CBS has resolved a discrimination lawsuit brought forth by Brian Beneker, a script coordinator, who alleged that he was not offered a writing position on “SEAL Team” due to his identity as a heterosexual, Caucasian male.
Beneker claimed that the diversity hiring targets set by CBS, such as achieving a 50% representation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) writers by 2022-2023, were potentially unlawful because they might be considered as quotas.
The details of the agreement were kept confidential. Recently, Paramount Global (the umbrella company of CBS) has decided to withdraw their diversity, equity, and inclusion targets, as stated in a memo, indicating that they will no longer establish or employ aspirational quotas regarding race, ethnicity, sex, or gender when hiring new staff members.
Beneker received support from America First Legal, an advocacy organization headed by White House advisor Stephen Miller. This group has been working towards undermining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies within private companies.
According to a source, the agreement with Beneker won’t require any additional modifications to our diversity policies.
Currently, Paramount Global is trying to get approval from the Trump administration for its proposed merger with Skydance Media. However, an ongoing investigation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) into a “60 Minutes” interview featuring Kamala Harris might complicate matters, as it could potentially impact FCC approval of the merger. Trump and his supporters have accused Paramount of misleading editing in this interview, going so far as to file a lawsuit seeking $20 billion in damages.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has initiated investigations into Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies within Comcast, which is the company behind NBCUniversal, as well as at Disney.
Beneker’s lawsuit persisted despite CBS’ attempt to throw it out, as Judge John Walter deemed their arguments more suitable for a motion for summary judgment later on. Instead of proceeding with that course — which would have entailed depositions and additional discovery — the parties opted to negotiate a settlement, following a mediation session with a retired judge in December.
America First Legal is currently representing Jeff Vaughn, a previous KCAL and KCBS news anchor, in a lawsuit with similar allegations. This legal battle was initiated last year and is set for trial in March 2026, with the original case still under consideration.
CBS chose not to provide a statement in response. In their motion to dismiss the case, they contended that the First Amendment allows them extensive freedom to choose who they employ for creative positions. The settlement did not clarify this ongoing legal issue.
However, in another scenario, Disney has also used similar rationales to justify terminating the contract of Gina Carano, an actor from “The Mandalorian”, who faced accusations of minimizing the Holocaust through a social media post. Carano subsequently filed a lawsuit claiming that she was wrongfully dismissed as retribution for her political beliefs.
Last year, U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett declined Disney’s request to dismiss Carano’s lawsuit, determining that the First Amendment doesn’t automatically protect them in this instance. The outcome of this case is still undecided, with a trial set for February next year.
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2025-04-22 01:50