SAN DIEGO — Opening statements got under way Tuesday morning in the civil trial between former TV news anchor Sandra Maas and her former employer, KUSI-TV.
Maas claims she was fired by KUSI-TV in 2019 after she blew the whistle on how much less she was getting paid compared to her male co-anchor, even though they were doing the same amount of work.
"The evidence will show her contract was not renewed for two reasons," said Maas' attorney, Pamela Vallero. "The first reason, and KUSI's stated reason at the time when it did not renew her contract, was that it wanted to bring a new generation to the station."
"And second, the unspoken reason, that was she had blown the whistle on a glaring pay inequity at KUSI between her and her male co-anchor Allen Denton of almost a decade," she said.
Maas has been in the business for 35 years. She worked at CBS 8 back in the 1990s. She joined KUSI in 2004.
Maas began co-anchoring with Denton in 2010. Her attorneys say for years she made less than he did. At one point, she was making $180,000 and Denton was making about $250,000.
In April 2018, Maas started asking her bosses to get paid what Denton was getting paid. She had been hearing rumors the male anchors were being offered lucrative deals.
In 2019, she met with her news director, Steve Cohen, and she was told her contract wasn't going to be renewed.
Meanwhile, KUSI's defense attorneys have always argued Denton was paid more because he had more experience. They've pointed out Denton came to San Diego from the Bay Area, and had more big market news experience.
"The reasons Mr. Denton was paid more than Ms. Maas had nothing to do with his gender or hers. First and foremost, Mr. Denton had more experience," said KUSI's defense attorney, Ken Fitzgerald.
He said Denton had won more awards than Maas had. He said based on the timecard mechanism at the station where employees clock in and clock out, Denton had worked 165 hours more than Maas in 2018.
"Allen Denton with his commitment to the content was a true news person, but Sandra Maas was not," he said.
The trial is expected to last at least two weeks.
Day 1: Sandra Maas equal pay trial against KUSI | Co-anchor Allen Denton was scheduled to testify, but where was he?
Watch Related: Former San Diego TV anchor, Sandra Maas sues KUSI for $10M (Feb 3, 2023)