Embattled CBS Settles Lawsuit From White Writer Over Hiring Practices on ‘SEAL Team’: Is a Settlement With Trump Over ‘60 Minutes’ Next?

CBS Studios Inc. is agreeing to settle a discrimination lawsuit brought by a white and heterosexual script writer in a case that has been closely watched by Hollywood writers. The settlement has stirred speculation that CBS will also settle a lawsuit brought by President Trump over “60 Minutes” as CBS’ parent company, Paramount, seeks to clear the way for its acquisition by Skydance, a deal that requires FCC approval.The CBS Studios case stems from a lawsuit brought by a white writer for the now-canceled show “SEAL Team,” Brian Beneker, who alleged he was discriminated against and denied a staff writing job because of an “illegal policy of race and sex balancing.”In a filing submitted Friday, the two parties agreed to settle the case “with prejudice” — meaning it cannot be brought again — for an undisclosed amount. In 2020, CBS reached an agreement with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to increase the number of Black writers in its writing rooms, where scripted shows are created. CBS, which has for years been the highest-rated broadcast network with the largest mass audience in television, has a programming lineup led by crime “procedural” shows led by white male characters. Under the terms its deal with the Association, the network set a goal of having writers of color make up at least 40 percent of its writers’ rooms. The quota was increased to 50 percent for the 2022-2023 season. Mr. Beneker worked as a script coordinator for the 2017 pilot episode of “SEAL Team.” He alleged that he was repeatedly denied a staff writer job while the studio hired “less qualified applicants who were members of more preferred groups.”Lawyers for CBS argued that under the First Amendment, attempts to limit the studio’s “ability to select the writers of its choice — as Beneker seeks to do here — unconstitutionally impairs CBS’s ability to shape its message.”“Because CBS’s works are expressive, CBS has the right to select employees whose work affects that expression,” one of the studio’s lawyers, Molly Lens, said in a court filing. Paramount tried to dismiss the lawsuit, but the California-based judge presiding over the case, Judge John Walter, rejected its request. Mr. Beneker was seeking at least $500,000 and to be named as an executive producer on the show, which was canceled in October. He also asked for the studio to be prevented from implementing discriminatory hiring practices. CBS declined to comment.The decision to settle comes as Paramount is trying to complete its merger with Skydance. The deal — which requires approval from the FCC — has run into trouble. FCC chairman Brendan Carr has been demanding that Hollywood studios drop their “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” or DEI practices. Furthermore, Mr. Trump is suing CBS for the editing of Vice President Harris’ October interview with “60 Minutes,” in which her “word salad” answer to a question about Israel was edited in a way that made it sound more concise and coherent. CBS denies that its editing was deceptive, but it is also facing a “news distortion” investigation conducted by the FCC as a result of the interview. The veteran media journalist, Matthew Belloni, predicted in a recent episode of his podcast “The Town” that executives at Paramount and Skydance will do “whatever they have to” to ensure the FCC approves the merger, including offering an apology for the way “60 Minutes” edited the Harris interview and agreeing to pay Mr. Trump a hefty settlement. Amid the lawsuit, the newsroom at CBS News has reportedly been gripped by a sense of fear after it was reported that the owner of Skydance was seated near Mr. Trump at a UFC event, fueling concerns that top executives will not try to stand up the administration. Mr. Trump and Paramount have also agreed on a mediator to try to resolve his lawsuit, despite lawyers for CBS previously seeking to have the case dismissed. Besides the FCC investigation and Mr. Trump’s lawsuit, there is speculation that Paramount’s DEI policies could lead to the government blocking their merger attempts. Mr. Carr, told Bloomberg in March that the agency can only “approve a transaction if we find that doing so serves the public interest.”“If there’s businesses out there that are still promoting invidious forms of DEI discrimination, I really don’t see a path forward where the FCC could reach the conclusion that approving the transaction is going to be in the public interest,” he said. In February, Paramount announced that it would roll back its DEI initiatives. Some of the changes Paramount is making include ending “aspirational numerical goals related to the race, ethnicity, sex or gender of hires” and keeping track of job applicants’ ethnicity and sex data, except where it is required.The decision was made by Paramount’s co-CEOs, George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, and Brian Robbins. It’s not clear if this rollback affects the agreement with the NAACP. Mr. Cheeks is biracial. Prior to Mr. Trump’s return to power, he and Mr. McCarthy, who are both openly gay, had been aggressively pushing diversity initiatives.While Mr. Carr signaled that DEI policies could lead to the government blocking mergers, the staff at Paramount penned an open letter to the company’s leadership team, accusing them of trying to “kiss the ring and pay off mob bosses” to ensure the Paramount-Skydance deal is approved.

Embattled CBS Settles Lawsuit From White Writer Over Hiring Practices on ‘SEAL Team’: Is a Settlement With Trump Over ‘60 Minutes’ Next?

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