CBS suspends two top officials after LA Times reports alleged racism and misogyny

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Peter Dunn, president of CBS television stations, and David Friend, senior vice president of news for television stations, ‘have been placed on administrative leave pending the results of a third-party investigation into issues raised, among other things, in a recent Los Angeles. Times report, ”said CBS in a statement shared with CNN Business.

“CBS is committed to a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace where all voices are heard, claims investigated and appropriate action taken where necessary,” the statement continued. The company declined to elaborate on the specific allegations.

On Sunday, The Times, led by media reporter Meg James, published an investigation into the culture on CBS TV stations. According to the article, since 2009, Dunn has managed CBS’s 28 TV stations, which together employ 2,800 employees.

The Times investigation included allegations that Dunn discredited female and black workers. Friend, who works closely with Dunn, is said to have participated in the behavior and was also accused of verbal abuse, according to The Times report.

In a statement to The Times, Friend said CBS has “a strong track record” in hiring and supporting women and people of color.

“These comments I made about our employees or future hires were based only on performance or qualifications – not on a person’s race or gender,” he said in the statement. Dunn declined to comment to The Times about the allegations.

CBS is no stranger to scandals in recent years. CBS director Les Moonves left the company in 2018 amid a number of sexual misconduct allegations against him. Moonves admitted to having a consensual relationship with three of the women named in a New Yorker investigation, but he insisted he never abused his power, saying he can only suspect that the allegations “ are now for the first time , decades later, come to the surface as part of a joint consultation. effort of others to destroy my name, my reputation and my career. “

The Times reported that CBS had hired two law firms to investigate the sexual misconduct claims, but some staffers were concerned that investigators were fixated on Moonves and not paying enough attention to other alleged abuses on the TV stations. CBS told The Times, “In response to a CBS investigation in early 2019, the then senior management discussed the situation with Mr. Dunn, and the company has not received any complaints about its conduct during the period since then.”

The National Association of Black Journalists met with ViacomCBS executives on Sunday to discuss the allegations.

“It is clear that there is a huge problem among CBS stations that are owned and operated, and to transform the corporate culture, it must start by firing Dunn and Friend,” NABJ said in a statement.

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