CNN has had better Mondays. 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. Plaintiff also complained of concerns that his age and compensation package were increasingly being viewed as a liability.” The suit also alleges that Janos became concerned about fertility treatments Wilson’s wife was undergoing that the exec “considered high risk, requiring extensive medical care.”
Janos, who also is a defendant in the suit along with Turner Broadcasting and Turner Services, was promoted to VP and Bureau Chief in 2013. Wilson’s wife gave birth to twins in September 2013, and Wilson took a five-week paternity leave. Soon before his leave began, Wilson learned that “Janos had promoted a much younger, less-experienced Caucasian individual to the position of producer, replacing a Los Angeles-based senior producer who Janos had promoted,” according to the suit. Wilson claims the new guy got the plum assignments, while the plaintiff “was frequently relegated to in-house packaging and fill-in work on the Assignment Desk.”
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.
Racist cnn
Hahahahaha!
Somebody who views the world through the lens of race and makes issues out of it on a regular basis is a liability and not likely to be promoted. Trouble makers come in all shapes sizes and colors. They may make different sorts of troubles, but it’s all trouble none the less.
Had Mr. Wilson had the skills he believes he has he could have found the employment in the position and wage he feels he deserves elsewhere. He would likely have been approached by talent scouts in his profession. That he wasn’t, and remained in a position he clearly disliked seems to indicate otherwise.
Being qualified, is one thing. Being qualified, and a team player who looks for the good of the team and the company rather than one’s own self interests is another. It takes more to succeed than simply being black.
No. It doesn’t.
Well said
Quite right. Every network would love to have a sharp minority producer on the team – none of them have what they consider enough now.
But a constant complainer is a liability. This guy would probably have been discharged long ago if not for his race; it has been his shield. And that he is suing for discrimination as soon as the shield can’t protect him at CNN tends to confirm it.
I agree. Id like to hear his bosses view.
You will never get to hear his boss’s view, especially if that view is Wilson was never promoted because he was less competent than his peer rivals. Even if the lawyers don’t squelch it, the media won’t print it.
CNN is NOT about to let that happen, Anonymous. Instead, they will do everything they can to grovel before this fine example of AA.
Bravo!
Wow, such an in-depth analysis from someone who has absolutely zero knowledge of the case. It’s nice to know we have such perfect thinkers as you to tell us what’s right and what’s wrong since for you the task is so simple.
OK, Mr McGroin, as if that tongue-in-cheek name gives any weight to your arguments, since you seem to know so much about this case, please, enlighten us if you can! It would certainly be nice to know we have such perfect thinkers as you to tell us what’s right and what’s wrong since for you the task is so simple.
Pretty sure Mr McGroin was saying that the task is not simple and those without knowledge of the case- himself included- can’t pronounce with such certainty about who the problem was. It’s that the plaintiff had a very racist supervisor.
Our current President is a perfect example.
Black is the new orange.
It is always so ironic when people like Paul Fries claim the plaintiff, Mr Wilson, is “someone who views the world thru the lens of race”! Yet within his assumption Fries immediately plays the race card and asserts Wilson wasn’t qualified to be promoted, or that he wasn’t a team player. But those conclusions aren’t based on objective analysis.
Isn’t it also possible that the supervisor wasn’t a team player, had his own agenda and was threatened by Wilson’s knowledge and abilities? Isn’t it possible the supervisor wanted to hire his own friends and felt more comfortable with people who looked like him? Isn’t it also possible when working for such a biased supervisor, the road to success starts with being white, regardless of qualifications?
The answers to all of those questions are YES and I’ll answer for you because you wouldn’t be honest in your responses. Let’s wait and see what the court says my objective friend.
You’re just another racist !#¡.#! yourself, and obviously a trouble maker and loser. Way do black people still appear on, or watch CNN? I switched to Al Jazeera ages ago. Quickly flick past CNN when I’m channel hopping.
He never liked me for 17 years?
Yes, I wonder if his attorney would like to white out, (pardon the pun) that statement?
5 weeks off? Sounds like a slacker.
Our company gives new fathers six weeks – with pay
Sounds like a slacker
Can’t think of a company I would rather see in a mess like this more than CNN.
Could not happen to a better group–LOL
Translation: “I deserve promotions because I am black.”
No. Translation: I deserve not to be denied a promotion because I’m black.”
Well, the proof is in the future. If he is good at what he does, someone else will hire him and promote him. If not, then his self evaluation is wrong.
Actually, the first guy had it correct. There were other black men who were promoted. Except they were from Atlanta DC or NY. So… Apparently he’s not saying its because he is black…
can’t make it on your own? file a discrimination suit, pull out that race card given to you by the democrats and throw it on the bench.
it has worked for many hucksters
Yes, because white people tend to discriminate quite a LOT, moron.
he didn’t like him “because of Plaintiff’s protected characteristics, including his race, color and ancestry, among other things.” Other things? For 17 years? Sounds more like a bad marriage.
