NYC TV: WPIX-11 Ordered To Pay Ex-Anchor $2M+ For Discrimination

Oji

A New York judge has ordered Nexstar-operated WPIX/Channel 11 to pay former longtime anchor Ojinika “Oji” Obiekwe more than $2 million after ruling that the station unlawfully fired her for complaining about alleged racial discrimination in the newsroom.

Following a weeklong trial, the judge this week awarded Obiekwe $1,137,000 in compensatory damages for pain, suffering, and emotional distress, plus $1,280,000 in punitive damages, according to court documents.

Obiekwe, who spent 22 years at the station, claimed she was terminated in 2023 in retaliation for speaking out against what she described as racial discrimination. The jury sided with her after hearing evidence in the case.“I feel great! I’m grateful to God … I thank God for leading me to my lawyers because there’s no way I could’ve done this without them,” Obiekwe said after the verdict.

The decision marks a significant legal victory for the veteran journalist and delivers a financial blow to the station, a prominent local broadcaster in the New York market. Court records obtained by Page Six detail the breakdown of the damages, with the punitive portion intended to punish the station for its conduct.