Jump to content

Race Matters: Black CNN Producer Files $5 Million Lawsuit Claiming He Was Fired & Replaced With A White Man


janetDAYZ

Recommended Posts

Vladtv.com

A former CNN employee is seeking compensation to the tune of $5 million after he says he was wrongfully terminated from his job as a producer for the company after 17 years.

via Deadline

The same day parent Turner Broadcasting said the cable news net will lose nearly 10% of its workforce, CNN has been named in a $5 million wrongful-termination and discrimination lawsuit by a longtime employee who was let go in January.

Stanley Wilson worked as field producer and writer of news and documentaries, covering stories including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and elections and contributing to such programs as Black In America and Homicide In Hollenbeck. In the suit filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court (read it here), Wilson claims that Peter Janos, who served as his immediate or general supervisor for his entire 17 years at CNN, “never liked Plaintiff and never wanted him at the [Los Angeles] bureau because of Plaintiff’s protected characteristics, including his race, color and ancestry, among other things.”

Wilson was promoted only once during his tenure at CNN, in 2003, despite applying for a dozen job openings.

According to the suit, “In 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, Plaintiff verbally complained to the CNN Senior Vice-President of Human Resources (HR) that African-American men outside of Atlanta, D.C., and New York were not being promoted. Plaintiff complained that Janos was an important actor in the wholesale discrimination against African-American men in the hiring and promotion of staff producers and television photographers in Los Angeles.

Wilson was assigned to cover a story in early January, and the suit claims that there was a question of attribution regarding three sentences. The story was pulled — which according to the suit, “was the pretext Janos needed to terminate Plaintiff’s employment.” On January 9, Wilson was placed on leave and told that “CNN was conducting an audit of the entirely of Plaintiff’s work.” He was terminated January 28.

Wilson is seeking at least $5 million in damages and a jury trial. He is represented in the case by the Law Offices of Lisa L. Maki in Santa Monica.

Sounds like CNN better get ready to cough up a few stacks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In order to claim discrimination or racism for that matter, plaintiff will have to provide/prove that he was discriminated against in whole or part by the defendant named. In this case saying someone doesn't like you does not meet the criteria for the burden of proof necessary to garner a favorable outcome in this matter.  Also as Game stated the reasons for his termination were not disclosed, as in the other half of the story, namely what CNN has to say isn't known.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

It's a civil case so his burden of persuasion to a jury is only by a preponderance of the evidence.

 

If it's true that qualified African-Americans weren't getting promoted over their white or other racial counterparts then that would be sufficient for him to win a jury veridict.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

It's a civil case so his burden of persuasion to a jury is only by a preponderance of the evidence.

 

If it's true that qualified African-Americans weren't getting promoted over their white or other racial counterparts then that would be sufficient for him to win a jury veridict.

 

After 17 years in a company, if he hadn't voiced concerns before now, it would raise the question of legitimacy....if he was wrongfully  denied promotion due to his race, why did he continue to be employed for a company that refuses to hire minority men in a high profile capacity? Can he name example after example of incidents of qualified African Americans denied employment? If so it took him 17 years to speak up? Or is he pissed they fucked him over? If so can he pull the race card as the true reason?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

CNN Withdraws Support of the National Association of Black Journalists

Friday, October 17, 2014   (0 Comments

Posted by: Aprill Turner

MINNEAPOLIS (October 17, 2014) - Today at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Board of Directors Meeting, President Bob Butler announced that long-time supporter CNN has withdrawn support of NABJ for the 2015 Convention & Career Fair.

NABJ issued a statement last week, "NABJ Concerned About Atmosphere at CNN for African Americans", in which NABJ expressed concern over the large number of African-American staff members leaving and being fired from the cable news network. Several African-Americans anchors have left the anchor desk or CNN altogether in the past few years. 

Following the release CNN contacted NABJ President Bob Butler and informed him the association's request for support was denied.

Since that time CNN announced a major layoff in which at least five senior managers were laid off. In the past year nearly a dozen African American managers have resigned, been laid off or were terminated."

"I understand the company has a right to make personnel decisions," said NABJ President Bob Butler. "There were not that many African American managers at CNN in the first place. These layoffs have hurt our members tremendously. I am severely disappointed that CNN has ended our partnership."

 

NABJ was established as an advocacy group in 1975 in Washington, D.C., and is now the largest organization for journalists of color in the nation. It provides career development, educational support and other services to its members worldwide.

 ###

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...