University Of Tennessee-Chattanooga Settles Suit By Former WUTC Reporter Over Her Firing

Helbert

The UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE-CHATTANOOGA, licensee of noncommercial Variety WUTC/CHATTANOOGA, and former reporter JACQUI HELBERT have settled her suit against the school over her firing.  The CHATTANOOGA TIMES-FREE PRESS reports that a $50,000 settlement has closed the matter, in which HELBERT said she was fired on MARCH 21st for allegedly not identifying herself as a journalist while interviewing politicians for a story about TENNESSEE's proposed "bathroom bill" (NET NEWS 3/27).

HELBERT had asserted that legislators unhappy with the reporting on the story pressured the state college's station to fire her; emails between school officials indicated that they worried legislators upset with HELBERT's reporting could affect state funding.  The school has denied any liability, and HELBERT said she holds no ill will towards the university.

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