![]() But I quickly started to identify as a journalist. Journalism wasn’t love at first class, since I originally wanted to do Creative Writing. I’ll be a writer with more credibility under my belt. In my head I was like, fuck it, yeah, journalism. I declared journalism as my major kind of on a whim, not even really knowing what the job and role entailed. ![]() I felt like my heart was in Creative Writing, but thought declaring Journalism as my major would give me more to work with in the “real world.” I spent years as “undeclared.” Before that, I dipped my feet into Early Childhood Education, Criminology, and even Psychology. I declared my major so I could finally transfer to SF State in 2016. When I first declared my major as “Journalism,” in 2015, I felt relieved. In fact, I started this blog post way before Somerville’s recent statements: But before I jump into his recent fall from grace, I want to share a little back story as to why I originally wrote this blog post in the first place. Recently, Somerville posted on Facebook explaining his DUI in 2021. I would often find myself wondering if he was back on Facebook, as he posted frequently in the past. After that incident, any news of Somerville went radio silent. The video of the DUI incident was floating around the internet, and it made me so sad to see someone I respected and watched for so many years hit rock bottom. ![]() And I was even more shocked a few months later to learn that he received a DUI days before Christmas. I was shocked to learn that he would no longer be their news anchor. Like many others, I waited for the news of his return back on the screen. Now, real Bay Area folks know that Frank Somerville was the face of KTVU. Towards the end of 2021, KTVU cut ties with Somerville over a disagreement. He was the definition of a traditional journalist in the actual sense, given his position at KTVU news, but at the same time, how he went about being a journalist was pretty progressive. It wasn’t until I went to school for journalism did I realize how controversial and bold he was as a journalist. He would share little tidbits about his life during his segments, and throughout the years, it made me feel like I knew him personally. I grew up on KTVU news, and Somerville was a familiar face that I saw everyday at 5 PM. In November, Somerville told the East Bay Times he was "never going to anchor" at the station again.I’ve always been a fan of KTVU, but more so because of Frank Somerville. The news anchor, who has a Black daughter, had wanted to append a tagline on how media coverage of missing people tends to focus on white women, while missing people of color receive far less media attention. Just months after returning to KTVU, Somerville was again suspended after reportedly sparring with the station's producers over coverage of the Gabby Petito investigation. Somerville went off the air in June after noticeably slurring during a live news broadcast. ![]() Those with information are asked to contact the Oakland Police Department Traffic Investigation Unit at 51. Somerville and KTVU did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The driver was transported to a local hospital for treatment and booked at Santa Rita Jail, OPD said. In its preliminary investigation, OPD determined that the first driver was driving under the influence. Witnesses reportedly told officers that one of the drivers involved in the collision collided with another driver's vehicle from behind, then proceeded to drive through the intersection, pushing the second driver's vehicle into a pole. Somerville was involved in a traffic collision near the intersection of Grand Ave. ![]()
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