After Jeff Burnside, now former WTVJ anchor Joel Connable is joining KOMO, Seattle’s ABC affiliate, as weekend anchor and weekday reporter. His first day on the air at KOMO will be November 1st
Connable has been out of the TV news business since 2009 when WTVJ dismissed him for allegedly violating company policy on free gifts. He and two WTVJ employees were to go on assignment to a hotel whose public relations manager offered to refund room charges. Connable is said to have declined the offer and then showed the email correspondence to WTVJ management who dismissed him and one of the two employees was laid off. Joel Connable filed a lawsuit against WTVJ and NBC shortly after his dismissal. That lawsuit is still ongoing three years later and NBC has made attempts to settle it. At the time, WTVJ was in the middle of heavy layoffs and insiders and outsiders speculate that the incident was used as an excuse to fire a high-salaried employee.
Joel Connable went on to start his own company, Travel TV News, showcasing vacationing hotspots in paid segments during local news commercial breaks. He will continue to be actively involved with Travel TV News.
Jeff Burnside and Joel Connable aren’t the only former WTVJers to join KOMO. Former WTVJ chief meteorologist Paul Deanno left for KOMO in 2008 as WTVJ was about to be acquired by WPLG parent company Post-Newsweek Stations. He’s now the chief meteorologist at KPIX in San Francisco.
It seems like KOMO in Seattle-Tacoma, Washington is successful in scooping up WTVJ talents. Paul Deanno moved to KOMO, and has since moved on to KPIX. Jeff Burnside… and now Joel Connable. I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear of KOMO hiring yet another WTVJ talent.
That is fantastic that Joel is going to KOMO. KOMO is one of the best television stations in the country in a fantastic city and Seattle is a bigger news market than Miami. I know Joel spent years working in Los Angeles and then went on to Miami, MSNBC and now ABC in Seattle. I still work at WTVJ and Joel was the guy we went to for breaking news coverage. I wish him luck. As far as his lawsuit against NBC, I’re sure he’s not in it for the money because his company has made plenty. Good luck Joel and I wish you continued success and happiness.
I was reading an article on another site about the law suit against NBC. It is incredible that it has been going on for three years. NBC is pretty stupid not to settle this soon, since a court date has already been filed according to court records. I think the delay is due to a major company using money and power to delay a case.
The news director at KOMO, Holly Gauntt was fired from Fox when she worked there. I think she sees through the bull when corporations fire people for bad reasons. remember, NBC is a terrible company on the corporate level. They empolyed Yvette Miley as the news director at WTVJ because she was a minority, gay and a woman. It had nothing ot do with skill and that was seen when WTVJ fell into the toilet under her watch.
GO JOEL CONNABLE….!! Wishing you success in your lawsuit with your former employer…they deserve all that I hope is coming to them! You & another employee…punished for being honest…what’s with that in corporate America??? Sic ’em brother!!!