NBCUniversal Ousts Exec Ron Meyer

NBCUniversal ousted longtime Universal executive Ron Meyer on Tuesday after learning that he tried to cover up hush-money payments to a woman — a scenario that Meyer said led to an extortion plot, reports The L-A Times.

“I recently disclosed to my family and the company that I made a settlement, under threat, with a woman outside the company who had made false accusations against me,” Meyer, the vice chairman of Comcast’s NBCUniversal unit, said in a statement from the company. “Admittedly, this is a woman I had a very brief and consensual affair with many years ago.”

Charlotte Kirk

Meyer acknowledged that he had disclosed the settlement to his bosses at NBCUniversal after others became aware of his secret payments.

“I made this disclosure because other parties learned of the settlement and have continuously attempted to extort me into paying them money or else they intended to falsely implicate NBCUniversal, which had nothing to do with this matter, and to publish false allegations about me,” Meyer said in the statement.

“Late last week Ron Meyer informed NBCUniversal that he had acted in a manner which we believe is not consistent with our company policies or values,” NBCUniversal Jeff Shell said in a statement. “Based on Ron’s disclosure of these actions, we have mutually concluded that Ron should leave the company, effective immediately. We thank Ron for his 25 years of service, and for his significant contributions to NBCUniversal.”

Meyer added: “I’ve spent 25 years helping to grow and support an incredible company in a job I love. It is the people at this company that I will miss the most. I regret what has happened and I am sorry for all the people in my life I may have let down, especially and most importantly, my family.”

According to people familiar with the matter, Meyer had an affair with actress Charlotte Kirk.