A jury ruled that former PBS host Tavis Smiley owes the network $1.5 million after the broadcaster fired Smiley and scrapped a season of content.
PBS suspended Smiley in December 2017 after it received multiple sexual harassment accusations against the host. The broadcaster later fired Smiley after concluding that the complaints were credible.
Smiley, who is black, sued his former employer, alleging that discrimination led to his firing. PBS then countersued for having to cut an unaired season of Smiley’s program after the host violated the network’s “morals” clause, which bans interoffice romantic relationships, according to the Associated Press.
A jury ruled that Smiley, who admitted to having multiple consensual relationships with co-workers, owes the network $1.5 million in lost revenue and production for the unaired final season of Smiley’s program.
Smiley’s attorneys have said they will appeal the decision.
“PBS expects our producing partners to provide a workplace where people feel safe and are treated with dignity and respect,” PBS said in a statement. “It was important for us to ensure that the courageous women who came forward were able to share their stories and that we continue to uphold the values and standards of our organization.”
