Ken Rosato, a longtime co-anchor on New York's WABC 7, has reportedly been terminated.
According to sources close to the matter, the Eyewitness News This Morning reporter was fired after he made an "off-color remark" while wearing a mic, Page Six exclusively learned over the weekend.
Sources told the outlet that Rosato uttered an inappropriate phrase while "on an open mic" and that it was picked up. Following the incident, insiders told Page Six that the 56-year-old journalist was "immediately let go."
While it remains unclear what Rosato said that led to him ultimately being dismissed from his post, the source said he was "fired for cause immediately."
Rosato's former morning co-hosts–Michelle Charlesworth, Shirleen Allicot, Heather O’Rourke and Sam Champion–learned about his departure on May 12, when they were each taken in "one by one" to discuss it. Later that day, the station’s general manager emailed all staffers, alerting current employees that Rosato "is no longer with WABC."
"We thank him for his years of service," the statement concluded.
Since the news of Rosato's termination, fans have taken to social media, fired up.
"What did he say that got him fired?? 🤔," one Instagram user wrote.
"Horrible if you were terminated..ABC and their cancel culture is getting out of hand!" another exclaimed, "Best of luck ..will miss seeing your cooking and funny stories!"
The insider told the outlet that management wasn't willing to discuss what was heard on the hot mic and speculated that Rosato may have been caught using a "racial slur." But a rep for the media personality denied any such thing, telling reporters: “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.”
Rosato joined WABC's Eyewitness News New York division in 2003 as a freelance reporter. A few years into his decades-long tenure, in 2007, Rosato was promoted to morning and noon anchor.
While the network opted not to share any comment with the outlet, Rosato's bio has since been removed from its website and his official Twitter account associated with ABC 7 has also been deactivated.