Former ABC News Field Producer's Wrongful Termination Lawsuit Accuses Matt Gutman Of Making Inappropriate Sexualized Comments
Deadline
β’Sun, 16 Aug 2026 19:56:26 +0000
π° What Happened
Former ABC News field producer Samira Said has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against ABC, The Walt Disney Co., former colleague Matt Gutman (now chief correspondent at CBS News) and former LA bureau chief David Herndon. She alleges wrongful termination, discrimination, hostile-environment harassment and retaliation, and claims she was fired after being denied accommodations for mental health issues.
π The Backstory
The suit alleges inappropriate sexualised comments were made by Gutman during their time working together. She says she was being treated by a psychiatrist for depression, and her provider advised reducing her workload to protect her health, but her termination followed. The case joins a broader reckoning in newsrooms about workplace conduct, mental health accommodations and how networks handle internal complaints.
π― Why It Matters
The case touches on highly sensitive issues in the media industry β harassment, mental health at work, and retaliation. It also puts a named, prominent journalist at the centre of allegations, ensuring wide attention. Regardless of outcome, it raises the pressure on networks to handle both conduct and disability accommodations fairly, and to protect staff who speak up.
Former ABC News field producer Samira Said has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against ABC, The Walt Disney Co., former colleague Matt Gutman (now chief correspondent at CBS News) and former LA bureau chief David Herndon. She alleges wrongful termination, discrimination, hostile-environment harassment and retaliation, and claims she was fired after being denied accommodations for mental health issues.
The suit alleges inappropriate sexualised comments were made by Gutman during their time working together. She says she was being treated by a psychiatrist for depression, and her provider advised reducing her workload to protect her health, but her termination followed. The case joins a broader reckoning in newsrooms about workplace conduct, mental health accommodations and how networks handle internal complaints.
The case touches on highly sensitive issues in the media industry β harassment, mental health at work, and retaliation. It also puts a named, prominent journalist at the centre of allegations, ensuring wide attention. Regardless of outcome, it raises the pressure on networks to handle both conduct and disability accommodations fairly, and to protect staff who speak up.