(NEW YORK, NY) — Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP secured a $2.4 million federal jury verdict on behalf of veteran PIX11 anchor/reporter Ojinika Obiekwe in her retaliation lawsuit against WPIX-TV and Nexstar Media Group. Following trial, a federal jury found that PIX11 and Nexstar unlawfully retaliated against Ms. Obiekwe after she complained about race discrimination in the workplace and awarded her $2.4 million in damages.

Ms. Obiekwe, an Emmy Award-winning journalist who worked at PIX11 for more than two decades, alleged that she was subjected to unequal treatment because of her race. She alleged that, compared to similarly situated white male colleagues, she received less staffing support, was required to perform substantially more work, and was paid less despite her years of service. She further alleged that, rather than addressing those concerns after she repeatedly complained of race discrimination, PIX11 and Nexstar retaliated against her for engaging in protected activity.

Access the complaint here and jury verdict form here.

“No one should have to choose between their livelihood and speaking up about what they believe is wrong. I did. Today, I am grateful to the jurors, who listened, weighed the evidence, and returned a unanimous verdict. While this victory is deeply personal, I hope it reaches far beyond me. I hope it reminds people that their voices matter, that standing up for what’s right matters, and that courage has the power to create change. This is for everyone who has ever questioned whether speaking up was worth the risk or wondered if anyone would believe them. I am deeply grateful to my faith, my family, my friends, and my extraordinary legal team. I will never take any of it for granted, and I hope this moment encourages others to find their voice and never stop believing that doing
the right thing matters,” said Ojinika Obiekwe.

“In 2023, PIX11 and Nexstar fired Emmy Award-winning journalist Ojinika ‘Oji’ Obiekwe, the culmination of an ugly, years-long campaign to retaliate against her and destroy her professional reputation, all because she dared to call out racial discrimination in her workplace,” said ECBAWM’s Eric Abrams and Andrew G. Celli, Jr. “But Oji refused to be silenced, and she refused to accept her retaliatory firing after 22 years of flawless service at PIX11. This case was about ensuring that Oji’s voice would be heard and her reputation restored — and that’s exactly what happened at trial this week. Eight jurors heard the evidence and vindicated our client. We are incredibly thrilled by this result and are so proud of, in awe of, and inspired by Oji. She was fired for speaking up about discrimination and never once considered stopping, even after she was terminated. She was the driving force behind this case and deserves this vindication more than anyone.”

Background
Ojinika Obiekwe is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who devoted more than 22 years to PIX11, beginning as an intern before rising through the ranks to become the station’s Entertainment Anchor/Reporter. According to the complaint, as her responsibilities increased over the years, she came to believe that she was being required to perform the work of multiple employees — including duties typically assigned to segment producers and copy editors — while receiving significantly less staffing support than similarly situated white male colleagues at sister stations.

According to the complaint, Human Resources informed Ms. Obiekwe that the company had determined she was receiving fair market pay. The lawsuit alleges that Ms. Obiekwe responded that the company had “missed the point,” explaining that her concerns extended beyond compensation to the unequal staffing support and workload she alleged she received compared to similarly situated white male colleagues. According to the complaint, despite assurances that her concerns would be addressed, the disparities she identified persisted.

The complaint alleges that the company assured Ms. Obiekwe her concerns would be investigated and that management promised to improve the level of support she received. According to the lawsuit, those promised changes never materialized. Ms. Obiekwe continued to report that she was receiving less staffing support than similarly situated white male colleagues and memorialized her concerns in emails after meetings with Human Resources and management.

According to the complaint, rather than resolving her concerns, management became increasingly focused on Ms. Obiekwe’s repeated complaints. The lawsuit alleges that after she again compared her treatment to a “plantation” while discussing what she believed to be discriminatory working conditions, a news executive summoned her to a meeting and told her that references to slavery were making people uncomfortable. Ms. Obiekwe responded that she was describing how she felt and maintained that she had the right to continue speaking out about what she believed was race discrimination.

The lawsuit further alleges that, instead of addressing the issues she raised, PIX11 began criticizing Ms.
Obiekwe’s job performance. According to the complaint, management asserted that she was failing to perform her duties — allegations that Ms. Obiekwe consistently disputed.

On January 31, 2023, after more than two decades at the station, Ms. Obiekwe was called into a meeting with management, Human Resources, and her SAG-AFTRA representative. According to the complaint, she was handed a termination letter stating that she was being fired for “failure to perform job duties” and “insubordination.” The lawsuit alleges that Ms. Obiekwe immediately responded, “A Black woman speaks up and she’s insubordinate. Got it.”

According to the complaint, when Ms. Obiekwe’s union attorneys demanded evidence supporting the stated reasons for her termination, PIX11 was unable to substantiate its allegations. The lawsuit alleges that the company initially produced a single email relating to a work event that coincided with a medical procedure of which management was already aware. According to the complaint, after those asserted reasons were challenged, the company changed its position and instead stated that it had simply decided not to renew Ms. Obiekwe’s employment contract after it expired.

Following trial, a federal jury found that PIX11 and Nexstar unlawfully retaliated against Ms. Obiekwe after she complained about race discrimination and awarded her $2.4 million in damages, including $1.137 million in compensatory damages and $1.28 million in punitive damages.

Press:
“Judge orders PIX 11 to pay axed anchor Ojinika Obiekwe over $2 million,” Page Six
“Journalist Ojinika Obiekwe Awarded $2.4 Million in Case Against PIX11,” People
“PIX11 Hit With $2.4M Verdict for Retaliating Against Veteran Journalist,” Law.com