The Ellen Show: Warner Bros executives promise change after ‘unacceptable’ behaviour
Allegations of abuse and discrimination have been made against ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ and TMZ
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Your support makes all the difference.Warner Bros bosses have promised to treat their employees with “dignity”, in the wake of allegations of abuse behind the scenes of The Ellen DeGeneres Show and TMZ.
In an email reportedly sent to staff on Thursday 17 September (via BuzzFeed News), WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar wrote that he was “both concerned and disappointed by public reports regarding patterns of unacceptable behaviour that have been raised in recent weeks”.
Explaining that a third party was reviewing the company’s production business, Kilar said that they would be going forward with a clear message that “people be treated with dignity”, as well as an “intention to sever ties where patterns of behaviour are at odds with that requirement”.
In another memo, Warner Bros CEO Ann Sarnoff apparently said that she had "empowered, and will hold accountable, the Studios and Networks HR and Legal teams to act on any issues that are brought to them”.
“These groups are a safe harbour where you can register any concerns,” Sarnoff wrote.
The comments follow months of unrest at Warner Bros, with new allegations of verbal abuse, racism and sexism emerging in recent weeks surrounding the TMZ newsroom, after a former employee claimed that she was fired for complaining about sexism in the workplace.
A spokesperson for the celebrity news website told BuzzFeed that the allegations were a “blatant attempt to use negative publicity and inaccurate claims to force TooFab and TMZ to pay a monetary settlement”.
The Independent has contacted Warner Bros for comment.
Earlier this year, similar claims were made about The Ellen DeGeneres Show, with accusations of sexual misconduct, racism and workplace bullying taking place behind the scenes.
In response to the claims, in which DeGeneres herself was not personally implicated, there was an internal investigation resulting in three of the show’s top producers being let go.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show is scheduled to return on Monday (21 September), with the talk-show host promising to “talk about” the scandal.