Sonya Heitshusen was forced out at Ch 13

[SpokaneCY]

I heard a little of that. She's claiming a pattern of systemic problems related to the station's dealings with gender, age and race. If she's got proof, it will come out, I suppose. She's claiming that they offered her another contract, but it wouldn't be on the air, or at least less on air time.

I'm admittedly conflicted on this. If your employer makes widgets, the employee making them isn't the product, the widget is. And as long as the employee can make a widget that meets specifications, then letting them go simply because they're old is not okay.

But a television news program is not a widget. Things like likeability and personality of the on air talent are definitely a factor. Talent can have bad chemistry. Things can get stale. Management may just decide to shake things up. Those are all valid reasons why someone's contract may not be renewed. It may not be the right decision, but that's all part of the game when it comes to broadcast television. Loyalty isn't really a thing, and the fact that on air talent is on contract rather than being a direct employee should be a big indicator of that.

This sounds like a simple negotiated settlement with a healthy NDA attached.

 

[mywayorcyway]

Has anyone ever looked better after getting plastic surgery to look younger?

Kate Beckinsale is the only one I've ever thought looked better after.



That's a rare exception, though.

 

[VeloClone]

He is still on air? He was old 20 years ago

I was amazed to read this too. I haven't been in the market in years but I remember him from when I was in grade school through high school. Apparently he started as sports director at KWWL in 1974.

 

[IlliniCy]

I wonder who Sonya pushed out of a job when she was the younger and more attractive broadcast journalist and if she felt the same way then?

Well, since she started at Channel 5, this really doesn't apply.

 

[ArgentCy]

Here's how: don't break the law. Especially employment law. Its amazing to me with all the money and headcount devoted to Human Resources in most businesses, how they continue to act like there are no laws governing employment. BTW....business people said the same thing when Harkin got the ADA passed many years ago. I see no evidence that it has harmed business or business formation in any way.

How do you fire anyone if you can't make how much money they make part of the decision? This is getting out of control. Pretty soon you can only fire the 54 year old white guy. And if that's the only guy you can fire than you can't run a business.

You know how many people most companies have in HR = ZERO. Because they are small business's. These laws only help the huge conglomerates and that's why they help push the laws.

 

[JP4CY]

Kate Beckinsale is the only one I've ever thought looked better after.

View attachment 74553

That's a rare exception, though.

The Pete Davidson fling had made me reevaluate how I feel about her.












Still would

 

[KnappShack]

Looks like the Reds will have an opening if she can do some play by play for a mid-market baseball team

 

[mywayorcyway]

Looks like the Reds will have an opening if she can do some play by play for a mid-market baseball team

She could be the female Brockmire. Replacing the actual Brockmire.

 

[Raiders70]

Has anyone ever looked better after getting plastic surgery to look younger?

No kidding. Now that television is in HD it just makes you look like you had plastic surgery.

 

[Cycl1]

I've experienced something similar in the consulting firm where I work regarding older employees being laid off. The part that makes sense in many of the cases is that most of them were in a position that what they were being paid (rather well due to long time in similar position) was too much for the company to make money based on what these persons could be billed out at to our clients. The people that got caught in this web were primarily people who had plateaued out in their career. It just didn't make business sense for the company to keep them around.

Yeah, consulting is a strange field that way. Not sure what the solution is when you need newer (often younger, just because of market availability) workers to do the majority of the work. There is only so much experience and efficiency can do to reduce the time something takes to get done. The specialty knowledge above and beyond what a new worker has can come in handy if you have the right projects, but those can be hard to come by.

 

[Drew0311]

A few years ago Sonya really changed herself. She hit the gym hard. She went from aging reporter to pretty ripped. Guessing she started doing some sort of HIIT workouts. She looks fantastic. I always go back to people knowing what there job is. My job does not depend on looks at all. Models will have there contracts cut the older they get. It's part of the deal. Women in broadcasting depend on looks also. That's part of the deal. It's not fair but that is the industry and pretty much everyone knows it. WHO lived out there contract and so did Sonya. They are moving on. If Sonya is as good as she thinks, someone will pick her up. I think she does a good job.

 

[cyclonespiker33]

A few years ago Sonya really changed herself. She hit the gym hard. She went from aging reporter to pretty ripped. Guessing she started doing some sort of HIIT workouts. She looks fantastic. I always go back to people knowing what there job is. My job does not depend on looks at all. Models will have there contracts cut the older they get. It's part of the deal. Women in broadcasting depend on looks also. That's part of the deal. It's not fair but that is the industry and pretty much everyone knows it. WHO lived out there contract and so did Sonya. They are moving on. If Sonya is as good as she thinks, someone will pick her up. I think she does a good job.

