A former CBS programming executive is suing the network, alleging it discriminates based on age and race and that it conducted a “sham” investigation into him.
Ghen Maynard, 53, filed a lawsuit against CBS in California Superior Court in Los Angeles on Monday, according to the Wall Street Journal. Maynard, an American of Japanese ancestry, worked as a CBS programming executive until he was told on Oct. 2 that the network was eliminating his position.
In the suit, Maynard claimed he had earned the network “well over a billion dollars” by making and pushing hit shows such as Survivor and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He added that he and others at the network, each with more than two decades of experience, were pushed out for racial reasons, among other biases.
Maynard says the discrimination at CBS began after Leslie Moonves, network chairman and chief executive, resigned in the wake of several sexual harassment allegations against him.
“Since Mr. Moonves’s departure, CBS has become a radically different place,” according to Maynard’s lawsuit. “Despite blaming all of its problems on Mr. Moonves and claiming that it has taken steps to improve race and gender issues at the Company, today’s CBS ‘leaders,’ those making the key decisions on such issues, are all white males, whose decisions belie CBS’ self-serving rhetoric.”
Maynard also said CBS subjected him to a racially motivated investigation into allegations that he mistreated a female coworker. According to Maynard, a human resources vice president told him the investigation would not significantly impact his work at the network. Despite the promise, CBS Studios President David Stapf chose to remove Maynard from the team working on BH90210.
“Amplifying its mistreatment of Mr. Maynard, earlier this year, CBS subjected Mr. Maynard to a biased, sham ‘investigation’ into a false and ludicrous allegation that he mistreated a female coworker on the writing team when he asked a quiet male employee on the same team for his opinions during a meeting,” the lawsuit read.
CBS denied Maynard’s charges in a statement.
“Mr. Maynard’s contract was not renewed due to the elimination of the Studio’s alternative programming department. The claims in this suit are completely without merit, and we will defend against it vigorously,” the statement said.
