(ALBANY) – (UPDATE) – Heather Kovar, the TV news anchor suspended from CBS affiliate WRGB last month for giving the notorious “buzzed” broadcast, broke her silence on Facebook.
Kovar wrote that her ‘Fan Club always brings a smile to my face’ after the group posted a feature story by Kovar from 2012, in which she discussed the importance of health with an NBA referee.
Facebook users expressed gratitude and support over her post:
“Hi Heather! Hope you are doing well – weekend news not the same…”
“So happy to see you on this page – persevering through all of it and knowing so many are rooting for you and have your back.”
“Best of luck to you. Prayers and thoughts for you.”
Many users encouraged Kovar to return to Albany, claiming the morning news was not the same without her.
Kovar spoke to Times Union of Albany of her plans to not renew her contract.
“On Friday, I notified the station I would not be renewing my contract which expires July 31,” Kovar said.
Viewers expressing concern over train wreck of local evening newscast out of Albany. Anchor Heather Kovar appeared disheveled, misspoke, and slurred her words for the entire newscast. Here, she tries to set up the weather and toss to the meteorologist, who’s name she gets wrong. pic.twitter.com/70jwwvykKt
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) July 10, 2022
Throughout the newscast that led to her suspension from the station, Kovar appeared “disheveled”:
“I mean, it’s Houston, Austin, San Antonio. I mean, they’re not expected? It has happened, like, you don’t need us telling you that it’s bad. Like, people are being told to stay inside, drink a lot of water, and we are just so lucky! This weekend right here is so amazing!”
Kovar even called WRGB’s meteorologist by the wrong name:
“Meteorologist Craig Adams is right here with us….oh…I’m sorry. Adams? Why did I say that?”
She was clearly also having some technical issues during the segment and was seen holding a wire at one point and then was ultimately cut off from speaking mid-sentence.
Kovar claimed her slurred speech was due to sleep-deprivation and exhaustion after working a double shift.
She additionally endured the grief of losing her father, which possibly influenced her performance.
Staff Writer, Julianna Caban, contributed to this story.