The vice president of news at a Miami television station has publicly admonished his staff over what he described as «foolish nonsense» on their personal social media accounts, sparking a broader discussion about the boundaries between journalists' private lives and their professional credibility. Bill Pohovey, who oversees news operations at WPLG, sent an internal memo to employees weeks ago, warning them that influencer-style content was undermining the station's journalistic mission. The memo resurfaced after WPLG anchor and reporter Jenise Fernandez posted a series of vacation photos from Fiji to her verified Instagram account, which has approximately 28,000 followers.
In the images, Fernandez is seen wearing a fire-red bikini while boarding a resort boat, leaning against a floating bar, and raising a shot glass with companions. Some media reports initially suggested that Pohovey's memo was a direct response to those posts, but he later clarified to the New York Post that the directive was issued months earlier and was not aimed at any single employee. «The memo was not a response to one individual post,» Pohovey told the outlet. «It was just a reminder of long-standing guidelines.» He also emphasized that the photos did not violate the station's policy, noting that «we do live in Florida and people wear bikinis on the beach. These photos were tasteful and completely fine.»
According to a report by FTVLive, which first obtained the memo, Pohovey wrote that too many staff members were using their social media accounts for content that detracted from their roles as journalists. «We don’t want dance videos with our staff. We don’t want fashion shows, outfits of the day, or other silly content that detracts from you as journalists,» he wrote. The memo also prohibited employees from filming social media content inside the newsroom or using the station's sets as backdrops, a practice that has become increasingly common at news outlets across the country. «We should never produce such content, and we should absolutely NEVER create such content inside the station, in our newsroom or studios, using our news set as the background,» Pohovey added.
The vice president expressed concern that unprofessional online behavior was contributing to a broader erosion of public trust in the media. «People are losing trust in the news, and the nickname ‘fake news’ is beginning to stick. We’re seen as not serious and this unprofessional behavior only adds fuel to that fire,» he wrote. «The likes and follows are not worth eroding your credibility and the credibility of this news organization.» Pohovey described some of the content he had observed as «cringeworthy,» and urged staff to apply the same standards to their personal accounts as they would to their professional ones.
Fernandez, who has worked at WPLG since 2014, is a former Miss Miami and placed fourth runner-up at the Miss Florida Pageant. Her station biography highlights her community involvement and reporting experience. The controversy over her vacation photos has drawn attention to the challenges news organizations face in balancing employees' personal expression with maintaining a professional image. While some critics argued that the images were inappropriate for a journalist, Pohovey's statements suggest that the station does not intend to police employees' private lives as long as the content remains tasteful and does not violate the station's guidelines.
The incident reflects a broader tension in the news industry, where journalists are increasingly active on social media platforms, often sharing personal moments alongside professional reporting. Many newsrooms have implemented policies to address this, but enforcement varies widely. Pohovey's memo, while firm in its language, appears to stop short of imposing a blanket ban on personal posts, instead focusing on content that could be perceived as frivolous or damaging to the station's credibility. The memo also serves as a reminder that even off-duty behavior can have professional consequences in an era where public figures are constantly under scrutiny.
Fox News Digital reached out to Fernandez and Pohovey for additional comment, but neither responded by the time of publication. The station has not publicly addressed the memo beyond Pohovey's statements to the New York Post. As the debate over journalists' social media use continues, the WPLG case highlights the delicate balance between personal freedom and professional responsibility in the digital age.
