Friday, November 14, 2008

Channel 9 mainstays sue station: Age, sex discrimination alleged

The "ghost" of Christine Craft is alive and well at local news powerhouse KMBC Channel 9.
 
Three of the station's long time female, former news anchors are slapping the station with an age and sex discrimination suit that alleges, among other things that younger and prettier faces could propel the station into the future better than the old guard. 

In a 16 page court document forwarded to our news room this morning, the plaintiffs, Kelly Eckerman, Maria Antonia and Peggy Breit are bringing the action against the station. Most of the brief targets General Manager Wayne Godsey and newly hired news Director Sherrie Brown who was brought on board in January of 2008. 

Count 1 alleges gender discrimination and count 2 alleges age discrimination. Both counts allege that the three were forced to work in a hostile environment. 

This lil news hound knows a thing or two about the news biz and I can tell you - these journalists do excellent work. Additionally, if station management actually said what is alleged in the court documents, Katy bar the door. 

You'd think after Christine Craft sued the pants off the station a number of years back for essentially being told she was too ugly for TV that the management, especially at this station would have a little higher level of awareness. Apparently not! 

We'll be watching this with ever so interested eyes and ears.