A third lawsuit filed against KCTV5 by on-air talent alleging discrimination in the workplace

KCTV5. // Google Street

On Monday, Black multimedia sports journalist, Adam Orduna, filed a lawsuit in Kansas City, Kansas’ U.S. District Court against parent company of KCTV5, Gray Media Group, claiming that he was discriminated against due to his race.

Recent lawsuits

This comes on the heels of two other sperate lawsuits filed against KCTV5, coming from journalists, Erin Little, chief meteorologist, and Kelli Taylor, former news anchor.

Little alleges that the network committed age, gender, and disability discrimination, retaliation, as well as violating the Family and Medical Leave Act. While the amount of compensation is undisclosed, she is seeking that the company pay for actual and punitive damages, along with reinstatement for lost compensation, according to the lawsuit.

Taylor, a Black journalist, claims that she was discriminated against due to race, gender, and disability at the news network. In order for her lawsuit to be filed in federal court, she is looking to receive at least $75,000 as a preliminary amount, according to the lawsuit.

According to their separate lawsuits, the two experienced handful amounts of discrimination through their own experiences, including forms of bullying, harassment, unjust demotions, defamation, and more.

Both jumped through multiple hoops with the news station to try and make their careers work, according to the lawsuits. Taylor left the company in the spring of last year, and Little has remained absent since November of last year.

Both had been working for KCTV5 for a few years and were in well-acclaimed positions before Gray Media Group purchased the news station. After the purchase, Andrew Stewart was appointed general manager and Kate Glover was appointed news director, both no longer working for KCTV5.

Orduna’s lawsuit

Orduna alleges that during his tenure with KCTV5, a white colleague with similar experience and qualifications was given ‘apparent authority’ over his work schedule and performance. He alleges that this colleague, who has a prejudice against Black individuals, scrutinized his work and standing as a journalist in an unjust manner.

In the lawsuit, Orduna claims that this co-worker “misleadingly” reported Orduna’s supposed performance issues, as well as manipulated his scheduling, causing him to be reprimanded for missing work that he was unaware of, ultimately tarnishing his reputation at the news station.

After being told by his colleague that he could no longer anchor for the station, Orduna took the matter to Glover, who has had a lawsuit due to discriminatory actions filed against her in the past.

According to the lawsuit, Glover encouraged Orduna, stating that she “had no issues with [Orduna] anchoring.” After anchoring on July 1, he was criticized by Glover for his lack of experience, saying that she was “just trying to be nice” when allowing Orduna to anchor.

A few months later in a meeting at KCTV5, Glover read a report from Orduna’s colleague about his performance issues. She then informed Orduna that his job was at risk unless he chose to switch from sports coverage to the news department, according to the lawsuit.

Hostile work environment

In the first week of last Nov., Orduna took the issue to the station’s human resources department through email, claiming that this colleague was “targeting him, creating a hostile work environment, and generally displaying a lack of respect,” due to his prejudice toward Black people, the lawsuit says.

The following week, he submitted another complaint through email, stating that he had experienced racial prejudice because his colleague would not allow him to anchor a broadcast, also expressing worries that he would be rebuked for speaking out on the matter, according to the lawsuit.

Orduna was excluded from the sports department promotion on Jan. 23, after human resources stated that they would investigate the situation on Nov. 21.

He was then suspended indefinitely without pay by three supervisors, including Glover, the following day “with no explanation as to why,” the lawsuit says.

Two days later, Orduna received a notice of termination, with his suitability for the role being their reasoning.

The lawsuit claims that human resources failed to investigate his worries of his colleague targeting him based on racial discrimination.

The amount of money that Orduna is seeking is undisclosed, yet it does request a jury trial. He is looking to receive compensation for punitive damages, attorney fees, as well as other related costs.

KCTV5 and Gray Media Group had no comment on the situation.

None of the journalists that have filed lawsuits responded immediately for comments.