Kimberly Osorio
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| Kimberly Osorio | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1974 Bronx, New York, United States |
| Other names | Kim Osorio |
| Occupation | Editor |
| Known for | The Source magazine lawsuit |
| Title | Executive Editor of BET Interactive |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Children | one |
| Website | |
| www.myspace.com/kimosorio | |
Kimberly Osorio (born in 1974 in Bronx, New York City) is an American hip-hop journalist.
Osorio began working at The Source magazine in 2000 as an Associate Music Editor and was later promoted to Music Editor. She was given the position of Editor-in-chief in 2003,[1][2][3] the first female EIC in the history of the publication.[4]
Osorio filed a lawsuit against The Source alleging sexual harassment, gender discrimination, defamation, retaliatory discharge, and maintaining a hostile work environment.[2][5][6]
Osorio returned to The Source as Editor-in-Chief in 2012.[7]
Contents |
[edit] Allegations
Osorio filed her report to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 2005 with fellow employee, ex-marketing VP Michelle Joyce, outlining their case of sexual harassment.[4][8] The jury rejected the case brought forth by Michelle Joyce, but Osorio's case went ahead.[9] It is now known that as early as 2004, Osorio began talking to lawyers regarding the merits of her case.[1] The affidavit filed with the EEOC detailed the work environment at The Source, as well as threats and conduct of workers.[4][5] Osorio soon after sent an e-mail to the magazine's Human Resources department outlining her complaint, and after refusing to withdraw her e-mail she was fired.[10] Her employers claimed it was because of poor performance, particularly her decisions on magazine covers and certain negative reviews of artists' CDs.[5] After Osorio's termination, she was accused by Raymond "Benzino" Scott, the magazine's co-founder, of extortion and of sleeping around with hip hop artists.[2][3][5][6][11][12]
[edit] Trial
Osorio outlined the environment which was present at the magazine: employees often watched pornographic movies, hung pictures of females in G-strings, smoked pot and called women bitches.[2][3][5] She also claimed that rumors constantly were made detailing untrue stories of her being sexually involved with industry artists.[3][5][11]
The trial lasted 8 days, with Scott being asked to leave, or threatened with removal from the courtroom by Judge Jed S. Rakoff.[5] The Source filed for bankruptcy protection shortly before the verdict was handed down. Osorio's lawyer commented that he was not worried about the filing because, "They're still a viable company."[2][5]
After 2 weeks, a jury of six men and two women concluded that while Osorio had not been a victim of sexual harassment,[2][5][11] the co-founders of The Source, David Mays and Scott, had in fact terminated her in retaliation, and that Scott had defamed her character in an interview. The total judgement was $7.5 million.[2][3][5][6][11][13]
[edit] Aftermath of trial
On November 1, 2006, Judge Rakoff rejected the appeals of Mays, Scott and The Source.[14]
Kimberly Osorio then became an editor-at-large at BET Interactive, an affiliate of Black Entertainment Television.[2][6][11][15] In the summer of 2008, Osorio left BET.com to be the VP of Content at Global Grind, where she spent four months before returning to BET.com.
In September 2008, Osorio released a book titled Straight From The Source: An Exposé from the Former Editor in Chief of the Hip-Hop Bible[16] detailing the events of her time at The Source.[13]
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Talking With Kim Osorio". The Village Voice. October 30, 2006. http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0644,clemente,74884,22.html.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Jury Award to Source Ex-Editor Disputed". Houston Chronicle. October 25, 2006. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4286703.html.
- ^ a b c d e "Hip-hop mag bagged". New York Daily News. October 24, 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20061108063603/http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/464769p-390947c.html.
- ^ a b c "Conscience Rap". Village Voice. October 23, 2006. http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0643,brewhammond,74806,22.html.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Carlson, Peter (October 25, 2006). "Hip-Hop Editor Wins Suit over Her Firing". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/24/AR2006102401500.html. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Jury Award to Source Ex-Editor Disputed". MSN Money. October 25, 2006. http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.asp?feed=AP&Date=20061025&ID=6136114.
- ^ Kim Osorio Named Editor-In-Chief Of The Source
- ^ "Source Co-Founder Quits, Then Vows to Stay, As Discrimination and Harassment Allegations Arise". Folio. April 11, 2005. http://www.foliomag.com/viewmedia.asp?prmMID=4787&prmID=249.
- ^ ""Source" of Sex Crazies". New York Post. October 12, 2006. http://www.nypost.com/seven/10122006/news/regionalnews/source_of_sex_crazies_regionalnews_leonard_greene.htm.[dead link]
- ^ "Benzino Slapped With Sexual-Harassment Charges". MTV. April 11, 2005. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1499878/20050411/index.jhtml?headlines=true.
- ^ a b c d e "Former Source Magazine Editor-in-Chief Awarded $15.5 Million from The Source Trial". BET. October 23, 2006. http://www.bet.com/Music/Former+Source+Magazine+EditorinChief+Awarded+155+Million+fromTheSource.htm?wbc_purpose=Basic&WBCMODE=PresentationUnpublished&Referrer=%7B03CE5360-2620-42CB-AD7E-77E4249C5FB7%7D.
- ^ "Editors New "Source" Of Woe". New York Post. October 25, 2006. http://www.nypost.com/seven/10252006/news/regionalnews/editors_new_source_of_woe_regionalnews_leonard_greene.htm.[dead link]
- ^ a b "Ex Source Editor, Kim Osorio, To Write Tell-All Book". VIBE. October 25, 2006. http://www.vibe.com/news/2006/10/kim_osorio_to_write_tell_all_book/.
- ^ "Kim Osorio Wins $8 Mil...Not $15 From The Source". HipHopDX. November 2, 2006. http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.4595/title.kim-osorio-wins-8-mil-not-15-from-the-source.
- ^ "Ex-Source editor hopes ruling redefines rap". Metro New York. October 25, 2006. http://ny.metro.us/metro/local/article/ExSource_editor_hopes_ruling_redefines_rap/5324.html.
- ^ Osorio, Kim (September 9, 2008). Straight from the Source: An Exposé from the Former Editor in Chief of the Hip-Hop Bible. MTV Books/Pocket Books. ISBN 9781416559689.
