Former Fox 2 Detroit anchor Taryn Asher is free to pursue another broadcasting job after resolving a bitter dispute with her former station over a six-month non-compete agreement.
The breakthrough comes as Asher continues to battle Fox Television Stations in federal court over claims that she was subjected to sex discrimination and retaliation before being taken off the air.
The longtime Detroit journalist, who spent nearly two decades at WJBK-TV, became the subject of renewed attention after video surfaced from a tense 2023 studio exchange in which she referred to a supervisor as a “bitch” and complained about the woman’s behavior.
Deadline Detroit reported that the footage was recorded while Asher was filming a promotional segment and became frustrated during a disagreement involving access to newsroom scripts. The supervisor was identified as executive producer Traci Kryscynski, who is also known as Traci Ditchie.
The recording later became part of a much larger dispute over why Asher ultimately left Fox 2.
According to court filings, Fox has accused Asher of a pattern of “unprofessional workplace behavior and outbursts,” including confrontations with colleagues and the use of profanity. The station has cited the 2023 episode as one example of earlier conduct for which Asher was disciplined.
Asher and her attorneys strongly dispute Fox’s account.
Her legal team says the years-old video does not tell the full story and argues that Fox did not terminate her over the 2023 incident at the time. Asher was reportedly suspended following an internal investigation but later returned to work.
Asher Says Gender Discrimination Led to Her Exit
Asher filed a federal lawsuit on June 3, 2026, against Fox Television Stations and the company that operates WJBK.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, accuses Fox of sex discrimination and retaliation. Court records identify the case as Asher v. Fox Television Stations, LLC, case number 2:26-cv-11820.
Asher alleges that management began treating her differently from male employees, particularly co-anchor Roop Raj.
Her complaint claims Raj received more guest-interview opportunities and more favorable scheduling arrangements. She also alleges Fox retaliated after she complained internally about what she believed was unequal treatment.
Fox has denied discriminating against Asher.
In an August court filing, the company acknowledged that Asher had complained about alleged unequal treatment but argued that her eventual removal stemmed from workplace conduct rather than her sex or her complaints about management.
The allegations have not been decided by a court.
When Was Asher Actually Fired?
One of the most important issues in the case involved exactly when Asher’s employment ended.
Asher disappeared from Fox 2 broadcasts in November 2025. In February 2026, she publicly told viewers she was “working through an unexpected work-related matter” and said she hoped to return.
Her attorneys say she was effectively terminated on November 21, 2025.
Fox, however, argued that her employment agreement did not formally expire until June 6, 2026.
That disagreement mattered because Asher’s contract contained a six-month non-compete provision.
Her lawyers argued the restriction therefore expired on May 21, six months after her November removal. Fox maintained that the six-month clock began when her contract formally ended in June, potentially keeping her from joining a competing Detroit station until December.
That fight is now over.
Attorneys for both sides filed an agreement in September resolving the non-compete issue and dismissing that part of the lawsuit, according to Deadline Detroit.
The agreement clears Asher to immediately seek work elsewhere in television or other media.
Her agent, Mort Meisner, said media outlets had already shown interest in hiring her and that the contractual dispute had been preventing serious discussions from moving forward.
Asher’s attorney Tad Roumayah told the New York Post that she hopes to remain in Detroit, where she has developed longstanding ties with viewers.
The Lawsuit Is Far From Over
Resolving the non-compete provision does not end the broader court fight.
Asher’s discrimination and retaliation claims remain unresolved, while Fox continues to dispute her allegations and defend its handling of her employment.
Fox has also filed a counterclaim involving a company laptop that it says Asher failed to return. Asher has argued that the device contains attorney-client communications and that safeguards are needed before it is turned over.
Court records show the lawsuit was still active in September, with additional filings continuing after the non-compete dispute was resolved.
A Long Detroit TV Career
Asher joined Fox 2 Detroit in 2007 after earlier stops at WLNS in Lansing and WJRT in Flint. She was later paired with Raj as a co-anchor and became one of the station’s most recognizable personalities.
Fox 2’s own archived coverage shows Asher anchoring its evening newscasts as recently as 2025 and reporting major local stories before her removal from the air.
She has won multiple local Emmy Awards during a broadcasting career spanning roughly three decades.
With the non-compete restriction out of the way, Asher can now pursue another on-air job while her legal battle with Fox continues separately in federal court.
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