Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Report: Turmoil At Al Jazeera America


Al Jazeera America responded on Monday to a lawsuit alleging that a top executive engaged in sexist and anti-Semitic behavior even as yet another top executive said that she is leaving the embattled channel, according to CNNMoney.

The TV channel on Monday said it refuted reports about intolerance or gender bias in its organization.

Marcy McGinnis
Also on Monday, Marcy McGinnis, who served as senior vice president of outreach at AJAM, said she is resigning from her position. In her resignation letter, McGinnis alluded to an all-hands meeting held last week by the TV channel's CEO Ehab Al Shihabi.

"Last week, Ehab reminded us at the Senior Leadership meeting and again at the All Hands meeting that anyone who felt they could not support the decisions or direction set forth by him and the Al Jazeera Media Network would be welcome to leave," McGinnis said in her letter, which was obtained by CNNMoney and reported earlier by TVNewser. "I find myself at that crossroads now and so have decided to resign."

CNNMoney previously reported that Al Shihabi told staff members at the all-hands meeting that the company will fight the lawsuit filed by Matthew Luke, the channel's former director of media and archive management who was fired in February. Publicly, AJAM isn't saying much about any of the turmoil.

Al Shihabi and the channel's president, Katie O'Brian, held a press briefing on Monday in a conference room in AJAM's lower Manhattan office.

"Marcy has decided to leave us and she let us know today that this is -- this is her decision," O'Brian said as an AJAM attorney slid her a note with instructions to not discuss personnel matters. O'Brian read the note, and quickly wrapped up her response.

Separately, Luke is seeking $15 million in his lawsuit against AJAM, alleging that he was fired 10 days after he went to human resources to complain that his boss, Osman Mahmud, discriminated against women and made derogatory remarks about Israel and the United States.

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