One of the purposes of this column space is to take you, literally, into my reporter’s notebook, especially for big news stories. And one of the biggest stories I’ve written during my time here is this controversy over the alleged retaliation by West Virginia Public Broadcasting against one of its reporters.

To summarize in case you haven’t read my story last week: WVPB part-time health reporter Amelia Knisely alleges that WVPB parted ways with her the week before Christmas after the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources allegedly placed pressure on WVPB to pull Knisely off of DHHR coverage.

Why should you care about the employment decisions of another news agency? After all, this isn’t the only controversy in West Virginia’s journalism world. Isn’t this a little too much inside baseball?

Perhaps, but the key difference has more to do with several factors. West Virginia Public Broadcasting is not just another news organization; it receives taxpayer support. According to WVPB’s 2021 annual report, 35% of its funding came from the state’s general revenue budget, while 21% of its funding came from fundraising and 26% came from foundations.

Some of you may take issue with taxpayer dollars going to WVPB, but I do not. I do believe that public broadcasting is a public good. WVPB’s stations bring a host of educational programming, documentaries, and cultural programs to the state. One of the best images of this state outsiders see comes from the broadcast of Mountain Stage each week. And full disclosure: I’ve been a donor to WVPB before and I’ve been a paid contributor to WVPB’s “The Legislature Today,” where I have provided analysis of the annual legislative session.

When I became aware of Knisely’s allegations of retaliation for her reporting, I felt it highly important for those allegations to be investigated and addressed. As a taxpayer and past supporter of WVPB, I felt it important to look into these issues for the organization’s integrity.

Allegations are just that: allegations. But a look at the timeline of events since Knisely wrote a Nov. 3 story on a letter from state Senate President Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, to Gov. Jim Justice raising concerns about allegations from Disability Rights West Virginia about alleged abuse and neglect at one of DHHR’s psychiatric hospitals left me with questions that so far have not been answered directly.

Combined with a series of emails I received from the Senate Clerk’s Office through a Freedom of Information Act request, I do believe that there are specific issues that need further clarification and addressing.

Former DHHR Cabinet Secretary Bill Crouch wrote a six-page letter to WVPB Executive Director Butch Antolini seeking a retraction of Knisely’s Nov. 3 story. To their credit, they stood by that story which was accurately reported based on the Blair letter and other public information. They gave Crouch the opportunity to rebut Disability Rights’ allegations.

But according to Knisely, after writing a story about a Dec. 6 legislative hearing where Disability Rights briefed lawmakers on issues at DHHR and the psychiatric hospitals and Crouch provided rebuttal, she was told by her management she could no longer cover DHHR.

Again, it’s an allegation, but it’s an allegation she filed a human resources complaint about on Dec. 15. William File, chairman of the Educational Broadcasting Authority that oversees WVPB, admitted an HR complaint was filed and even disclosed some of the contents of that HR complaint in a statement last Thursday.

File said that Knisely was only offered part-time employment as a health reporter beginning in September until WVPB could hire a full-time health reporter. That reporter started at the end of November. He claims that Knisely was told on Dec. 14 to wrap up work on her final story.

Yet, according to an email sent the morning of Dec. 15, a WVPB executive producer submitted a list of WVPB staff to communications officials of the House and Senate that would need press credentials for the 2023 legislative session, including Knisely. When those communications officials inquired about Knisely’s part-time status, WVPB News Director Eric Douglas said Knisely would “serve a vital role in our legislative coverage.”

I don’t know when Knisely filed her HR complaint on Dec. 15, but something changed between the morning and afternoon. By 4:09 p.m. that afternoon, WVPB Programming Director Eddie Isom sent legislative communications staff an email saying Knisely had no further assignments and would not need credentials.

Douglas was not copied on that email, which didn’t sit well with Senate Communications Director Jacque Bland, who emailed Douglas to alert him, calling it “gross and shady.” In response, Douglas said he had been called into a meeting with Antolini where he was told “things had changed with Amelia” and also saying “you’re right, it does feel gross and shady.”

According to Knisely, she was told by Douglas on Dec. 20 her services were no longer needed. File claims that Knisely is still on the payroll, though Knisely said Thursday that her keycard and email had been deactivated.

File’s emailed statement sent by Antolini last Thursday doesn’t jive with the timeline of events and the emails sent by WVPB staff on Dec. 15. The statement raises more questions than it answers. I have asked follow-up questions, but I had not received a response as of Friday.

A Twitter user who goes by “Pleb” said the whole controversy could have been averted had WVPB said “… this reporter worked for us part-time. We asked her on Dec 14. to finish the single assignment she had. We do not have assignments for her now and we have hired a full-time replacement.”

Instead, WVPB has muddied the waters further. And as a result, there are Republican lawmakers threatening to reduce or cut funding to WVPB and supporters are threatening to pull donations. It will be up to members of the Educational Broadcasting Authority to investigate and restore public confidence.