Former WBZ-TV Anchor Sues for $4 Million Over Discrimination Claims

BOSTON, MA — Kate Merrill, a former anchor at WBZ-TV, has filed a $4 million lawsuit against the station, CBS, and its parent company, Paramount, alleging racial and gender discrimination. Merrill’s complaint, submitted Tuesday in federal court, claims she faced adverse actions that she describes as a means to advance a diversity, equity, and inclusion agenda.

Merrill, who began her career at WBZ as a reporter in 2004 and eventually co-anchored the station’s morning show, stated that the actions taken against her were career-ending. According to the lawsuit, her demotion from co-anchor to weekend nights was intended to make an example of her.

In the complaint, Merrill alleges that two Black coworkers accused her of misconduct, leading to an investigation by Paramount. However, she claims the company ignored her reports of inappropriate behavior by one of those coworkers, meteorologist Jason Mikell. Merrill stated that Mikell yelled at her in the studio after she corrected his pronunciation of “Concord” in a private text message.

After her demotion, Merrill resigned on May 24, 2024. She expressed concerns that the demotion would cause catastrophic damage to her career. Due to a non-compete clause, she was unable to work in journalism until her employment agreement ended on June 1.

Merrill initially filed complaints with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission but withdrew those claims to pursue this lawsuit in federal court. She is seeking a jury trial and restitution of $4 million in damages.

As this story develops, more updates will follow.