Austin Fenner, Black Reporter, Fired By NY Post Same Day Other Reporter Files Racial Discrimination Lawsuit

The same day a former editor sued the New York Post for racial discrimination, the paper fired one of its more prominent minority reporters.

Austin Fenner, who had been poached by the Post from the rival New York Daily News back in 2007, was let go from the paper on Monday, sources at the paper and outside of it tell the Huffington Post.

The reason for his departure isn't clear. Reached by phone, Fenner, an African-American, confirmed his firing but declined to expand further. A spokesperson for the New York Post said that the paper had "no comment on Mr. Fenner's employment status."

The same day Fenner was let go, former Post editor Sandra Guzman sued the paper as well as its editor in chief Col Allan, alleging harassment as well as "unlawful employment practices and retaliation."

"The Post, and its parent company, News Corporation, maintain, condone, tolerate, directly participate in and contribute to a hostile work environment against its female employees and employees of color," Guzman's complaint read. Guzman had been, until her departure from the paper, the only woman of color on the paper's management staff.

The Post has maintained that Guzman was dropped because the section she headed -- Tempo -- had experienced a drop in readership and was discontinued. It could very well be that Fenner's departure was driven by business considerations.

That said, Fenner's initial hiring did not occur all that long ago and was considered something of a minor coup for the paper. He was reportedly lured away from the rival Daily News with a bigger paycheck.

An earlier version of this story stated that Guzman's suit was filed on Tuesday; it was filed on Monday.

Comments

[MakersMark]

Oh yeah, it still exists, try telling a black person that racism is not alive and well.

[LLNYRN]

When I did messenger work in New York during the 80s, I was sent to the NY Post pretty often. I was told by many lower level folks (Security, Mail Room, etc), that most if not all the paper's staff were Australians on green cards after Murdoch took it over in the late 70s. Hence it's right-wing approach and rhetoric.

[PCMinistry]

This is the most hilarious article ever! Starting with the headline, "Austin Fenner, Black Reporter..." HAHAHAHA! Then later "Reached by phone, Fenner, an African-American, confirmed his firing but declined to expand further."

I love it. Soooo funny. Where's Asian Reporter Trisha Takanawa when you need her. I'm going to just start identifying people by race in order to insinuate racism even where it almost certainly doesn't exist. Way to express christian values by promoting harmony.

[JuniperSunshine]

Wouldn't assuming that a Black man could only be laid off due to racism awfully racist? It isn't possible that some of the people losing their jobs in this economy might be minorities? What's shocking is that no one resents this "we'll be watching you" attitude towards management, with layoffs and promotions only monitored and sneered at when the employee has a certain skin color.

Nearly every big company has paid off settlements in cases like these, and it's hard to say whether racist discrimination occurred or not. What no one asks is whether this sort of "don't you dare fire a minority" paradigm actually leads employers to fear hiring minorities. We already see the effects of the well-intentioned ADA in this case. Bosses don't like having every decision scrutinized for racism, sexism, or discrimination against the disabled. Why? It paints them as a potential criminal, with or without evidence, tarnishes their reputation, and costs lots of money in legal fees. I would bet money that at least one minority worker will not be not hired in the future at the NY post because of this. Does that even matter to the people that call "Racist!" every five minutes?

[Poboy]

Pure BS.

Given our history of racism, white supremacy in this country, and it is as long as it is sordid, racism should be assumed until proven otherwise.

[PCMinistry]

Racism should be assumed until proven otherwise??? HOW MANY PEOPLE ON THIS THREAD AGREE WITH THAT?

I just want to see how crazy its really gotten...

[DUSAA-1775]

Do you mean like 'innocent until proven guilty' ,as long as the US is 'sordid' (that would be forever, correct?) the law of the land should be racism/racist until proven otherwise.
I hope that you get confirmed to the SCOTUS...I admire your lucidity.

[PCMinistry]

"Wouldn't assuming that a Black man could only be laid off due to racism awfully racist?"

No one can or will reply to challenge this statement because either they know it's absolutely true, or the truth of it is so far over their heads. Favorited.

[Arrech]

It is easy to recognize the racists in this thread. Their spelling is atrocious.

Bigotry is usually paired up with ignorance. Moreover, they tend to be proud of their ignorance.

[MrMojoRising]

It's the Post. Did you expect anything more?

[Arrech]

I am talking about the individuals that are leaving their comments in this thread.

[rukiddin]

Ruppert Murdock = News Corp = Fixed News owns this paper, enough said.

[teembee]

So I guess this means that blacks cant be fired anymore?

[GravitonX]

Nice try.

[rukiddin]

No, this just mean that you should be ashamed and embarrassed that you made that statement.

[liberalNmoderation]

you really aren't very smart are you teembee?

[PCMinistry]

No it just means you have to do double the amount of record-keeping and documenting prior to firing them. Protect yourself from the enli ghtened, open-mi nded libe rals who WILL te ar you apart.

[GravitonX]

This is why it is imperative to take the Supreme Court. When the Conservative Supreme Court pretty much said that statistics weren't a measure of racism within a firm, it pretty much said go ahead and try to prove racism, you just can't use math or social science, you just have (unscientific) hearsay and anecdotal evidence.

[QUO-VADIS]

and what if it turns out that the reporter was fired because of something unethical. What you wrote has absolutely no bareing on the matter

[Goatley1]

How many whites, asians or other races do you think work at BET, or Esquire? I suppose they are racist based on your position.

[William Franklin]

whites own bet (viacom)

[liberalNmoderation]

New York Post, lol!
It's lights out for thee...

[Notrepublicrat]

Discrimination is a serious issue, so it should be treated seriously.

Implying discrimination every time some member of an interest group is fired does not take the issue seriously.

I get it - you hate the Post. Maybe that hate is justifiable. But make that the point and defend it.

[GravitonX]

Implying discrimination every time ...

---

This is a classic tactic of white supremacists (and apologists). Exaggerate the claims of the victim and paint them as crying wolf.

[QUO-VADIS]

isn't that what you are doing. No reason was given for the firing but you write about WS

[PCMinistry]

This is a classic tactic of the wolf crier. To always paint the person calling them out as evil and someone who takes advantage of the weak so they can go on crying unabated.

[PCMinistry]

This is a classic tactic of wolf criers. To paint those calling them out as evil so they can continue crying and reaping the benefits unabated.

[PCMinistry]

This is a clas sic tac tic of w olf cri ers. To pain t those cal ling th em out as e vil so they can co ntinue cr ying and rea ping the benef its una bated.

[medic628]

Let get rid of all of them before they reveal everything. "Makes you holler".

[lovesds]

Murdoch's papers have shown how racial they actually are. Also Murdoch news business puts Imus on and wouldn't you know it you have Bo Dietl calling Katie Couric a cougar along with saying she looks Chinese. Fox News Regular Bo Dietl: ‘Ten Years Ago, [Katie Couric] Looked American. Today, She Looks Oriental’ - http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/11/dietl-couric-imus/#comments

[rain33]

fized naws and his papers are nothing but bunch of rednecks controlled by men holding prejudical ways towards women, minorities etc. i hope that she sues the whole enchanla on them coz they need a good butt kicking!

[PCMinistry]

Wha?

[BambooHarvester]

I wouldn't even use the ny post to trane puppies!
~

[bothsides]

News Corp hates African Americans so what's new about all this ??

[rain33]

nothing but i wished that folks would stop buying newspapers from rupert.

[Balcom]

Nuff said. Mr. Fennel does not appear to be a party to the lawsuit. In fact, the lawsuit, as I understand it, deals with entirely different issues such as hostile work environment, sexual harassment, dishonesty, etc.