*In today’s NewsBits, former New York City television anchor Ojinika “Oji” Obiekwe has been awarded $2.4 million after a federal jury found WPIX-TV and Nexstar Media Group retaliated against her for complaining about racial discrimination. Meanwhile, Abby Phillip has reportedly renewed her CNN contract, and Jemele Hill is sparring over sports-media diversity after challenging NBA reporter Ric Bucher’s criticism of WNBA broadcasts.
Oji Obiekwe Wins $2.4 Million After Retaliation Complaint
After more than two decades at PIX11, Ojinika “Oji” Obiekwe walked away from the station in 2023. Now, a federal jury says she was retaliated against for speaking up about race discrimination.
An eight-member jury reached its verdict July 21 following a weeklong trial in New York City, concluding Obiekwe would not have been fired had she not complained about discrimination.
The Emmy Award-winning Black Nigerian journalist joined PIX11 as a 22-year-old intern in 2001. She became a producer before moving on-camera as an entertainment reporter and anchor in 2017.
Obiekwe alleged she received less staff support, more work and lower pay than white male colleagues. She formally complained to Nexstar’s human resources department in 2021.
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Her lawsuit said management later raised concerns about her performance, allegations she disputed. Obiekwe was terminated in January 2023 with a letter citing “failure to perform job duties” and “insubordination.”
“A Black woman speaks up, and she’s insubordinate. Got it,” Obiekwe responded.
WPIX and Nexstar denied her allegations, describing the lawsuit as “baseless” and maintaining that her termination involved performance rather than complaints about race.
The jury disagreed on retaliation.
Obiekwe was awarded $1.137 million for pain, suffering and emotional distress, plus $1.28 million in punitive damages.
“No one should have to choose between their livelihood and speaking up about what they believe is wrong,” Obiekwe said after the verdict. “I did.”
Abby Phillip Reportedly Signs New CNN Deal
Abby Phillip isn’t packing up her CNN desk anytime soon.
The 37-year-old “CNN NewsNight” anchor has reportedly signed a new multiyear contract to remain with the network, where she has worked since 2017.
Phillip currently anchors the often-viral political roundtable “NewsNight,” hosts Saturday morning’s “Table for Five” and fronts the streaming series “Confessions and Obsessions.”
Before CNN, Phillip worked at Politico, The Washington Post and ABC News. At CNN, she covered the Trump administration, co-moderated a 2020 Democratic presidential primary debate and became anchor of the weekend edition of “Inside Politics” in 2021. A 2023 programming overhaul moved her into CNN’s 10 p.m. slot with “NewsNight.”
The reported deal secures another major CNN personality ahead of Warner Bros. Discovery’s merger with Paramount Skydance. Anderson Cooper previously renewed his deal, while Kaitlan Collins reportedly has several years remaining on hers.
Phillip has not publicly commented on the renewal, according to TV Insider. CNN said it does not comment on talent contracts.
Jemele Hill and Ric Bucher Clash Over Sports Media Diversity
A question about WNBA broadcasts has turned into a larger fight over gender and diversity in sports media.
NBA reporter Ric Bucher criticized ESPN and NBC’s WNBA studio coverage on his “On The Ball” podcast, questioning why the analyst and host positions lean heavily toward women. He described the coverage as a “girls’ club” that he believes lacks sufficient criticism.
Jemele Hill wasn’t buying the argument.
Hill responded on X with statistics showing white men occupying majorities of several sports-media jobs, including editors, columnists, anchors, analysts and producers.
“C’mon, Ric. This is deeply unserious,” she wrote.
Critics countered that Hill’s figures addressed broader sports-media employment and did not directly answer Bucher’s narrower question about the on-air makeup of national WNBA broadcasts.
Bucher’s argument also generated its own pushback, including questions about why former women’s basketball players filling analyst roles should be viewed as a diversity problem.
When the debate shifted toward whether WNBA broadcasts needed men to provide tougher criticism, Hill fired back: “So only men can provide that?”
And just like that, a discussion about television analysts became a full-blown argument about who gets a seat — and a microphone — in sports media.
From Oji Obiekwe’s $2.4 million courtroom victory to Abby Phillip securing her CNN future and Jemele Hill jumping into a heated WNBA media debate, today’s NewsBits put Black women in media squarely at the center of the conversation.
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