NBC anchor under fire after using F-word on live TV

During a live news teaser in the 10 p.m. hour, Simmons read her assigned script: "At 11, paying more at the grocer but getting less. We'll tell you how to get the most." Then as the image on the screen changed to a video of a cruise ship, Simmons' voice could be heard saying: "What the f#@$ are you doing?"

Apparently she was speaking to co-anchor Chuck Scarborough, who apparently was not watching his cues when the incident took place.

During the 11 p.m. broadcast, Simmons apologized. "While we were live just after 10 o'clock, I said a word that many people find offensive. I'm truly sorry. It was a mistake on my part, and I sincerely apologize."

Simmons was back on the job Tuesday evening, but one local TV news executive told the New York Daily News that the anchor should be fired from her job for the outburst.

"It's not setting a particularly good example to be cursing on the air," another critic told the New York Times. Sarah Bassine, a filmmaker, said that profanity has become too common in society and said "a newscaster should be able to express herself or himself better."