N.Y. TV reporter said her career was harmed by former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes
A part-time TV reporter in New York who claimed she was harassed by former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes has filed a discrimination lawsuit against 21st Century Fox and its television station group.
Lidia Curanaj, 38, alleges in the suit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in New York that she was not hired by Fox News because she refused to submit to sexual advances made by Ailes when he interviewed her in 2011. She also contends that her career at Fox-owned TV station WNYW was harmed because of sexual discrimination.
Ailes, who was ousted in July amid multiple sexual harassment allegations during his two decades in charge of Fox News, also ran the Fox TV station group. He is not named as a defendant in the suit.
Curanaj met with a group of Fox News executives about a job in May 2011. She was invited to see Ailes privately afterward, according to the suit.
Ailes allegedly told Curanaj that he always made sure that the women on Fox News Channel were shown “from the feet up,†meaning that their legs would be visible to the television audience.
Ailes is then said to have asked Curanaj to stand up and “turn around†so that he could see her from behind. After she did as he requested, Ailes said, “I like what I see,†the suit states.
After the interview Ailes is said to have contacted New York state Sen. Gregory Ball, a former male companion of Curanaj, to ask if it was likely that she would have sex with him. Ball told Ailes it was unlikely that Curanaj would “put out.†Ailes then told Curanaj that she was not ready for a job at Fox News, according to the complaint.
Curanaj was eventually hired as a part-time general assignment reporter at WNYW in November 2011 and is still working at the station. But she said she was passed over for full-time work and an anchor assignment because news director Byron Harmon believed she was “not attractive enough,†the lawsuit states.
Harmon is also named in the suit.
In a statement, a Fox Television Stations spokesperson said, “We do not think the plaintiff’s claims have merit, and we intend to defend vigorously.â€
Ailes, who was not immediately available for comment, has denied all previous charges of sexual harassment during his Fox News tenure. The matter first surfaced when former anchor Gretchen Carlson filed a suit against Ailes in July, saying her career was hurt by not submitting to his sexual advances. An internal investigation revealed a pattern of similar behavior, as more than 20 employees, including Fox News Channel’s biggest female star, Megyn Kelly, came forward to describe inappropriate actions by Ailes.
21st Century Fox paid Carlson $20 million to settle the lawsuit. Ailes was paid $40 million when he exited the company.
In response to the ongoing sexual harassment controversy, Fox News has hired an executive from outside of the company to oversee employment issues. Kevin Lord was named executive vice president of human resources and will report directly to Fox News co-presidents Jack Abernethy and Bill Shine.
Lord previously held high-ranking human resources posts at the TV station group TEGNA and NBC News. Denise Collins, who had been the top HR executive at Fox News, will now report to Lord.
Twitter: @SteveBattaglio
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