Former New York City Radio Host Shalia Scott Files Lawsuit for Discrimination After She Was Let Go
New York City radio host Shalia Scott, was terminated from her job at radio station WBLS after working for the company for almost three decades on air. Scott has since filed a lawsuit against her former employer for discrimination and retaliation. A complaint was filed in federal court detailing an accusation against station owners MediaCo Holding Inc. and Emmis Communications Corp. of discriminating against the veteran host Billboard reported. Attorneys for Scott, who’s real name is Amilee Cattouse, say managers at WBLS “ridiculed” because of her age. She’s says they told her not to play “old Negro spirituals” on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and not to create a concert lineup that was “too geriatric.”
The New York Daily News reported that the radio host also known as “New York’s Sweetheart,” announced her termination on June 2, alleging that the station’s parent company, MediaCo Holding Inc., decided to not renew her contract.
She said the company told her “the station is going in a different direction.”
Scott was ranked No. 1 in her midday timeslot, and was reportedly been replaced by someone that is approx. 25 years younger.
“This is yet another troubling example of the hurdles faced by even the most accomplished women,” lawyer Valdi Licu said in a statement sent to Vibe. “They are paid less than men who perform the same job and then discarded when they reach a certain age. Thankfully, Ms. Scott is one of the brave women who has decided to fight back.”
The lawsuit also claims Scott was paid significantly less than her male counterparts at Hot97, a popular urban contemporary station also owned by MediaCo, despite her “superior ratings and ability to generate revenue,” according to Billboard.
“I dedicated my career to radio and to the fans that listen, who I will miss greatly. I hope my decision to speak up will shine a light on the realities that women still get paid less than men for the same job and at a certain age, they are no longer valued” she said.
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