November 17, 2025
The Baltimore Association of Black Journalists (BABJ) expresses deep concern and disappointment regarding credible claims of leadership failures, a toxic work environment, and mistreatment that have caused emotional and professional harm to several Black journalists under General Manager Kathy Hostetter and News Director Tanya Black at WJZ-TV, a flagship CBS-owned station in Baltimore, Maryland.
These claims were brought to BABJ by The WJZ Accountability Coalition, comprised of former and current WJZ employees who submitted detailed memos documenting an ongoing pattern of fear and retaliation, racial and professional inequities, diminished morale, inconsistent management communication, favoritism, uneven workloads, unsanitary work conditions, and the departure of multiple homegrown and diverse newsroom talent.
Since 2022, more than two dozen employees have exited WJZ under the current leadership structure—a turnover rate that underscores the depth of instability within the newsroom and its impact across roles, races, and departments. While company-wide reductions have occurred across the industry, the volume and pattern of departures at WJZ reflect deeper cultural and managerial failures that cannot be explained by layoffs alone.
Some in the coalition described claims of sexual harassment involving a longtime on-air figure whose conduct was previously the subject of an internal investigation that employees say failed to bring accountability. The handling of that matter, they said, reinforced a broader pattern of broken promises and selective enforcement that eroded trust throughout the newsroom.
These concerns—combined with the lack of protection, advancement, and retention of Black journalists—represent a serious breach of trust with the Baltimore community. Viewers have watched the alarming turnover and treatment of several local talent that once defined the station’s connection to this city, an issue that has drawn public scrutiny from national media-industry outlets, which has documented these patterns repeatedly since at least 2023.
With the support of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), BABJ calls for an immediate meeting with WJZ leadership to address the root causes of these failures and restore confidence among staff and the community.
Furthermore, BABJ advocates for the following actions:
- Independent third-party review of WJZ newsroom culture and HR processes
- Independent leadership audit focusing on management conduct
- Anonymous employee feedback review conducted by a neutral third party
- Review by NABJ of professional-membership standing for newsroom leadership named in coalition materials
- Restorative measures for affected employees, including counseling access and career-rebuilding opportunities
- Leadership training or reassignment for individuals whose management practices foster a hostile environment
We want WJZ senior leadership to know that we do not take these claims lightly. We expect a timely and transparent response; continued silence will not be seen as safety, but as complacency. BABJ and its partners will continue to pursue additional advocacy measures until meaningful accountability and reform are achieved.
Respectfully,
Baltimore Association of Black Journalists (BABJ)
On behalf of its Executive Board and Membership