Report: ViacomCBS Facing Widening Crisis In TV Stations Group

In the wake of a Los Angeles Times investigation, which detailed allegations of racism and misogyny at CBS’ Philadelphia TV station, current and former employees of CBS’ flagship station, WCBS-TV Channel 2 in New York, have alleged that they also worked in a “hostile environment” where Black, Latino, Asian and gay employees were treated poorly, and stories that occurred in Black and Latino neighborhoods were at times overlooked, reports today's LA Times.

“The first question was always: Where is the story? How is the neighborhood?” Ken Racioppi, a former WCBS news producer, said. He added that when managers learned about news events in communities of color, “All of the sudden, the interest level would just drop.”

Late Friday, CBS Entertainment Chief Executive George Cheeks announced that CBS had hired law firm Proskauer Rose to investigate conduct by CBS Television Stations President Peter Dunn and his lieutenant in charge of local news, David Friend.

Separately, New York Atty. Gen. Letitia James’ office last year began looking into claims of race discrimination against Black employees at WCBS, according to four people familiar with the matter but not authorized to comment. One of two former WCBS employees who said they were interviewed by investigators with the agency’s civil rights division said the office was interested in whether there is “a pattern of racial discrimination” at WCBS.

“Important issues are being raised by internal and external voices,” CBS said Monday. “We have initiated an external investigation into the allegations of misconduct by CBS Stations leadership. At the same time, senior management at both CBS and ViacomCBS have communicated their support for current and former employees to raise any relevant concerns without fear of retaliation. Our employees deserve a process rooted in transparency, respect and accountability as we build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive culture in every corner of CBS.”

CBS placed Dunn and Friend on administrative leave last week, pending the external review. They have managed CBS’ chain of 28 television stations for more than a decade. Dunn, 61, has also been directly in charge of WCBS in New York since 2005.

Friend, a CBS senior vice president, oversees news gathering at the CBS-owned television stations and has been in charge of WCBS’ nearly 150-person newsroom since 2006.

Among the allegations are that biases seeped into news coverage.