In a statement of claim lodged in the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal, Jason Bouman – a 40-year-old reporter for the Australian Traffic Network with a regular spot on Channel Nine’s Today show for 18 months before his resignation in March last year – alleges he was taken off TV and shoved into low profile radio roles because his boss, Bill Pezzimenti, (pictured) wanted a “good looking young blonde” in front of the camera.
According to a story in Crikey, Bouman is demanding reinstatement and the payment of lost wages under the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act.
Bouman is suing ATN for $50,000 in wages already lost, plus $1000 each week he’s out of work.
On top of that he wants an additional $30,000 for illness, hurt feelings and mental aguish, public embarrassment and humiliation. He is also demanding a public apology and discrimination training for ATN staff.
Bouman claims he was replaced in the chopper by Amelia Oberhardt, 24, from Brisbane while he was offered a raft of low-profile radio roles instead.
In the statement of claim, and 35 point summary obtained by Crikey, Bouman states, “My demotion from a high profile breakfast television program to a collection of struggling radio programs was likely to cause personal and professional humiliation. I had contributed to the success of Channel 9’s breakfast television program and, because of my age, was being asked to accept a lesser role, even though Channel 9 were happy with my performance.”
As evidence, Bouman included in the statement of claim an email allegedly sent by Pezzimenti to operations manager Steve Woods and national operations manager Jay Flood in December 2010. It read: “Awful — what are you guys doing to make Ch 9 good TV — he looks like a mug!”
On another occasion, Bouman claims he had breakfast with 2Day traffic reporter Brian “Sando” Sanders who showed him a text message he had allegedly received from Pezzimenti that read: “Tell me, what are you doing about getting that f-cking fat old c-nt off Channel 9?”
The case is expected to come before the tribunal in October.
The Traffic Network has not as yet returned radioinfo’s call requesting comment.
Read more in Crikey.