Two of the two main executives of local CBS TV were placed on administrative leave on Monday night after the Los Angeles Times raised questions about their conduct over the weekend in a two-part report that examined the treatment they gave people. women and people of color on specific TV stations, among other claims.
Peter Dunn, president of CBS television stations, and David Friend, senior vice president of news for the stations, were put on leave “pending the results of a third party investigation,” CBS said in a statement. “CBS is committed to a diverse, inclusive and respectful work environment, where all voices are heard, complaints are investigated and appropriate actions are taken when necessary.
The Times report, based on interviews with employees at local CBS stations, claimed that Dunn and Friend “cultivated a hostile work environment that included intimidating female managers and blocking efforts to hire and retain black journalists.” The National Association of Black Journalists said on Monday that some of its directors met with CBS executives on Sunday night, including CBS CEO George Cheeks and Marva Smalls, the company’s executive vice president and global head of inclusion, to discuss what the organization called “a huge problem between CBS’s own and operated stations. “
The Times report raised allegations that Dunn used the word “jive” to describe the work of Philadelphia anchor Ukee Washington, and used phrases that described the journalist as ‘dancing’ in the air, and claimed that Friend used inappropriate behavior at the scene. job. NABJ asked for the termination of both executives.
The issues raised are sensitive for CBS, which, prior to its merger in late 2019 with Viacom, grappled with issues of how its employees were treated. Former CBS president Leslie Moonves was removed from the company in 2018 after being accused of sexual misconduct. He denied the charges. Allegations of inappropriate behavior and treatment were also raised on CBS News, which expelled former “CBS This Morning” host Charlie Rose in fall 2017 after allegations of sexual harassment. Rose denied the allegations.
Former CBS Corp. in August 2018 he hired two law firms to investigate the claims made against Moonves, as well as other allegations about the company’s culture. The CBS board of directors said in a statement that the companies’ investigation “concluded that harassment and retaliation are not widespread at CBS”.
Dunn is a veteran TV executive who has been with CBS since 2002. He initially oversaw the Philadelphia CBS KYW and WPSG channels before moving on to oversee the company’s main channel in New York, WCBS and president of sales for local stations. Friend joined CBS in 2006. The two executives have held senior positions at NBCUniversal in previous positions, with business news programming oversight at CNBC.
ViacomCBS, the parent of CBS, told the Times that senior managers handled allegations with Dunn in early 2019 and that “the company has not received any complaints about its conduct during the period since then”. Friend told the Times in a statement that the comments he made about employees “were based only on performance or qualifications – not on anyone’s race or gender”.
“We are not satisfied with the lip service. We don’t want promises that things will change, ”said Roland S. Martin, vice president of digital at NABJ, in a statement. “We are excited by our discussion with George and Marva that there will be real, substantial and substantive changes at CBS to ensure that it is a welcoming place for blacks and other black journalists to work, grow and succeed.”