Fired for refusing COVID vaccine, ex-Columbus TV sports reporter & anchor settles lawsuit
Dave Platta, who was the city’s longest-serving TV sports reporter and anchor when WTVM fired him three years ago, has settled his lawsuit against the Columbus television station’s owner.
For 36 years, Platta worked at WTVM until he refused in 2021 to comply with Gray Media Group’s mandate for its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Platta sued Gray in January 2023 in the Atlanta Division of U.S. District Court, alleging discrimination and retaliation. One month later, he was inducted into the Chattahoochee Valley Sports Hall of Fame.
The parties informed the court in a joint filing last week that they have executed their settlement agreement.
Court documents don’t mention the terms of the agreement, and Platta declined to disclose them, but he told the Ledger-Enquirer by phone Wednesday, “It’s just good to get this settled and to be able to put it behind us.”
Since his departure from WTVM, Platta has worked at Tires First — and he still does their commercials — but now he is employed by St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School, where he is in his first year teaching mass media. Platta has done play-by-play for Pacelli football home games and for Columbus State University soccer home games.
This story was originally published December 11, 2024 at 3:16 PM.
