An NBC executive is out amid an investigation into allegations of inappropriate workplace behavior.
Paul Telegdy, who was the chairman of NBC Entertainment and had been at the network for more than a decade, is leaving NBC after facing claims that he perpetrated racist, sexist, and homophobic behavior. The news of Telegdy’s exit was reported by numerous outlets on Thursday afternoon.
Frances Berwick, who currently serves as the head of NBCUniversal’s lifestyle networks, will now lead its television entertainment business, overseeing daily operations across all networks and commissioning and acquiring programming that will work across platforms.
The outlet is in the middle of a revolution to the online and streaming world. Mark Lazarus, NBCUniversal’s chairman of television and streaming, is leading the reorganization of the network.
“We have an unparalleled portfolio that is now in an even stronger position to drive growth for the business. With the power of NBC and the broadcast model, coupled with the strong cable entertainment brands and the new addition of Peacock, we have massive scale and a deep library of valuable content that can live across platforms,” said Lazarus. “We are incredibly fortunate to have some of the most talented executives in the industry leading the charge and am confident that we are poised to win in this competitive landscape.”
About a week before Telegdy’s exit, he was accused of mocking gay executives, using homophobic and misogynistic slurs, and disparaging or making sexual comments about the physical appearances of network talent, according to a report by the Hollywood Reporter.
Earlier this week, MSNBC announced a shift in its daytime talk show lineup, one change being moving Chuck Todd, the NBC News political director and the moderator of Meet The Press, to an earlier time slot while also providing him with a new hourlong, weekly political news program on the network’s streaming service.
Former NBC News Chairman Andy Lack stepped down in May as NBCUniversal prepared to undergo a major restructuring. Lack also faced allegations of inappropriate workplace behavior, which he denied.
NBCUniversal did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
