Reporters Turn Litigants, Claim KMBC Age-Sex Bias

Kansas City, Mo. – There is employment discord at one of Kansas City's most popular television stations. Three anchors or reporters, all women, are suing KMBC TV 9 alleging sex and age discrimination.
Peggy Breit is 54, Kelly Eckerman, 48. Maria Antonia is 49 years old. Breit has senior service with 27 years. Their claims include demotion or schedule reassignment to less prestigious positions or a demeaning work environment. Hearst-Argyle Attorney Trina LeRiche, speaking for KMBC denies all claims. Each plaintiff has her own set of allegations, but attorney Dennis Egan says,"they love the station and what they're doing in their areas of expertise, they just were shocked and chagrined about changes that were imposed on them without any discussion and apparently no choice."

Egan says Breit, Eckerman and Antonia may seek dollar damages but primarily want their prestige and positions returned. Egan represented KMBC's Christine Kraft in 1984 in a pair local-landmark age discrimination trials. She won each but lost one on appeal. The judge denied payment of $500 thousand, as specified by a jury, on the other.