Frank Somerville

Frank Somerville (born March 19, 1958) is an American television journalist.[1] During his three decades at KTVU in Oakland, California, Somerville received three Emmy Awards, including one for best on-camera news anchor.[2][3][4]

Frank Somerville
Born
Frank Somerville

(1958-03-19) March 19, 1958
San Luis Obispo, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Alma materSan Francisco State University
Occupation(s)Journalist and news anchor
Years active1991–present
TelevisionKTVU (1991–2021)

Early life and education

Somerville was born on March 19, 1958, in San Luis Obispo, California, but was raised in Berkeley. He was named after his father's childhood friend, Frank Patty, and his paternal grandfather, William Somerville. He attended Berkeley High School, graduating in 1976.[5] He then attended San Francisco State University.[6]

Broadcast career

Somerville was an intern at KTVU in 1981, while attending San Francisco State. After graduation he worked at local stations in Santa Rosa, California; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Providence, Rhode Island, before returning to the San Francisco Bay Area. He became co-anchor of KTVU's morning news program in 1992 and was the first anchor of the 5 p.m. newscast when it launched in 2005. In 2008, he was named co-anchor of the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts, replacing 40-year veteran Dennis Richmond.[5]

In 2013, Somerville apologized on behalf of KTVU for an incident in which racist pilot names were read out in a broadcast on Asiana Airlines Flight 214.[7]

In June 2021, Somerville took a personal leave of absence from KTVU following an on-air incident during which he struggled to read the script for several stories and appeared to slur his words.[8] He returned to the anchor chair on August 4 without addressing the incident that saw his brief departure.[9] In September 2021, he was suspended for disobedience after seeking to keep a "tag" concerning domestic violence and "missing white woman syndrome" in a story on the Gabby Petito case.[10] In November 2021, he said in an interview with the Bay Area News Group that KTVU had not contacted him and that "All indications are that I’m never going to anchor at Channel 2 again."[11]

On December 30, 2021, Somerville was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after an automobile collision.[12]

Somerville's suspension from KTVU would become permanent in January 2022 when his contract expired and KTVU would decide not to re-sign him. He believes that his automotive collision that happened the month before did not play a role, instead, he believes management had already decided to cut him loose months earlier.[13]

In December 2022, Somerville went public about his dismissal from the station on a Facebook post.[14][15]

He was arrested twice in one day in June 2023.[16]

Personal life

Somerville was married to television producer Donna Wright Somerville for more than 20 years; the couple has two daughters. A picture of him styling his Black, adopted daughter's hair went viral on the Internet.[17][18][19][20]

Somerville has been a vegetarian since the age of 12. He works out and practices the Israeli martial art of Krav Maga.[21]

See also

References
  1. Ryeter, N. Sider. "Biography for Frank Somerville". imdb.com. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved June 23, 2013.
  2. "Emmy Nominations 1999". Emmysf.tv. December 31, 1998. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  3. "Emmy Nominations 2002". Emmysf.tv. May 18, 2002. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  4. "Emmy Nominations 2003". Emmysf.tv. April 17, 2003. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  5. Garofoli, Joe (April 10, 2008). "Frank Somerville to replace Dennis Richmond". sfgate.com. SFGate. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  6. "KTVU's Somerville settling in as Richmond's replacement". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  7. "Asiana: Anchor says KTVU never sounded-out racist pilot names". Los Angeles Times. July 12, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  8. Bote, Joshua (June 4, 2021). "KTVU anchor Somerville to take time away after slurred newscast". SFGATE. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  9. "Frank Somerville returns to KTVU after two months of leave". The Desk. August 6, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  10. Swan, Rachel (September 26, 2021). "Frank Somerville suspension: How the dispute over 'Gabby' Petito coverage unfolded at KTVU". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  11. Ross, Martha (November 9, 2021). "Frank Somerville says he's done at KTVU, apologizes to newsroom for 'drama'". San Jose Mercury News. Bay Area News Group. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  12. Robertson, Michelle (December 31, 2021). "Frank Somerville arrested for suspected DUI after crash". SFGate (San Francisco Chronicle).
  13. "Frank Somerville says KTVU wouldn't re-sign him: 'I am done'". February 27, 2022. Archived from the original on February 27, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  14. SFGATE, Amanda Bartlett (December 19, 2022). "Frank Somerville publicly opens up about arrest, KTVU exit". SFGATE.
  15. "Former KTVU Anchor Frank Somerville Speaks Publicly About Addiction Issues". SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports. December 19, 2022.
  16. Mayer, Phil; Gaines, Tori (June 5, 2023). "Frank Somerville Arrested Twice Overnight, Cited for DUI". KRON-TV. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  17. "Image of Bay Area news anchor doing his daughter's hair touches people all over country | The Mommy Files | an SFGate.com blog". August 29, 2012. Archived from the original on August 29, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  18. "Tender photo of TV anchor un-braiding daughter's hair goes viral". msn.com. MSN. August 8, 2012. Archived from the original on August 20, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  19. Dana Macario (August 5, 2012). "A white dad does his black daughter's hair, and the Internet smiles". TODAY.com. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  20. Lieberman, Rich (June 13, 2011). "10 Questions for Frank Somerville; Up Close and Personal with KTVU's Top Dog; And Something that may Surprise You". 415 Media. Retrieved June 23, 2013.
  21. Wing, Kevin. "Day in the Life: Frank Somerville". emmysf.tv.
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