Denver-based reporter Lori Lizarraga published a scathing opinion piece over the weekend alleging discrimination by her former employers at 9News.
It culminated with management getting rid of her and two other female hispanic reporters without cause, she wrote.
It is important to note some of her complaints admittedly come off as the frustrations of a biased, left-wing journalist.
Yet serious red flags are raised about how the woke white liberals at 9News are treating their hispanic colleagues.
For instance, Lizarraga said she was “instructed not to wear my hair in a bun with a middle part anymore,” a style she says she has worn her entire life as someone of Mexican and Ecuadorian heritage.
She also claimed she received a written warning after she interacted on Twitter with “several black community leaders” last summer.
Is @KyleClark exempt from 9 News's social media policy, or is he afforded special… privileges?
Kyle and @TayAndersonCO yap on Twitter all the time! #copolitics pic.twitter.com/kkBR27gzlO
— CO Peak Politics (@COpeakpolitics) March 28, 2021
This one is rather stunning, because interacting with left-wing political activists on Twitter is pretty routine for other 9News employees like Kyle Clark.
The irony was not lost on Clark’s woke Twitter fanbase.
Powerful read @9NEWS and @KyleClark (as the face of the organization who quite often allows his option and bias -which I quite enjoy- to permeate his interaction with viewers) have a lot to answer for. https://t.co/cKcI5RbioY
— Samantha Jo Walsh (@samijow) March 28, 2021
While 9News hasn’t responded to Lizarraga’s claims, national reporters from the New York Times, CNN, CBS News, and other major markets are excoriating 9News on Twitter.
Here are some highlights:
A must-read by @LoriLizarraga: https://t.co/i9UUZ7dCCU
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) March 28, 2021
At @9NEWS a Latina reporter was not allowed to cover immigration unless she disclosed her own immigration status on air, according to @LoriLizarraga https://t.co/e0vvjVOBkD
— jack healy (@jackhealyNYT) March 28, 2021
An important read by @LoriLizarraga. It seems @9NEWS and @TEGNA have some explaining to do. And it’s a reminder that representation is just as important, if not even more important, behind the camera. #morelatinosinnews (cc @NAHJ) https://t.co/lX7xqVJHOn
— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) March 29, 2021
"Sonia Gutierrez was let go from 9News in 2020. During her time there, she could not cover immigration unless she disclosed her own immigration status on TV first."
???????? https://t.co/OIr86kGVIb
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) March 28, 2021
“I lugged my diversity to 9News each day in the content of my journalism, wishing I could leave it at home without a clue as to when it became baggage…I was the most effective community journalist I had ever been, and I knew I was going to lose my job.” https://t.co/J6sRLm1292
— Ali Vitali (@alivitali) March 28, 2021
As a first-gen 25-year-old Latina and one of several Latinos at @9News with the same feedback I was surprised how often our voices and lived experiences were so readily dismissed. “Making decisions about communities of color without communities of color in the room is negligent.” https://t.co/HtWVUoPAT4
— Adrian Carrasquillo (@Carrasquillo) March 29, 2021
“I am the third on-air Latina reporter at 9News to be let go in less than a year — a first-time experience in this industry for each of us, and unique, too, for the station, which has renewed every other reporter since 2018.” Brave writing, powerful words. https://t.co/iLo4rpv7EX
— Ezra Kaplan (@EzraNBC) March 29, 2021
This is messed up. I absolutely believe this. TEGNA has so many problems. Don't even get me started. https://t.co/2v68VHYjAi
— BG (@BGisBrandonGray) March 28, 2021
I will RT this every day until there’s a response https://t.co/MrplTWagNo
— Tori Mason (@ToriMasonTV) March 30, 2021
The most prominent TV news station from my home town seems to have a problem here: https://t.co/RyVl5o7muy
— AJ Vicens (@AJVicens) March 30, 2021
Journalism is an important pillar of our community. But it will never be truly representative of that community until we do a better job of being more inclusive of all races, genders and backgrounds. Sad to hear this, and sad to hear what @LoriLizarraga has gone through https://t.co/Eio6cWtqdj
— Mitchell Byars (@mitchellbyars) March 28, 2021
Newsrooms that don't look like their communities are missing out on crucial stories. Every newsroom in Denver, including mine, has work to do, and none can afford to let good journalists go. I know this took a lot of courage to write. I'm grateful to Lori for telling her story. https://t.co/xxAqemaGR1
— Erica Meltzer (@meltzere) March 29, 2021
Admittedly, it’s troubling the national press seems more outraged about this controversy than when 9News’s security guard literally murdered a conservative, but that’s a story for another day.
Earlier this week a coalition of Democrat hispanic elected officials also requested a meeting with 9News management to address Lizarraga’s claims of discrimination.
Since learning @9News lost 3 Latina reporters in one year, we want to better understand what’s going on. We’ve sent an email to Mark Cornetta, General Manager of 9News, asking for a meeting. @SenadoraJulie @SerenaForCO @anhelacob @sandovalcd1 pic.twitter.com/Zb42lS20pM
— Jamie Torres (@TorresDenver3) March 29, 2021
These allegations are particularly troublesome for 9News because it will severely tarnish their reputation with their largely white liberal audience.
It demonstrates 9News and people like Kyle Clark are the worst kind of woke hypocrites.