KNBC’s Laurel Erickson Suspended

ERSNews.com reports:

It looks like Mirthala Salinas may not be the only NBC/Telemundo reporter who is getting an extended vacation this summer. ERS News has learned that KNBC reporter Laurel Erickson may have been placed on suspension as well by local NBC station KNBC-TV, Channel 4 in Los Angeles.

According to sources familiar with the situation, the genesis of the possible suspension was a shouting match Erickson had with a Telemundo crew (referred to as "Mundos" at KNBC).

The "incident" occurred little over a week ago at the Port of LA after a press conference held by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Erickson, who covered the event for KNBC-TV, was her usual persistent self in asking the Mayor of LA about his relationship with Mirthala Salinas. ERS has previously noted (link) the high quality of Erickson’s questioning of the Mayor regarding the Salinas scandal. Other sources tell ERS that this may also have played a role in the possible suspension.

According to sources, after the press conference had ended a reporter working for Spanish language station Azteca was shoved into the side of a shipping container in the dock area by a member of the Mayor’s security team when she tried to sprint after the Mayor to ask even more questions. The video of that incident made the rounds on local Los Angeles TV as the “big’ story of the day little over a week ago.