to wear so badly! Make sure to wear red and put on lipstick! If you don't, they'll make another thread about you

I spent 26 plus years in the industry... and a majority of those years as an anchor, and a majority of that in West Michigan. I have a vested interest in this market/industry. I recall a bad anchor on Wood but have no idea what she looked/looks like at this point...but I do recall she was African American. I am not certain if her name was Amanda.
Why do I dare "comment" on this thread? Probably because I never once was called out on air, on this site or thru email complaints into the newsroom for bad pronunciation, bad behavior in the newsroom, or being sexist or racist etc. I got out of this industry...on my own...by choice after achieving everything (and then some) I had set out to accomplish. I now enjoy life with better hours, in a better industry and actually better money (which is icing on the cake).
But it sounds like all is well according to you...Amanda is thriving in a new career, she is no longer subjected to a "racist newsroom/company" and we viewers are no longer subjected to bad anchoring? Sound about right? Great, we ALL win!
P.S. Looks like Amanda....I mean....some random guy opened up a new account YESTERDAY to defend Amanda "Mr News Gem" Joined: Aug 15, 2026

So basically you're saying you're an old man with too much free time on your hands, so you talk crap about anchors that you aren't sure that you've watched before?

As someone with 26 years in the news business, you should know that we never speak or publish things that we can't confirm. The fact that you can't confirm whether the person who you watched was Porter shows that you're not good at confirming details. And the fact that you think I'm some random person/Amadna shows you didn't read my previous comments, which indicates you're bad at gathering details. I also never said anything about what Porter is doing now; I said she is no longer on the news in West MI.

Being able to gather information and confirm details is fundamental in news, and you suck at both. And you added things into this conversation that I never mentioned. So you make things up on top of getting and reporting unconfirmed facts. That's the real reason you left news; you weren't good and it shows lol.

The fact that you have nothing to do with news and are in another industry, "having accomplished everything you set out to do" but are on this forum to, as you said, "call out BS excuses" shows that you haven't accomplished everything; you still have one thing that you want to do in news that you never accomplished: TO TEAR PEOPLE DOWN!

You are the definition of an evil person hiding behind a smile. A snake that never got to be a snake in their prime. So now you slither onto forums and threads to jump on random hate trains to tear people down the way you wanted to when you were young. Your career is no longer in jeopardy, so why not? You are a textbook internet troll and snake. Go learn to be a better person. And stop obsessing over Black women; you're a weird pervert.

[Mister News Gem]

It's always the same crap; you will talk about their appearance if you can't talk about how they pronounce things. All of them are actually great at what they do;

All of them? Give me a fucking break.

Yep, all of them, buddy. They run circles around you, pal. You must hate seeing black women doing your dream job huh?

I'm not a journalist or a TV personality nor did I major in college in any sort of media related or communications related field.

Hilary Golston at Fox 2 and Kimberly Gill at WDIV are both outstanding. Both are African American women. Diana Lewis of WXYZ fame is one of my all time favorites. Janice Allen at Fox 17 is also very good.

So you're telling me you're just some random news fanboy who stalks Black female news anchors online? Sounds like you're the one who needs to get help, pervert. You don't have the credentials or the background to give opinions on anything news-related. Get a degree and come back and talk to me. Or just get a life and move on and stop stalking and obsessing over black women; they don't want you lol!

[Mister News Gem]

She left to start a successful YouTube news channel that garners nearly 6 viewers per video.

So you're a stalker? Got it. Look out for this one, ladies; he'll look you up on YouTube! Get a life pal.

Aaron, come on.

Is that another Black woman news anchor that you stalk, pervert?

[Mister News Gem]

But it sounds like all is well according to you...Amanda is thriving in a new career, she is no longer subjected to a "racist newsroom/company" and we viewers are no longer subjected to bad anchoring? Sound about right? Great, we ALL win!

This sounds like a good opportunity for moving on. Everyone's happy. Everyone has had their say.

That guy is giving misinformation; I never said anything in their statement. Plus, that Bozo over there was never a viewer because they admitted to never having watched Porter. But yes, you should all move on. Stop being evil people.