CBS WKBT News Anchor Responds To Bully On Air [VIDEOS / POLL]

Bullying is a huge problem these days. We’ve all seen the “It Gets Better” campaign videos featuring various actors who promise kids that bullying eventually stops. The recent documentary, Bully, also helped raise awareness about the issue. But the truth is, bullying doesn’t always stop. Sometimes even adults get bullied, as happened with CBS WKBT news anchor Jennifer Livingston in La Crosse, Wis. when a viewer called her fat. 

In the above video, Livingston responds to the viewer and all the other haters out there who use their words to hurt others. But the way she does so in this TV editorial is fantastic! Although she acknowledged her weight, she did not use her platform to defend herself but instead she reminded her viewers that bullying is wrong and addressed the fact that bullying is a learned behavior. When children use hurtful words on the playground it is because they have heard their parents and other adults use similar words regarding others, she said.

I loved how brave Livingston was to address this issue on television. She could have tried to brush it under the carpet, but instead she wanted others to learn from what happened to her. By relying on the support her colleagues, friends, family and even viewers offered her, she summoned up the courage to raise her voice to make a difference. Bravo, Jennifer!

I’m not alone in acknowledging Livingston’s efforts, however. Her story made it to the Ellen Degeneres Show where Ellen decided to surprise Jennifer Livingston by filming a live commercial for her show. She also had a few extra surprises that Jennifer didn’t see coming.

Livingston received an Upper Midwest Regional Emmy for her editorial, according to News8000.com. But she also received an apology from the man behind the bullying remarks, Kenneth Krause, who spoke to ABC News and said that his intention was never to bully her. In fact, he even offered to help her get the weight off. “I never meant to hurt Jennifer in any way,” Krause said.