Jennifer Livingston, a TV news reporter and anchor in La Crosse, Wis., doesn’t expect viewer feedback to be totally positive. But a recent e-mail wasn’t routine and provoked an on-air response to “this very hurtful attack,” as the journalist called it. A male attorney suggested she lose weight to become “a suitable example for this community’s young people, girls in particular.”

In an impassioned four-minute editorial comment (watch below) that quickly went viral, Livingston said: “Attacks like this are not OK. . . . To the person who wrote me that letter, do you think . . . that your cruel words are pointing out something that I don’t see? . . . You know nothing about me but what you see from the outside." Noting that October is anti-bullying month, she warned that children learn behavior from adults, and that if "you are at home talking about this fat lady on TV, your kids are probably going to go to school and call someone fat."

Reaction was swift and supportive as the story spread on social media and traditional media. Popular TV host Ellen DeGeneres linked to the video from her website. Livingston appeared on three network news shows the next morning. Schools showed her response in classrooms because Livinsgton ended with a message “to all of the children out there who feel lost, who are struggling with your weight, with the color of your skin, your sexual preference, your disability, even the acne on your face.” She told them: “Do not let your self-worth be defined by bullies.”

Newscaster’s boss says: ”I have never been more proud of her or this TV station.” – Anne Paape, WKBT news director

Blogger says: “Why don’t we see more ‘overweight’ anchors and reporters on TV? We live in the most overweight country in the world. So it is just pure hypocrisy that makes our culture demand that only thin people should deliver us news and information?” – Matt Friedman, communications specialist and past TV news producer, Farmington Hills, Mich.

Newscaster’s husband says: ”The fact that there are people out there like this (and I understand this person is a lawyer in town) makes me sick to my stomach.” – Mike Thompson, news anchor at same station