'Companies don't like my political views'

A local television news anchor in Mississippi said he was fired by management after nearly four decades with the station over a social media post in which he urged supporters from Vice President Kamala Harris to “stay home” if they were planning to vote for her.

David “Dave” Elliott, the veteran news anchor at Biloxi’s WLOX-TV — an affiliate of both CBS and ABC — recorded a video message Wednesday that went viral on former President Donald Trump as a ‘disease’.

“If your hatred of Donald Trump is so strong… that you plan to go into that voting booth and vote for Kamala Harris… do yourself (and) do the country (and) do the world a favor and just leave it alone ,” Elliott said in the video, which generated more than 163,000 views on X on Monday.

David “Dave” Elliott, a longtime news anchor at Biloxi, Miss., TV station WLOX-TV, said he was fired Friday. Facebook / David Elliott WLOX TV

Elliott posted a video on social media on Wednesday. X / @theRealDelliot

“Stay at home. Don’t vote,” Elliott urged Harris’ supporters in the clip. He ended the message by saying, “This is a public service announcement.”

Elliott told his followers on Facebook on Friday that he had been fired.

“As of 10/25/24 I will no longer be with WLOX,” Elliott wrote Friday morning. “The company doesn’t like my political views.”

Elliott said he was informed of his dismissal by Rick Williams, the station’s general manager. The Post has requested comment from WLOX-TV.

“We cannot comment on personnel matters,” Williams told The Post.

Elliott said he still planned to leave the station before he was fired. Facebook / David Elliott WLOX TV

WLOX-TV, seen along the Mississippi Gulf Coast on Channel 13, is an affiliate of both CBS and ABC Television. The parent company is Gray Television.

“X came up in the conversation, which only lasted about 30 seconds because I was leaving,” Elliott says told the Sun Herald.

“I was like, ‘Okay, see you later.’”

Elliott said he planned to leave the station for another job anyway.

“I was going to leave at the end of the year anyway,” he said.

Elliott on Wednesday denounced the “hatred” of former President Donald Trump as a “disease.” Trump is seen left with former first lady Melania Trump. REUTERS

“I have irons in the fire. Things start moving at the speed of light. Keep your eyes open.”

Elliott said he did not view his social media posts as a violation of ethical journalism, which requires him to remain objective.

“I don’t like social media journalism,” he said. “Social media are toys. I’m having fun. I play. I consider it satire.”

“I get paid for doing television.”