Big news trickling out of the Nashville media realm yesterday afternoon, as a report from The Tennessean revealed that Steven Good, the actor who played Snowbird for 20 years, is suing WSMV over alleged age discrimination.
Steven Good of Donelson is seeking $250,000 and a jury trial, according to the suit filed Aug. 17.
Late last year, three other former on-air employees filed a separate age-discrimination lawsuit against Channel 4.
In Good’s suit, he claimed he stood up for “an older on-air personality whom [he] believed suffered an adverse employment action as a result of age discrimination.”
Good said his boss at Channel 4 found out about his advocacy for the co-worker last year, and shortly thereafter, Good was laid off.
At the time, Good told the Tennessean he was one of six employees laid off that day and was told to leave the station immediately.
Boy, to say the last year or so has been pretty rough on WSMV would be an understatement. Inexplicable move after inexplicable move. Just to recap:
- They booted Paul Heggen from the morning show without clearly indicating why.
- They fired Snowbird, a veritable Nashville institution.
- Demetria Kalodimos left with nothing more than a letter on her desk.
- Add it all up, and the poor sentiment among the community yielded a 10-20% decline in viewership.
Now, you can add receiving a lawsuit from Snowbird to the list. It’s such a shame, too. Didn’t a single decision-maker in that building stop and think about what Snowbird meant to middle Tennessee? How much work Good put in to making that character apart of the fabric of the Music City? I have a hard time understanding the justification for any of this stuff.
But, this quote from The Tennessean’s article a year ago just sticks in my head for some reason:
Former longtime reporter Dennis Ferrier, veteran anchor/reporter Jennifer Johnson and longtime weekend meteorologist Nancy Van Camp said they were victims of harassment and ridicule shortly before they were terminated from WSMV.
Channel 4’s owner, Meredith Corporation, issued a statement denying that any employees were mistreated or that age was a reason for any of the plaintiffs leaving the station.
The lawsuit also charges that managers have exposed veteran anchor Demetria Kalodimos — who is not a plaintiff in the suit — to “many acts of age-based discrimination and hostility.”
Those acts include “public berating” and “ridicule,” spreading false rumors that Kalodimos would be retiring soon and referring to the veteran anchor as an “old maid,” according to the lawsuit.
Still sticks like pine tar a year later. It sure sounds like a toxic culture. It’s something I’ve said before. And, that’s something I’ve corroborated with multiple sources who have cited incidents as far back as the 1970s with this station, and that is why I feel comfortable stating that. What’s that? Actual journalism? On SoBros Network? Get out of here.
But, folks, let’s be real – there wasn’t a whole lot of journalistic analysis in this piece. A lot of just recapping the news. But, we want to make it known that none of us have forgotten how Heggen was treated, how Snowbird was treated, or how Kalodimos was treated. We still want accountability. I acted with the only leverage I have: my remote.
The SoBros Network is now officially #TeamGMN, going to bat for our friends at WKRN.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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