DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] — A former Des Moines news anchor has lost an age discrimination lawsuit after an eight-day trial in Polk County District Court. Sonya Heitshusen had been at WHO-TV for 17 years when, she says, she was denied an on-air contract in 2020. In August 2021, she filed an age and gender discrimination lawsuit against WHO-TV and its parent company, Nexstar Media Group, Inc., challenging what she called a widespread practice of removing older, female staffers from the air because of their looks. Station news director Rod Peterson and general manager Bobby Totsch were also named in the suit.

Nexstar, however, characterized Heitshusen’s firing as a reduction in its workforce. The lawsuit went to trial in Polk County last week, with the jury returning a verdict in favor of the defendants on Wednesday afternoon. It’s unclear if she will appeal the verdict.

Heitshusen is currently the public information officer for the Iowa Auditor of State.