A federal judge has set an Oct. 6 jury selection date for the wrongful termination and defamation lawsuit brought by two former WOOD-TV news directors against Nexstar Media Group, putting the case on track for a multi-day trial.
U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker scheduled the trial after Stanton Tang and Amy Fox, who were fired in 2023, failed to reach a settlement with the broadcaster. Court will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day with two 20-minute breaks and no lunch recess.
“The parties should plan their presentations and witnesses accordingly, and should not expect extensions or early termination of trial days,” Jonker wrote.
Tang and Fox allege Nexstar and executives including Chief Communications Officer Gary Weitman and Vice President Julie Brinks violated state and federal employment laws. Jonker earlier dismissed several claims but allowed defamation allegations to proceed, including that Weitman and Nexstar improperly disclosed details of the firings to other media outlets in violation of Michigan employee-protection laws.
The dispute began in 2023 when Tang directed Fox to write a memo urging WOOD-TV reporters to scale back Pride Month coverage in the Grand Rapids area. Fox wrote that heavy coverage risked alienating conservative viewers.
Tang later said his views were shaped by conversations with members of his church. Newsroom staff refused to follow the memo. Nexstar investigated. Three weeks later it fired Tang, Fox and two other employees suspected of leaking the memo or discussing it without approval. Tang and Fox sued the following year.
Nexstar has denied wrongdoing.