KCBS to Establish Minority Employee Panel

KCBS-TV Channel 2, in the wake of the announcement of a federal investigation into alleged racism and sexism in the newsrooms of all major commercial local television stations, is establishing a minority employee advisory panel within the newsroom.

News Director Bob Jordan said in a staff memo that the six-member panel would “insure clear communication” and “provide a means of soliciting feedback from minority employees.”

KCBS came under fire this week from Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alatorre, the Los Angeles Urban League, the National Hispanic Media Coalition and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/L.A., which said they have heard numerous complaints from newsroom staffers about the treatment of minorities, women and gays.

The complaints, along with reports of alleged racial bias against Latinos at KNBC-TV Channel 4, has prompted an investigation into the news operations of all local stations by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Jordan’s memo to the staff Thursday, a copy of which was obtained by The Times, said that KCBS management is committed to crafting “a broadcast that reflects the cultural diversity of the market we serve” and to establishing “a workplace culture in which performance--and nothing else--determines hiring, promotion and workplace assignments.”

There was no immediate word from KCBS on who would be serving on the minority employee advisory panel.

KCBS management also announced to the staff on Thursday that they had hired Maria Helen Campa, a member of the California Chicano News Media Assn., as an assignment editor. Campa, who will start next month, was formerly at KCAL-TV Channel 9.