Ex-Iowa Anchor Hopes Her Age Bias Lawsuit Changes TV News
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‘No longer seen as camera-worthy’ Ex-Iowa anchor hopes her age bias lawsuit changes TV news IOWA CITY, Iowa, Aug 25, (AP): As a prominent reporter and an- managers last year were men. cases in the past. chor at one of Iowa’s biggest local television stations, Sonya Heit- Heitshusen, now public information offi cer for the Iowa State The lawsuit alleges that Heitshusen faced numerous “micro-ag- shusen was known for doggedly investigating injustices and holding Auditor, got emotional recounting how the fi ring ended her award- gressions” over the years, as her bosses treated male anchors more the powerful accountable. winning journalism career. She said she was devastated last August favorably and her age ultimately became seen as a liability. A year after WHO-TV in Des Moines abruptly let her go, she is when she realized she could not report on the derecho, the powerful The lawsuit recounts an incident in which Peterson told the news- turning those skills on her former employer with a lawsuit challeng- wind storm that ripped across the state. room that Heitshusen had a reaction to the shingles vaccine but that ing what she calls a widespread practice of removing older, female Heitshusen left WHO-TV last summer after what the station called others need not worry because only her “advanced age” caused her to staffers from the air because of their looks. a remarkable 17-year stint in which she was a hard-hitting news re- need the shot in the fi rst place. While seemingly a joke, the comment Heitshusen fi led an age and gender discrimination lawsuit Tues- porter and an anchor also known for softer segments on fi tness. In refl ected a deeper truth that her age was a concern to management, day against WHO-TV’s parent company, Nexstar Media Group, Inc., farewell segments, the NBC affi liate did not mention any reason for it alleges. which calls itself “America’s largest local television and media com- her departure. The lawsuit also alleges that male anchors received higher pay, pany,” with 199 stations. more vacation time and more on-air recognition for journalism The lawsuit alleges Heitshusen, 54, was “thrown out to pasture” Decision awards, and that they were not judged by their appearances. because she was no longer seen as camera-worthy, after years in Heitshusen said she was blindsided in April 2020 when the sta- Television which she saw her male colleagues receive better treatment from tion’s news director, Rod Peterson, informed her that the station was Meanwhile, the suit claims that managers told Heitshusen she management. exercising a clause in her contract to fi re her without cause as a “busi- could not negotiate for more time off, that one once commented to “Where are all the women who are in TV broadcasting over 50? ness decision.” She said she was told the company valued her and her and another female anchor about losing weight, and that manag- You don’t see women on TV with gray hair and wrinkles,” she told might be able to fi nd her a lower-paying digital position, but nothing ers gave her more support for pursuing “softer” feature stories than The Associated Press last week. “It has to change. Women are rel- on the air. investigative news, it claims. evant after the age of 50. They have a lot of great ideas. They are hard “I thought, ‘I’m good enough to work here but I’m not good In addition to Nexstar, the lawsuit names Peterson and general workers and can make a difference.” enough to be on camera?’” recounted Heitshusen, who was the oldest manager Bobby Totsch as defendants. A company spokesman didn’t She said she was bringing the lawsuit to help spur a “cultural shift” female anchor in the station’s history. “The only thing that signaled immediately return a message seeking comment. in the industry that makes discrimination no longer acceptable. to me was that it’s my appearance.” The lawsuit seeks orders requiring Nexstar to pay Heitshusen un- Nexstar, which has characterized Heitshusen’s fi ring as a reduction Heitshusen is represented by Des Moines civil rights attorneys specifi ed damages and to take remedial actions, including training for in its workforce, has faced other lawsuits in recent years from female Tom Newkirk and Jill Zwagerman, who specialize in showing how management on gender and age stereotypes and an analysis of how reporters and anchors. Company statistics show that nearly 80% of its implicit biases can impact the workplace and have won landmark female employees have been treated. Variety s e r u t a This image released by Netfl ix shows Jason Momoa in a scene from ‘Sweet Girl.’ (AP) e Film ‘Sweet Girl,’ action drama with phenomenal twist LOS ANGELES: Fox News Chan- F Features nel, bolstered by viewers’ rapt attention to the US-led evacua- tion from Afghanistan, was last week’s most-watched TV outlet Momoa, Merced form father-daughter bond on broadcast or cable, according to Nielsen company fi gures out By Lindsey Bahr Momoa: Don’t watch it. That’s not how you you. Tuesday. want to see your father. AP: Jason, you produced this and it’s been a bit The channel averaged just under ason Momoa doesn’t get to play many ordinary Merced: I had seen him in “Aquaman” in some of a passion project. Why did you want to throw 3 million viewers. Fox News Jguys. He’s Aquaman. He’s Khal Drogo. He’s theater in my hometown and my little brother your weight behind it? Channel outpaced both its cable Conan the Barbarian. loves him and I loved him in that movie. And news competition and the broad- Momoa: I’m not in too many contemporary It’s part of the reason why he wanted to be in so obviously I knew who he was. But you never pieces. I wanted to play a bit of an everyday man. cast networks that typically jockey “Sweet Girl,” a new action drama out on Netf- for the top spot. know. How people present themselves is usually And it tackles some amazing topics and it has a The channel, which is popular lix. In the fi lm he’s an ordinary Pittsburgh father different than how they are. But with him, he’s phenomenal twist. And it gave me the opportunity with conservative-leaning viewers, named Ray Cooper who vows to get revenge just the same. If anything, he’s more loving. Once to put all my resources of 20 years into it, from surged following the Taliban’s against a pharmaceutical company he blames for you get close to him and he realizes you can trust stunts to wardrobe down to the casting. It was a sudden conquest of Afghanistan his wife’s death. As a father himself, it was a natu- him ... it’s the same way with me too. I wasn’t go- wonderful, smooth-running production. this month and as the Biden ral fi t, and he got to hand pick the actress who’d administration directed the cha- ing to be lovey-dovey with everyone on the fi rst And for me, I have two daughters and it’s a to- otic removal of US citizens and play his on screen daughter: “Instant Family’s” day. He had to gain my trust too. tally different bond than, you know, with my son. Afghans at risk after the nearly Isabela Merced. AP: Is that easier to do when you’re shooting It would be a whole different energy. So I just 20-year war’s end. Momoa and Merced spoke to the AP about the on location, like you did with this fi lm in Pitts- feel like what Isabela offers, it’s like how I am THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021 The last time the channel fi lm and forming a bond on screen and off. burgh? with my baby girl. There’s moments in the movie claimed the No. 1 spot was in Remarks have been edited for clarity and brev- September 2020, when “Fox News Merced: Yeah, you’re kind of isolated with where it just cracks me open. I have never really Sunday” anchor Chris Wallace ity. those people. We would go out to dinner pretty behaved that way in a movie before. moderated the debate between AP: Jason, how do you go about choosing much every other night. We would dance. We AP: Do you think this is the kind of movie fa- then-President Donald Trump someone to play your daughter? would eat sushi. We had a great time. I’m from thers and daughters can watch together? and his ultimately successful chal- Momoa: The whole cast was full of my fi rst Cleveland, there’s like a rivalry between (the cit- Momoa: Absolutely. I got some of the best lenger Joe Biden. picks. But it was all about Isabela. We had some ies), but I don’t really care, like, I don’t know, like compliments in my life from my children when MSNBC, which tends to attract mutual friends and I just thought she would be liberal-leaning viewers, saw a leave that to the old folks. I love Pittsburgh, it lit- we watched this. It was really fun to watch it with slight ratings dip from the previ- perfect to play my daughter. I texted or some- erally looks like Cleveland. them. ous week, averaging just under 1.2 thing, probably sent out a bunch of love and aloha, Momoa: (laughs) Leave it to the old folks.