February 22nd 2025.
Ojinika Obiekwe, a respected Black journalist and winner of an Emmy Award, has taken legal action against PIX11 for what she alleges is a discriminatory and hostile work environment. In her lawsuit, Obiekwe claims that she was treated unfairly and ultimately fired for speaking out against the rampant racial discrimination within the newsroom. Seeking unspecified damages, she is seeking justice for the mistreatment she faced during her time at the New York-based TV channel.
Obiekwe, who is originally from Nigeria and had been employed at PIX11 for over two decades, has spoken out about the unequal treatment she received compared to her white colleagues. She has described feeling like she was working on a plantation, with an overwhelming workload and little support from her superiors. Despite being promoted in 2017, Obiekwe noticed that two white men in similar roles at sister stations received better staffing and support, as well as higher salaries. She felt that her complaints were ignored, and the situation only worsened in 2020.
At PIX11, Obiekwe was not only an entertainment anchor and reporter, but she also had to take on tasks typically assigned to a segment producer or copy editor. Despite her added responsibilities, she was still paid less than her white counterparts. Obiekwe made her dissatisfaction known and even compared her situation to that of a slave, feeling trapped and undervalued. She even filed a formal complaint with the human resources department, but it seemed that her concerns fell on deaf ears.
In 2022, Obiekwe had a meeting with Nicole Tindiglia, the news director at PIX11, who promised to address her grievances. However, according to the lawsuit, Tindiglia never followed through and instead called a meeting with Obiekwe the following year. In that meeting, Tindiglia allegedly told Obiekwe that her constant discussions about race were making her colleagues uncomfortable. Just a month later, Obiekwe was fired for alleged insubordination and failure to perform her duties. However, her lawsuit argues that this was simply retaliation for her speaking out against the discrimination she faced at PIX11.
Obiekwe's SAG-AFTRA union lawyers have stated that PIX11 has not provided any evidence to support their claims that Obiekwe was not performing her job duties. The situation at PIX11 has sparked conversations about systemic racism in the media industry, with similar issues being raised at other news stations. This includes the recent departure of two executives at CBS due to allegations of blocking the hiring of Black journalists and creating a hostile work environment. Obiekwe's lawsuit serves as a reminder that there is still much work to be done to address discrimination and promote diversity in the media.
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