Two of CBS ‘two top executives on local TV were placed on administrative leave Monday night after the Los Angeles Times raised issues over their behavior over the weekend in a two-part report examining their treatment of women and coloreds at specific TV stations. among other allegations.
Peter Dunn, president of CBS television stations, and David Friend, senior vice president of news for the stations, have been placed on leave “pending the outcome of a third-party investigation,” CBS said in a statement. “CBS is committed to a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace where all voices are heard, demands are investigated and appropriate action is taken where necessary.”
According to the Times report, based on interviews with female employees at local CBS stations, Dunn and Friend are alleged to have “cultivated a hostile work environment that bullies female executives and blocks attempts to hire black journalists.” The National Association of Black Journalists said Monday some of its officials met with CBS executives Sunday night, including CBS CEO George Cheeks and executive vice president Marva Smalls to discuss what the organization’s. a massive problem among stations owned and operated by CBS. ”
The Times report has raised allegations that Dunn used the word “jive” to describe the work of Ukee Washington, an anchor in Philadelphia, and used phrases that the journalist described as “dancing” on air, claiming Friend was using inappropriate behavior in the workplace. NABJ demanded that both drivers be terminated.
The issues that come up are sensitive to CBS, which struggled to deal with employees before the merger of Viacom at the end of 2019. Former CBS chairman Leslie Moonves was fired from the company in 2018 after being accused of sexual misconduct. He denied the allegations. Claims of inappropriate behavior and treatment were also raised at CBS News, which ousted former co-anchor “CBS This Morning” Charlie Rose in the fall of 2017 after allegations of sexual harassment were raised. Rose denied the claims.
The former CBS Corp hired two law firms in August 2018 to investigate the claims against Moonves, as well as other allegations about the company’s culture. The CBS board said in a statement that the firm’s investigation “concludes that harassment and retaliation at CBS are not pervasive.”
Dunn is a veteran TV executive who has been with CBS since 2002. He initially oversaw the CBS stores in Philadelphia, KYW and WPSG, before overseeing the company’s flagship in New York, WCBS and president of the local stations. Friend joined CBS in 2006. Both executives were in senior positions at NBCUniversal in previous roles, overseeing the programming of business news at CNBC.
CBS parent Viacom told Times that senior executives had addressed allegations with Dunn in early 2019 and that the company had not received any complaints about his behavior since. Friend told the Times in a statement that comments he made about staff members “were based solely on performance or qualifications – not on anyone’s race or gender.”
“We are not satisfied with lip service. We do not want promises that things will change, ”said Roland S. Martin, NABJ’s Vice President of Digital, in a statement. “We are delighted with our conversation 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 journalists to work, stand up and succeed. . “