Paramount, CBS settle discrimination lawsuit over DEI policies punishing straight white males
As CBS and its parent company Paramount Global navigate a high-stakes lawsuit from President Donald Trump, the media conglomerate quietly settled another lawsuit alleging racial discrimination against straight, white male employees.
In 2024, former 'SEAL Team' script coordinator and writer Brian Beneker sued Paramount Global, CBS Entertainment and CBS Studios for unlawful discrimination for repeatedly denying him career advancement based on his race, sex and sexual orientation.
According to America First Legal (AFL), who represented Beneker in the case, both sides ultimately agreed to a settlement after what AFL senior counsel Nick Barry described as satisfactory moves by Paramount to publicly back away from diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) polices.
'America First Legal is pleased to see Paramount and CBS publicly back off their DEI requirements and return to merit-based considerations. Diversity quotas that discriminate on the basis of race are unlawful. Others in the entertainment industry should take note,' Barry said in a statement on Monday.
Fox News Digital reached out to CBS and Paramount for comment.
An AFL spokesperson also told Fox News Digital that there will be no further legal action in the case.
The original lawsuit claimed that, despite working on the show since its first season in 2017, Beneker was repeatedly denied promotion to full-time staff writer while minority writers were hired with little to no experience.
4 The Paramount logo is displayed at Columbia Square along Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, California on March 9, 2023.
AFP via Getty Images
4 The logo for CBS Corporation is displayed above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
AP
When confronting the showrunner, Beneker claimed he was told that he did not 'check any diversity boxes' to warrant advancement.
The AFL also cited past comments from then-CBS CEO George Cheeks in 2020 announcing efforts to ensure 40% of all writers' rooms have 'BIPOC representation' for the 2021-22 season, with the goal of increasing the figure to 50% for the 2022-23 season.
In February 2025, Paramount Global heads informed employees that it would be rolling back these initiatives in the wake of Trump's re-election and anti-DEI policies.
This included no longer using 'aspirational numerical goals' for hiring and ending its policy of collecting race, ethnicity, sex or gender data of potential applicants except when legally required.
4 President Donald Trump speaks with reporters at the White House, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Washington.
AP
4 In February 2025, Paramount Global heads informed employees that it would be rolling back these initiatives in the wake of Trump's re-election and anti-DEI policies.
iQoncept – stock.adobe.com
This announcement came as Paramount Global agreed to mediation with Trump's legal team earlier this month, signaling a settlement of the $20 billion lawsuit against them.
Trump is seeking $20 billion in a lawsuit against CBS, alleging election interference over its handling of a '60 Minutes' interview last year with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The president accused the network of aiding his 2024 Democratic opponent through deceptive editing just weeks before the presidential election.
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