San Francisco-Three time Associated Press, Emmy-nominated award winning journalist Jackie Wright faces media giant CBS in a court hearing, Thursday, August 27 in Federal Court in San Francisco. CBS Television, represented by Maureen E. McClain of Littler Mendelson, is trying to dismiss the case in which Wright alleges racism that led to her layoff in January 2007.

The public is invited to attend the hearing on Thursday, August 27 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom B, 15th Floor, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, California. Because media are essential to the democratic process and there is a need for fair, balanced and representative media, the public should keep its eye on  Wright’s case and others involving media.

Wright, representing herself “Forma Pauperis”, contends her dismissal from CBS 5/CW Bay Area, goes beyond her personal loss of a job. The elimination of the public affairs manager position is indicative of a trend in media where minority professionals are being disproportionately eliminated and the “public interest” is not being served. Wright spoke to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in April on this issue.

Unity Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists issued separate news releases outlining the problem of the elimination of minority journalists from newsrooms.