Nexstar Said to Be Cracking Down at LA Station (Patreon)

The rumors were flying that KTLA Anchor/Reporter Courtney Friel had been pulled from the station’s air after she claimed that President Trump made a move on her. 

She made the claim in her new book out titled, “Kicking Booze and Breaking News.”

But, as FTVLive FIRST told you last week, station insiders say that the bosses up the Nexstar food chain are looking into Friel bringing her publisher on the air in what amounted as a free commercial. 

But, this has been an ongoing thing that at KTLA involving many on-air talent and some insiders are wondering if Nexstar will be putting an end to it? 

Under Tribune, talent would often promote their side businesses on their station branded social media. 

One Anchor brought on her personal spin instructor and her yoga instructor on KTLA to help pimp their businesses. One Anchor is often pimping her husband’s restaurant on-air. Another Anchor has brought her Doctor husband on the air, but often never mentioned that the two were married. 

There is example after example of KTLA talent using the station’s air to pimp out businesses. 

It got bad enough that back in 2018, News Director Jason Ball held a meeting with talent and handed each one individually the policy regarding Payola. Station insiders say that crackdown barely lasted a month. 

But, it appears that Nexstar is ready to start doing what Tribune should have done a long time ago. 

We hear that Nexstar is looking at the on-air and social media shilling that has been commonplace at KTLA and they are looking to stop it.   

Insiders say that Ball and outgoing General Manager Don Corsini often looked the other way while this was going on. 

Corsini will be gone from the station soon and many expect that Ball will also be exiting the station as well. 

Word is that after FTVLive's story last week, Ball is trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube. Talent is being told that all guests need to be vetted.

"This after YEARS  of Payola and plugola conflicts with talent on air & on social media," says one staffer to FTVLive.

In this case, Nexstar is doing the right thing and cleaning up the mess that Tribune let happen, or didn't care about. 

Nexstar sources tell FTVLive that KTLA is one of the old Tribune stations that needs the most attention. Sources say that Nexstar feels this station is overstaffed and underperforming.

Changes are coming at KTLA. 

You can bank on it.