When Bree Smith vanished from the NewsChannel 5 weather desk in January 2025, the Nashville airwaves felt a little colder. For nine years, she was the person we trusted to tell us when to grab an umbrella or head to the basement. Then, suddenly, she was just... gone. No big on-air send-off. No "best of" montage. Just an empty seat and a lot of confused viewers.
Honestly, the silence from the station was deafening. Most people figured it was just a contract dispute or maybe she wanted more time with her kids. But the truth that spilled out in a federal lawsuit filed in late December 2025 is way more intense and, frankly, a lot darker than anyone realized. It wasn't just about money or "pursuing other opportunities." It was about a workplace that allegedly became a nightmare.
The Breaking Point: Deepfakes and the "Last Straw"
If you've been following the news lately, you know Bree has become a huge advocate for victims of deepfake "sextortion." But what many didn't know until her lawsuit hit the Nashville courts was how her employer handled it. Or rather, how she says they didn't handle it.
Bree was targeted by creeps who used AI to put her face on explicit images. It’s the kind of thing that would make anyone's skin crawl. She was tracking these fake accounts on a spreadsheet, reporting hundreds of them.
"I cry myself to sleep most nights, mostly because I don't want my kids to see me," Smith shared in an emotional testimony before the Tennessee House Criminal Justice Subcommittee.
The lawsuit alleges that when she begged NewsChannel 5 for help, the station basically shrugged. They reportedly told her nothing could be done because it wasn't "illegal" yet. Smith claims this was the "last straw." She felt humiliated and abandoned by the very people who were supposed to have her back while she was the face of their brand.
Why Did Bree Smith Leave Channel 5? The Henry Rothenberg Allegations
While the deepfake situation was the final push, the legal documents describe years of tension behind the scenes. The biggest shocker in the suit involves her long-time colleague, Henry Rothenberg.
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According to the complaint, the friction started way back in 2017. Smith alleges that Rothenberg told her she only got her job because of her physical appearance—using a much cruder term for her chest.
It gets weirder. The lawsuit claims:
- Rothenberg allegedly "went missing" for two days during the deadly March 2020 tornadoes, leaving Bree to anchor for 16 hours straight.
- During a 2023 weather event, while Bree was on vacation, Rothenberg was allegedly found "lying on the floor crying," resulting in the station calling Bree in her hotel room to broadcast via her cellphone.
- He reportedly called other female colleagues "bitches" and "bimbos" on multiple occasions.
Bree says she reported this behavior over and over. Instead of fixing the problem, she claims the station retaliated against her. They took away her scheduling duties. They made her submit "detailed reports" of her daily work. Basically, they treated the victim like the problem.
A Toxic Culture of "Styling" and Double Standards
The lawsuit doesn't just stop at one colleague. It paints a picture of a station where the rules for women were totally different from the rules for men.
Bree alleges that female anchors were forced into intense styling sessions. A consultant would reportedly criticize their bodies in ways the male anchors never had to deal with. They were told how to dress, how to look, and how to maintain a certain "image" while the guys could just show up and do the weather.
Then there was the air quality issue. In 2024, Bree suffered from a three-month respiratory illness. She says the studio's air was making her sick after a pipe cleaning project. She asked for a $600 HEPA filter. The station—owned by Scripps, a massive media company—reportedly said no. Eventually, her doctor put her on short-term disability for anxiety and depression fueled by the environment.
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Where Is Bree Smith Now?
If you're missing her forecast, there's good news. On January 12, 2026, Bree officially joined the WSMV4 First Alert Weather team.
She didn't just switch stations; she switched sides. WSMV is the direct rival to NewsChannel 5. It's a huge move in the Nashville media market. Seeing her back on air is a relief for fans, but the legal battle with her old station is far from over. Scripps has said they "strongly disagree" with her claims and plan to fight the lawsuit aggressively.
What You Can Learn From This
Bree Smith’s exit is a massive case study in workplace culture and the evolving world of AI harassment. It’s not just a "TV person" problem.
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- Trust your gut on workplace culture. If you feel like you're being "managed out" or retaliated against for speaking up, document everything. Bree’s spreadsheet of deepfakes and her record of HR complaints are now the backbone of her legal case.
- Deepfakes are a real threat. Bree helped pass the "Preventing Deepfake Images Act" in Tennessee. If this happens to you, look for local laws. The landscape is changing, and you do have rights.
- Non-competes are tricky. Many people wondered why she was off air for a year. That’s usually due to a non-compete clause in a TV contract. If you're in a specialized field, always have a lawyer look at those "restricted" periods before you sign.
Bree basically proved that even if you love your job, you shouldn't have to sacrifice your mental health or dignity to keep it. She's now at a new station with a fresh start, and Nashville is watching to see how the court case unfolds.
If you're following this story, the best thing to do is keep an eye on the Middle District of Tennessee court filings. That's where the real evidence—emails, internal memos, and testimony—will eventually go public. For now, it’s just good to see her back where she belongs: in front of a green screen, keeping us safe from the storm.
Next Steps for Staying Informed:
- Track the Lawsuit: Search for "Smith v. The E.W. Scripps Company" in federal court databases to see the latest filings.
- Support Local Legislation: Look into the "Preventing Deepfake Images Act" in your own state to see what protections exist for AI-generated harassment.
- Watch WSMV4: If you're in the Nashville market, you can find Bree's new broadcast schedule on the WSMV website.