FOXA Fox Corporation

By Joe Flint 

An African-American on-air host for Fox News has joined a group of current and former employees suing the cable channel and some of its senior executives for alleged racial discrimination.

Kelly Wright, who is a Saturday afternoon anchor for Fox News and a former co-host of the weekend edition of "Fox & Friends," is one of 11 current and former employees seeking class action status for their lawsuit. Mr. Wright claims in the suit that his race has held him back at the channel and that he has been "asked to perform the role of a ' Jim Crow' -- the racist caricature of a Black entertainer."

A 14-year Fox News veteran, Mr. Wright said he hasn't been offered the same chances for advancement as his white colleagues and that he was "forced to endure many racist comments," according to the complaint. He added it is a running joke among the cast and crew at Fox News that he would get more air time if "he dyed his hair blonde."

The suit, which was originally filed in the New York State Supreme Court in Bronx County last month by two black women who worked in the payroll department at Fox News, has been amended to include 11 people. Aside from Mr. Wright, the rest of the plaintiffs are current and former employees at the channel who work in payroll and accounting.

The lawsuit accuses Judith Slater, the longtime comptroller of Fox News until she was fired earlier this year, of racial discrimination and of making racist comments to her staff. Fox News General Counsel Dianne Brandi is also a defendant in the suit, as is Fox News parent company 21st Century Fox.

Fox News and Ms. Brandi "vehemently deny the race discrimination claims, " a spokeswoman for the network said in a statement. "We will vigorously defend these cases."

In a statement, Catherine Foti, an attorney for Ms. Slater, called the lawsuit against her "meritless and frivolous."

Fox News has previously called this suit "needless litigation" because the company dismissed Ms. Slater in February after it received complaints about her behavior.

Plaintiffs have countered Ms. Slater was only removed from her job because Fox News became aware of their plans to file a lawsuit.

"When it comes to racial discrimination, 21st Century Fox has been operating as if it should be called 18th Century Fox," Douglas H. Wigdor and Jeanne Christensen, lawyers for the plaintiffs, said in a statement. "We sincerely hope the filing of this race class action wakes 21st Century Fox from its slumbers and inspires the Company to take a conciliatory and appropriate approach to remedy its wrongs."

The network has been rocked by scandal since Fox News Chairman and Chief Executive Roger Ailes resigned last year after being accused of sexual harassment by former on-air talent Gretchen Carlson and other women. Last week, Bill O'Reilly, the network's biggest on-air star, also was forced out after revelations of settlements of sexual harassment claims that he and the network made as well as the emergence of new complaints.

Both Mr. Ailes and Mr. O'Reilly have denied the allegations against them.

21st Century Fox and Wall Street Journal parent company News Corp share common ownership.

Separately, Adasa Blanco, another former Fox News employee, filed a suit in Federal Court in the Southern District of New York accusing the channel, its parent company and Ms. Brandi, Ms. Slater and Travel Supervisor Susan Lovallo of discrimination based on race and fostering and condoning a racially hostile work environment.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District is investigating whether 21st Century Fox made sufficient disclosures to investors about settlements of sexual-harassment claims against Mr. Ailes, a potential violation of federal securities law, people familiar with the matter have said.

21st Century Fox has said it is cooperating with the probe.

Write to Joe Flint at joe.flint@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 25, 2017 22:44 ET (02:44 GMT)

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