Hopefully part of your job isn't knowing the difference between there and their

 

[JP4CY]

A few years ago Sonya really changed herself. She hit the gym hard. She went from aging reporter to pretty ripped. Guessing she started doing some sort of HIIT workouts. She looks fantastic. I always go back to people knowing what there job is. My job does not depend on looks at all. Models will have there contracts cut the older they get. It's part of the deal. Women in broadcasting depend on looks also. That's part of the deal. It's not fair but that is the industry and pretty much everyone knows it. WHO lived out there contract and so did Sonya. They are moving on. If Sonya is as good as she thinks, someone will pick her up. I think she does a good job.

Sonya is good at her job. She won a Murrow award after she was told they weren't going to renew. That's a laughably awful mistake by WHO.

 

[isufbcurt]

A few years ago Sonya really changed herself. She hit the gym hard. She went from aging reporter to pretty ripped. Guessing she started doing some sort of HIIT workouts. She looks fantastic. I always go back to people knowing what there job is. My job does not depend on looks at all. Models will have there contracts cut the older they get. It's part of the deal. Women in broadcasting depend on looks also. That's part of the deal. It's not fair but that is the industry and pretty much everyone knows it. WHO lived out there contract and so did Sonya. They are moving on. If Sonya is as good as she thinks, someone will pick her up. I think she does a good job.

Your comparison is flawed.

Models are usually independent contractors who are signed with an agency or various agencies and thus are not subject to employment law. The agencies are there to put out their name and portfolio to attract gigs.

TV personalities are employees of the station and are subject to employment laws which included anti-discrimination.

It's pretty simple if you want to fire someone you better have a valid reason (history of poor performance, violating polices & procedures, etc.). If that employee has a history of great performance and reviews, but happens to be 60 years old and you fire them without a reason then you are going to get sued for ageism. It's actually a pretty simple concept.

 

[Mr Janny]

Your comparison is flawed.

Models are usually independent contractors who are signed with an agency or various agencies and thus are not subject to employment law. The agencies are there to put out their name and portfolio to attract gigs.

TV personalities are employees of the station and are subject to employment laws which included anti-discrimination.

It's pretty simple if you want to fire someone you better have a valid reason (history of poor performance, violating polices & procedures, etc.). If that employee has a history of great performance and reviews, but happens to be 60 years old and you fire them without a reason then you are going to get sued for ageism. It's actually a pretty simple concept.

Are you sure about that? She was on contract. Someone on contract is legally different than a regular FTE.

Also, in Iowa, you absolutely can fire someone without a reason. It's at will employment. If you have a reason, that reason can't be illegal, but there doesn't have to be a reason to let someone go.

 

[CYdTracked]

Now that she is no longer under contract with WHOTV would think that also means she isn't held to a non-compete clause so it would be awesome if WOI, KCCI, or even KCWI hired her and put her in a prominent on-air role just to stick it to WHO. And I am even saying this as someone who prefers to watch Ch 13 news over the other stations but it would probably sting a bit if one of those stations hired her and gave her a prominent role as she has quite a following already and I think she would be a good addition to any news team as she does good work either as an anchor or a reporter.

 

[isufbcurt]

Are you sure about that? She was on contract. Someone on contract is legally different than a regular FTE.

Also, in Iowa, you absolutely can fire someone without a reason. It's at will employment. If you have a reason, that reason can't be illegal, but there doesn't have to be a reason to let someone go.

Yes Iowa is at will but if you fire someone who is protected by discrimination laws and they have a history of good performance you are going to get sued.

 

[JP4CY]

Yes Iowa is at will but if you fire someone who is protected by discrimination laws and they have a history of good performance you are going to get sued.

They are just letting her contract expire.

 

[Mr Janny]

Yes Iowa is at will but if you fire someone who is protected by discrimination laws and they have a history of good performance you are going to get sued.

But she wasn't fired. Her contract expired and wasn't renewed

 

[isufbcurt]

They are just letting her contract expire.

But they offered her an off air contract. That screams "you are a good employee and we want to keep you, but ................. to be on air". If they would have just let the contract expire then no problem. The fact they offered her a off camera job is the thing raising questions.