Editor who is suing NY Times over denied promotion has been named

Discrimination Lawsuit Highlights DEI Tensions at The New York Times

The ongoing federal discrimination lawsuit against The New York Times has drawn attention to specific individuals at the heart of the case. Among them is Bryant Rousseau, a white male editor who alleges that he was overlooked for a promotion due to his race and gender.

Rousseau, a seasoned editor and producer on the international desk, claims he was replaced for the position of deputy real estate editor by a “multiracial black woman,” which he argues was part of the Times’ efforts to enhance its diversity profile.

Another name mentioned in the filings is Monica Burton, the former deputy editor at Eater, who was reportedly selected for the role under scrutiny. Nikita Stewart, the current real estate editor at the Times, allegedly supervised the hiring process, with the help of talent manager Soraya Ganel, who reportedly assisted in the selection and interview of candidates.

The lawsuit states that Rousseau received commendations over the years, particularly highlighted in performance reviews where he was described as “excellent” and “the cornerstone of the desk.” Despite this, he reportedly did not get past the initial interview stages for the deputy position.

The document further claims that the role was given to a candidate viewed as “grossly underqualified” and who had lower ratings compared to other applicants. One interviewer seemingly noted that the selected hire was “a little green overall,” mentioning that her contributions were minimal in terms of expanding the scope of the role.

These names, as outlined in the lawsuit, were not previously revealed in either EEOC documents or earlier news reports.

Rousseau has been with the Times for over a decade and has considerable experience in journalism, particularly in real estate reporting. He contends he met all qualifications for the deputy property editor position, boasting direct experience in architecture and housing topics.

Conversely, Burton’s background includes a stint at Vox Media’s food site Eater, where she focused on restaurants and food culture before joining the Times. Her experience in real estate journalism appears to be less substantial, and she was rated lower than other candidates during the selection procedure, according to the lawsuit.

The New York Times has firmly rejected any claims of misconduct, asserting that Burton was indeed the most qualified candidate for the position.

Nikita Stewart, who has also been implicated in the lawsuit, has worked at the Times since 2014, following nearly a decade at the Washington Post. She has experience covering various relevant topics before taking the role of real estate editor.

The complaint indicates that both Stewart and Ganel played pivotal roles in the hiring process, while asserting that Rousseau was not allowed a final interview. Additionally, the lawsuit suggests that the Times’ internal DEI policies swayed the decisions made by the newsroom leadership.

The federal filing frequently references the Times’ publicly stated diversity objectives, including a “call to action” initiative from 2021, aimed at elevating the representation of Black and Latinx leaders.

The Times has dismissed the lawsuit as a product of political motives, stating that race and gender did not factor into their hiring decisions. A company representative emphasized that they focused on merit and aimed to hire the best talent available.