In testimony this week in Los Angeles, former KNBC reporter Frank Snepp told a California court the NBC-owned station “set me up for failure” in an effort to push out older employees.
Snepp, who was 69 when he was fired, claims NBC implemented a 2009 reorganization, which required reporters like Snepp to become “content producers,” with multiple responsibilities in the newsroom and in the field. When Snepp questioned being able to produce investigative stories while meeting the new “content producer” responsibilities, he says it was suggested that he retire.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “(Snepp) cites comments he allegedly heard from superiors, like “some people just see you as a grumpy old man who oughta just quit.”
Snepp responded:
“What I said was, ‘If you give me two overlapping assignments, if you give me a situation where I have to be in three places at once, you’re setting me up for failure, and you might as well fire me,’ ” he continued. “It broke my heart, because what they seemed to be doing was proposing to set me up for failure.”
Snepp is seeking $1.3 million in economic compensation for his firing.