Network Claims Validation for Diversity Commitment
A federal jury in Atlanta on Wednesday determined that CNN did not engage in either race or age discrimination when the network declined in 2003 to renew the contract of a roaming anchor at CNN International, R. Robin McDonald
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reports in the Nov. 26 issue of the Fulton County, Ga., Daily Report, a legal-affairs publication.
“After deliberating five hours over two days, the jury of five women and one man, and a sixth female alternate, said in post-trial interviews that they found virtually no evidence to suggest that former anchor Marina Kolbe, then 42, had been let go from CNNI in 2003 and subsequently rejected as a freelancer because CNN wanted to replace her with younger or minority on-air talent,” McDonald wrote.
“Jurors said that memos between network executives outlining an aggressive push by CNN beginning in 1999 to place minorities in designated jobs, while troubling, were not enough to prove that CNN had discriminated specifically against Kolbe, who is white. Jurors also said they were not convinced that CNNIâ??s hiring of six anchors of South Asian origin as part of a publicized business initiative to tailor international broadcasts to a South Asian audience influenced the networkâ??s decision not to renew Kolbeâ??s contract.
“Though it didnâ??t take long for the jury to find for CNN, they expressed sympathy for Kolbe. Jury forewoman Kathy Fuller said, ‘We think she [Kolbe] was treated badly. . . . There was no question they [CNN] did her wrong.'”
As noted when the trial began, CNN has been praised for its diversity efforts. At the National Association of Black Journalists convention in August, the network received the association’s Best Practices award. In accepting that citation, Johnita Due, who chairs CNN’s Diversity Council, said Jim Walton, CNN Worldwide president, had become such a diversity advocate he had been referred to as “the first black CNN president.”
McDonald wrote, “CNN spokesman Nigel Pritchard told the Daily Report, ‘We are obviously pleased with the juryâ??s verdict. It not only shows that CNN does not discriminate, but also validates CNNâ??s commitment to diversity.'”
“Kolbeâ??s counsel, Edward D. Buckley III, said, ‘We feel we tried a good case. We tried to shine a light on something we thought was very, very wrong at CNN and at Turner Broadcasting.'” He also said Kolbe has not had permanent employment since leaving the network, Cameron McWhirter reported Friday in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.