TKC EXCLUSIVE!!! KANSAS CITY FRIDAY FACE-OFF: LADY NEWSIES LISA BENSON VS. CHRISTA DUBILL!!! DID RACIAL SOCIAL MEDIA OUTRAGE FORCE ANCHOR OUT?!?!
There's a "tale of two cities" in the Kansas City media scene and this blog is one of the few places where Black & white worlds collide.
Scratch that . . . The cowtown media market is hopelessly segmented into a vast array of different bubbles from ethnic publications, hobbyist meetup pages to International social media groups that regularly cross borders. AND SO, because this blog is home to all manner of slap-fighting in the company a of bunch of rude dorks . . . We have created our own gossipy JOURNALISTIC niche that meets at the crossroads of captivating reporting , snark and local Internets hotness.
And so, here's the news about the news . . .
First, the background . . .
Lisa Benson won a discrimination case against NBC 41 Action News earlier this year but still seems salty about her experience at the station given her online postings.
Accordingly . . .
News anchor Christa Dubill called it quits at 41 this week and she was content to say nice things and earn accolades from her legion of middle-class housewife fans.
However, just days before her announcement, Lisa Benson shared some cutting comments regarding Ms. Dubill.
The source of the discontent seems to be a controversial article about "white tears" from women in the workplace shared by Ms. Benson before her eventual exit.
Referencing her discrimination complaint, Ms. Benson called out Ms. Dubill in a post that's still public at the time of this writing:
"Christa Dubill told the jurors, that part of the reason she was so offended by the “White Tears” article was because she “knew” white women at the station who had cried after interacting with me . . ."
Days later, in the context of another provocative public meeting, Ms. Benson took issue with her former station and Ms. Dubill again. Here's the public post that's earning a great deal of online traction:
"I attended an event on Wednesday featuring former Lee’s Summit superintendent Dr. Dennis Carpenter about equity in Kansas City, Missouri area schools, entitled, “Why Equity? Why Now?”
"I was surprised to learn that @KSHB-TV conducted a full on-camera interview with Dr. Carpenter about the event and the importance of equity in education..."
Ms. Benson continues . . .
"(@KSHB-TV) chose NOT to use the interview or cover the event allegedly because he too believes @41ActionNews should be be held accountable for retaliation and the racial disparities that still exist within the company."
"Why is it possible for MAIN ANCHOR Christa Dubill on TV to send an email calling for my firing over sharing a “White Tears” article on Facebook, and get what she wanted. But ANOTHER 41 ANCHOR can’t advocate for a story about racial equity in Kansas City area schools and get coverage for the event? Why isn’t the event itself news worthy?"
"I wonder if bias in the media and the pyramid of white solidarity in top level management at KSHB-TV is a factor? (past & present leadership)"
Again, less than a week later 41 Anchor Christa Dubill stepped down citing her hope to spend more time with her family.
Ms. Dubill noted:
“I am grateful to station management and my co-workers who worked hard to accommodate my work-life balance, but at the end of the day, this is the right decision for me and my family right now.”
In the aftermath of the resignation, several of Ms. Benson's social media friends have sent public messages of support for her plight and used the #Boycott41 tag which Ms. Benson has spoken about off and on since her departure from the station.
And so we ask an important question as this local news station seems to be clearing out workers amid rising divisiveness.
DID THE #BOYCOTT41 MOVEMENT AND SOCIAL MEDIA CRITICISM FROM LISA BENSON FORCE OUT CHRISTA DUBILL?!?
What we know for sure is that supporters of Ms. Benson are glad to see Ms. Dubill off the air but many local news watchers are blissfully unaware of the behind the scenes drama and racially charged animosity igniting tempers among journalists in the Kansas City news scene.
Developing . . .