It's something that used to be frowned upon - journalists appearing in advertisements or endorsing commercial products.
But as the boundary between television news ethics and show business continue to erode, it's happening more and more.
Former WHDH-TV 7 Sports weekend anchor Larry Ridley is now appearing in a national commerical for Bud Light, while continuing in his position as sports director at Orlando's NBC affiliate WESH-TV.
Ridley left WHDH in February 2012 after his contract was not renewed. Though, we have learned that he was alledgedly fired for a similar situation at WHDH. Ridley was alledgedly trying to self promote with the Boston Red Sox, and using them to promote his t-shirt company.
In 2012 Ridley told the Boston Herald that he was "a little caught off guard" by WHDH's decision not to renew his contract but it's part of the job.
"In this business, you've got to be able to move around," said Ridley, a Nashville native. "I sleep with one eye open. That's always been my mantra in this business."
Ridley moved on to WESH after he left WHDH, which was a return to Florida for him - he came to WHDH from sister station WSVN in Miami.
In addition to the bud light commercial, Ridley has a role as a pregame and halftime show announcer in “Madden NFL 15,” a video game from EA Sports.
Sources close to Ridley told TVSpy that previous WESH news director Bob Longo gave Ridley the OK to appear in both the spot and the video game. Longo tells TVSpy that “There was no permission given, verbal or written, to do any commercial.”
So far the general manager of the Hearst station, Jim Carter, has refused to comment.
Former WHDH Sports Anchor Appears In Beer Ad
Typography
- Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
- Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times
- Reading Mode
