Former KSTP-TV reporter accuses station of sexism and unsafe work practices

A former KSTP-TV news reporter has accused the station of sexism and unsafe work practices.

In her self-published book, "More to Tell," Crystal Bui focuses on 2019-21, the two years she spent at the local ABC affiliate. Among her many allegations are claims that her bosses didn't do enough to protect her while she was covering protests in the wake of George Floyd's death.

"Our station didn't spend money on security like the others did during these initial riots, despite Minneapolis being hit the worst in the beginning," writes Bui, who shares details about the emotional stress she endured during coverage in the field.

At one point, she considered faking a medical emergency so that she and her cameraman could go home.

"While I was focused on staying safe, managers were focused on ratings," she writes. "They don't explicitly instruct you to move closer to the danger, but they use code words, and reporters know what they mean."

She also accuses the station of treating her differently than her colleagues because of her gender and race, alleging that she was silenced during staff meetings and skipped over for key assignments.

"My heart is exhausted from fighting this system and trying to excel while walking on eggshells," she writes while complaining that KSTP managers didn't tap her to be part of an ABC docuseries on Floyd. "My heart is tired of being told to shut up, from having those who want to stand in my way do everything they can to dim my light. My heart is breaking."

She also accuses a staff photographer of sexual harassment, claiming that he drew a phallus symbol in the snow shortly before one of her field reports. Bui doesn't reveal his name and uses aliases for almost all her co-workers.

"As you know, as a journalist you sometimes have to protect your sources," Bui said in a phone interview last month. "Some are scared of retaliation and I didn't want to risk their jobs. You definitely want to hold people accountable. Those I'm talking about know who they are. That's all that really matters."

KSTP news director Kirk Varner said that he was aware of Bui's book, but was unable to address the specific personnel issues.

"We at KSTP take safety and a positive work environment very seriously here," said Varner, who joined the station in April 2019, two months before Bui came on staff. "During her tenure here, I'm not aware of any formal complaints about those issues that she raised about safety and having a positive work environment."

KSTP general manager Rob Hubbard declined to add any further comment.

"I think Kirk has said all that needs to be said," he wrote in an email.

Bui said that she didn't go to human resources during her time at the station because she didn't believe that department would do anything.

"In my experience, human resources are hired and paid to protect the company's interests," she wrote. "They weren't there to befriend employees. They were there to make sure company owners didn't get sued. And so, it was useless. I knew that."

Bui said in a phone interview that she's been in trauma therapy ever since she moved to Atlanta in 2021 to work for WANF-TV. She left that station after less than two years and currently runs her own public relations firm.

The book was difficult to write, she said, but it was important for her to try to make the profession better for other journalists.

"I don't want my experiences to be in vain," said Bui, who is Vietnamese American and grew up in Northern California. "Women are taught, especially in Asian culture, to be polite and go along with the flow. We're not allowed to talk back. This is my way of talking back."

"More to Tell" is currently available through online retailers, including Barnes & Noble and Amazon's websites.