Matt Gutman
Fresh off his recent ratings win for CBS News, the network’s Chief Correspondent Matt Gutman has been accused of sexual harassment during his years at rival ABC.
A former ABC News field producer sued Gutman and others in Los Angeles Superior Court Thursday, claiming the married Gutman made “sexualized” remarks while she worked on his otherwise all-male team.
The producer, Los Angeles-based Samira Said, alleged she was wrongfully fired by ABC News after about four years on the job as she struggled with various medical issues and requested accommodations, according to court papers.
Said, who is seeking unspecified damages, recounted two incidents involving the 48-year-old Gutman, who hopped to CBS News in January.
In one alleged episode, Gutman allegedly rated a female correspondent’s appearance, according to Said’s lawsuit, who did not identify the woman being ranked:
While the team waited in a public queue during the assignment, Gutman initiated a discussion rating a female correspondent’s appearance and reducing her professional standing to a numerical score based on her physical attributes. The male crew joined in, continuing to assess the woman’s body and looks in Said’s presence. The men attempted to draw Said into the conversation by soliciting her views. Said declined and stated the conversation was inappropriate.
Said also claimed Gutman once “demeaned” her while they were on an assignment, alleging in the legal filing:
On another occasion, during a press day related to a film release, Said and Gutman disagreed about whether the team should leave the work site. In front of multiple coworkers, Gutman responded by making a sexualized insinuation that Said must have an after-hours date in the city and that this is why she did not want to relocate. The remark, made audibly to others, demeaned Said and reduced her professional judgment to a sexualized stereotype.
Said claims she was fired in March 2025 after years of being subject to a hostile work environment.
The litigation comes as Gutman scored a ratings bump for the CBS Evening News, delivering 4.1 million viewers while filling in for controversial anchor Tony Dukoupil.
CBS News did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reps for ABC News could not immediately be reached.
The post CBS News’ Matt Gutman Accused of Sexual Harassment While at ABC: Lawsuit first appeared on Mediaite.
