KYW Radio Anchor Sues, Claims She’s Been Paid Less Than Men

The morning anchor on KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia is suing the station's parent company, Audacy, Inc., claiming that she is being discriminated against and paid less than her male and younger coworkers.

Carol MacKenzie anchors the 5 AM hour weekdays by herself and co-anchors from 6-9 AM with Ian Bush.

She's been with the station since 2003.

What Does the Lawsuit Alledge?

MacKenzie's suit alleges that she has been "systematically" paid less than male and younger co-workers. The suit says that when she started she was paid $20,000 to $30,000 less than “similarly situated” male colleagues, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal.

What Are the Specifics of the Lawsuit?

Multiple times MacKenzie says she was told by superiors that she couldn't have a higher salary than a male or older coworker, only to find out that other employees younger than her were making $10,000 more per year.

In one instance, Brandon Brooks, another news anchor at the longtime Philadelphia all-news powerhouse, was promoted to the same position she held but was paid $30,000 more than her.

MacKenzie also says was asked to take a $20,000 reduction during the pandemic, only to find a younger worker, Denise Nakano, had been hired as the midday anchor, despite a hiring freeze, at $20,000 more than her.

How Long Has This Alleged Pay Discrimination Been Happening?

KYW Newsradio is a union SAG-AFTRA shop. The lawsuit says that in 2021, SAG-AFTRA conducted an investigation on MacKenzie’s request that found that KYW had engaged in “systemic gender-based pay violations” during the course of her tenure.

While the investigation was ongoing, she was offered a three-year contract renewal with salaries of $137,000 for 2022, $140,000 for 2023, and $143,000 for 2024.

She turned down the offer believing those salaries “were far less than her male counterparts.” Audacy then increased their offer by $10-13,000 per year, which she accepted.

What Does Carol MacKenzie Want in Her Lawsuit?

The lawsuit is seeking unspecified back pay, damages, interest, attorney fees, and an external monitor to report on KYW’s pay rates for anchors and reporters for a period of at least three years.