Paramount Global has reportedly agreed to terminate its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which have included racial quotas for staff and writers.
Along with its subsidiary CBS, Paramount was sued by America First Legal on behalf of script supervisor Brian Beneker, who worked on the show “SEAL Team,” a Paramount+ original series.
A lawsuit in February alleged that the companies engaged in discriminatory practices that were in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Beneker claimed that Paramount and CBS implemented racial quotas for writers’ rooms. This claim was supplemented by public statements from George Cheeks, then-president and CEO of CBS, who said that he had set a goal for CBS’ writing rooms to have 40% non-white staff members. A reported 17 of 21 shows on the network met or exceeded the target, which was subsequently followed by a demand that “half of all writers will be non-white” by “the 2022-2023 broadcast season.”
Cheeks was touted in public reports as CBS’ first black, biracial, and gay president.
‘Diversity quotas that discriminate on the basis of race are unlawful.’
Beneker’s complaint alleged that he was repeatedly denied promotions to a full-time “SEAL Team” staff writer position while at least six “black, female, or gay” writers were hired, despite having no writing credits or having what was described as limited experience.
Beneker said he asked the showrunner why he was being passed over, and the showrunner allegedly stated that Beneker did not “check any diversity boxes.”
AFL reported that as a result of the lawsuit, Paramount has since stopped setting numerical goals related to race, ethnicity, sex, or gender; stopped collecting data on the race, ethnicity, sex, or gender of applicants; and removed a 5% funding bonus for programs advancing DEI goals.
The legal group also said that Beneker has now agreed to dismiss his claims about the company after reaching a resolution.
“Paramount Global and CBS Studios have agreed to a settlement in a lawsuit America First Legal brought on behalf of our client Brian Beneker. America First Legal is pleased to see Paramount and CBS publicly back off their DEI requirements and return to merit-based considerations,” said Nick Barry from America First Legal. “Diversity quotas that discriminate on the basis of race are unlawful. Others in the entertainment industry should take note.”
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Dei, Diversity equity inclusion, Hollywood, Quotas, Movie studio, Politics
