Paramount TV president fired over ‘racially charged’ comments
Paramount has fired the head of its television division, Amy Powell, after complaints rolled in that she made inappropriate and “racially charged” comments during a conference call.
Shares of parent company Viacom traded lower on Friday as the broader market moved higher.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIA | VIA RENEWABLES | 10.92 | +0.01 | +0.09% |
The news of firing was announced Thursday via an internal memo from Paramount CEO Jim Gianopulos after the company said it conducted a full investigation.
“Having spent the past several days conducting a thorough investigation into this matter and speaking to those who were present, our Human Resources and Legal teams came to the same conclusion, and we have made the decision to terminate Amy’s employment, effective immediately,” Gianopulos wrote.
“While it is incredibly difficult to part ways with a valued member of our community, it is imperative that we uphold our values and ensure that all employees feel safe and included in the workplace.”
While Gianopulos’ memo did not elaborate on the nature of Powell’s statements beyond saying that they were “inconsistent with company values," a source did tell Variety that she made racially charged statements about “black women being angry” for various reasons during a conference call about the “First Wives” series.
The call was with series producer Karen Rosenfelt and a handful of others, including an African-American assistant to another Paramount TV executive, who reportedly complained to studio leaders about the reference, Variety said.
In a statement to several outlets following the news of the firing, Powell has strongly denied making inappropriate remarks and is reportedly considering legal action.
“There is no truth to the allegation that I made insensitive comments in a professional setting — or in any setting,” Powell said in a statement. “The facts will come out and I will be vindicated.”
In the interim, Andrew Gumpert, Paramount’s chief operating officer will provide operational support, along with Mireille Soria, Brian Robbins and Wyck Godfrey, presidents of Paramount Animation, Paramount Players and Paramount Motion Picture Group, respectively.
Powell was tapped to oversee Paramount Television in 2013, after spending two years leading the studio’s digital arm. She has delivered several hits for the group, including Netflix’s “13 Reasons Why” and TNT’s “The Alienist.”
A spokesperson for Paramount Television did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for additional information regarding Powell’s statements.