Among the reasons for Beard's departure was his refusal to read misleading news teases and celebrity stories (particularly regarding pop singer Michael Jackson).
[1] Beard was the 4 PM anchor of the Channel 4 News at the time of his departure and was replaced by former KABC-TV personality Chuck Henry.
[2] Beard was present during an August 20, 1987, incident in which a man entered the news set carrying a toy gun and demanded that a manifesto be read.
The Fox owned-and-operated was acceptable because its 10 PM newscast would not compete against KNBC and Beard was considered a great reader by news directors and station general management.
[6] In 2009, Beard returned to Buffalo and began anchoring for Channel 2 News Daybreak and Midday on WGRZ, an NBC affiliate owned by Tegna Inc.