Ancestry? Was he the distant relative of a slave owner?
Really?
Hasn’t the wrongful news suit been filed yet?
“Comments On Deadline Hollywood are monitored. So don’t go off topic, don’t impersonate anyone, and don’t get your facts wrong.”
Good for CNN but I thought this warning for posters was meant for the MSM…or state department trolls
It’s more like he got his job because he was black.
I’m female. In my last year of college in a specialized program, I was aggressively recruited by a male-dominated company in a male-dominated industry. I accepted their lucrative offer and thought, “They really do want smart women.”
They really didn’t. Within a few months I realized I was their token hire for the year. I was flirted with and dismissed and despite putting in unspeakable hours, received a “satisfactory” review while my male counterparts who were always in my office asking for help got the plum assignments and glowing feedback. But did I file a lawsuit for discrimination? No. I updated my resume and got the hell out of there to let those neanderthals implode on themselves. My next job was with a great, progressive company and over the next 5 years I was able to grow personally and professionally. Imagine my surprise when someone from my former company called to ask for a job…because that department had been dismantled.
Moral of the story: If you spend 17 years working for a company/manager that’s hostile, you’re not a victim, you’re a masochist. And not very bright.
No he’s brilliant. He was probably not qualified for the job he held for all those years anyways and now he’ll get a massive settlement because CNN will not go against the race pimp machine.
What’s ironic is that they’ve been one of the major reasons the race shakedown kings have become so powerful.
Good for you. But your new company wasn’t “progressive”, they were just smart. All the good companies I have worked for have always had a good mix of male/female at every level. I have hired women twice as much as men over the years because they have better skills and work ethic for the positions I hired for. And most got lots of raises and promotions. I am not a progressive, just smart. (Sorry, the word progressive bothers me because in the political sense it represents anything but progress, IMO)
So the moral of the story is that you only got hired bc of your gender and you had to get a job with ‘progressives’ to advance? It sounds to me like you weren’t qualified for the first job you had and that the only way you could advance was to go to a company that was willing to look at your gender again. Is this really what you meant to imply about women in the work force?
BTW, every employee thinks that they are the best and that others come to them for help. It is typical of any human (male or female) to think they are the best or special in some way and therefore, underappreciated.
You need to actually read her comment before you post.
Those are my exact thoughts. Well stated.
Sounds like he would make a very good “Community Agitator” from Chicago.
Head over to MSNBC and get a good job
I think MSNBC has enough no talent and affirmative action placements already.. Actually, it’s their entire staff.
Wow! What lazy racists CNN must be. They hired a guy, apparently not knowing his color, then took 17 years to fire him.
LOL!
Sadly for some, in the real world, promotions, job offers and other diversity related goodies aren’t handed out like those at the public trough.
For 17 years my boss lay in wait, coolly biding his time, waiting until the day he could implement his cunning plan to……make me feel unappreciated?
….racially unappreciated😄
Great comment. LOL
If you can bring it at work, you will succeed. If not, well you sue.
Black people like this create a real disincentive for others to hire black people in the first place.
Black people like what? Do you know this man personally? There are no qualified Blacks or at least that’s how most of you feel according to the comments I’m reading. Since Affirmative Action is the only reason the Blacks at CNN have a job, in other words, CNN was forced to hire them, how difficult is it to believe that just maybe they are not considered for promotions?
We need laws to protect black people from being terminated like this.
Yep, you’re right. We need to start emulating more humane, advanced places like Zimbabwe, Kenya, and the Congo. If we don’t, the inevitable mass migration, and resultant brain drain, towards those superior societies are really going to negatively affect our economy. Keep lecturing all you Einsteins, just make sure to keep the mirror covered with your own self-righteous victimhood so you never have to look into it.
Yes, and he might want to try Nigeria where the unemployment rate is slightly below 50%. Here’s a little advice for you, Stanley: Friday while in Dubai having dinner with a friend who was interested in going to work for me in the very near future, made it quite clear that he believed “diversity” was the best way our company could develop and move forward. Just so happens that the people he wanted to bring in failed him in his last job and would fail with our new organization. Why would I want to subject others to those who are lazy, have a sense of entitlement, and don’t possess skills to perform the job – because they’re black or where one lady was terminated when she was flagrantly broke the rules? It was an insult, besides, I already have the infrastructure in place with proven, loyal, and dedicated professionals from Tokyo, Dublin, London, and Sao Paulo (not to mention ex-pats from the states). Due to the gubmit imposing their will on bidness, the company will now be “off-shore” which means I’ll employ whom I want. Trust me, we won’t have any “quota-hires” in our ranks!
it is OK. CNN pockets $1 from your monthly cable bill. No worries.
We cut our cable last year. Don’t miss it.