Weigel Broadcasting and Milwaukee CBS affiliate WDJT are facing two separate discrimination lawsuits complaints brought within the last month.
On August 30, Shari Dunn, anchor and reporter for WDJT, filed a complaint alleging both the station and its parent company Weigel Broadcasting maintain, “a culture of discrimination where white males are favored over minority females.”
According to the Hispanic News Network Blog, Carlos Vergara, bilingual anchor for Telemundo Wisconsin and reporter for WDJT, filed a complaint alleging he was denied the opportunity to anchor for WDJT in favor of less experienced anchors who spoke only English.
The Hispanic News Network said, according to Vergara’s attorney Cole White, when the anchor told WDJT and Telemundo Wisconsin news director Genie Garner the station doesn’t speak to the community it’s supposed to cover, she said, “we don’t care about them anyway.” White also alleges Garner refers to the Latino community as illegal aliens and that Weigel corporate executives told him they don’t care whom she offends.
>UPDATE: Cole White, Vergara’s attorney told TVSpy they have not filed a lawsuit against WDJT yet. But White did reference our most recent story about the WDJT photographer who quit over safety concerns. “Recent events have made it clear that there are many more instances of discrimination and many more individuals who have been victim to the stations atmosphere of discrimination, intolerance and bullying,” said White.
In her complaint, Dunn contends WDJT pays white males more and provides them more favorable working conditions and assignments than their African-American and female counterparts. The complaint also alleges the station retaliated against Dunn after she brought her allegations to management’s attention.
Both complaints have been filed with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
TVSPy has reached out to WDJT general manager Jim Hall about both complaints but has yet to hear back.
Dunn started at WDJT in February 2009. as co-anchor for the morning news. According to her bio page she has a degree from Northwestern University School of Law and has practiced law in Wisconsin.
Vergara came to WDJT after working for RCN TV in Bogota, Colombia. According to his station bio, he has also produced in New York City, shot news in Maryland and Georgia, as well as anchored and reported for stations in Texas, California, Virginia and Miami.