The network was recently hit with two bombshell lawsuits claiming racial discrimination. Both suits detail an environment of race-based abuse, with one calling out “abhorrent, intolerable, unlawful and hostile racial discrimination.”
In the suit, 11 current and former employees alleged they faced verbal abuse and “plantation-style management” from white executives at the company. Their class-action suit particularly focuses on company comptroller Judith Slater, who was fired in February.
The allegations claim that complaints of racism against Slater dated back to 2008, and that Fox News lawyer Dianne Brandi knew of the complaints back then. The class-action expands on another lawsuit from two black women who worked in the company’s payroll department.
A second suit filed Tuesday by former Fox News employee Adasa Blanco, who is from Puerto Rico, also alleges discrimination based on her race.
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Lawyers for the plaintiffs issued the following statement:
When it comes to racial discrimination, 21st Century Fox has been operating as if it should be called 18th Century Fox. We sincerely hope the filing of this race class action wakes 21st Century Fox from its slumbers and inspires the company to take a conciliatory and appropriate approach to remedy its wrongs.
The New York Times reported that former host Bill O’Reilly, who was recently ousted from the network, and former executive Roger Ailes, who also left the company amid a sexual harassment scandal, are named in the lawsuits.
The Times reported:
Among the plaintiffs is Kelly Wright, a current Fox News anchor and former co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend.” He said Mr. O’Reilly refused to allow him on his show to discuss racial conciliation and instead suggested he should call Mr. Ailes and Bill Shine, one of the network’s presidents, and “offer to sing the national anthem at the Fox News Town Halls,” according to the suit. The suit also contends that Ms. Slater demanded that minority employees arm-wrestle white female supervisors for her own “entertainment and amusement.”
Fox issued the following terse statement in its defense:
Fox News and Dianne Brandi vehemently deny the race discrimination claims in both lawsuits. They are copycat complaints of the original one filed last month. We will vigorously defend these cases.
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