Latest news with #NDAs
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Channel 4 Says It Doesn't Use NDAs, But Documents Reveal Company Is Curbing Free Speech Of Aggrieved Ex-Employees
EXCLUSIVE: Channel 4 once described itself as the 'sponsor and defender of free speech,' but a cache of documents seen by Deadline reveals it is restricting what aggrieved former staffers can say about the company. Deadline has analyzed 61 settlement deals signed by former staff members who exited Channel 4 amid an employment dispute between 2017 and 2021. Channel 4 paid out nearly £5M ($6.7M) to these ex-employees to prevent complaints escalating, but in doing so, stipulated that they do not discuss matters relating to the company. More from Deadline Jury In Harvey Weinstein Rape Retrial Set To Start Deliberations Wednesday - Update Ollie Madden Exiting Film4/Channel 4 To Join Netflix As Director Of UK Film; Farhana Bhula & Gwawr Lloyd Upped At UK Broadcaster Channel 4 Boss Alex Mahon Hits Back At "Excitable" Wayne Garvie's Criticism Of In-House Plan All but two of the 61 settlement deals contained confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses that transparency campaigners consider to be non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). This is despite Channel 4 repeatedly saying that it never uses NDAs to cover up wrongdoing. Details about the settlement deals, disclosed by Channel 4 under Freedom of Information laws, comes as concern about the entertainment industry's use of NDAs has been raised by UK lawmakers amid the drafting of a new Employment Rights Bill. Zelda Perkins, the former assistant to Harvey Weinstein, who has become a vocal critic of NDAs after breaking her own agreement during the #MeToo movement, accused Channel 4 of 'playing legal God' in what it allows former employees to express about the broadcaster, which screens shows including The Great British Bake Off. She told Deadline that non-disclosure agreements do not come with the letters 'NDA' signposted at the top of a document. Perkins noted they can be used legitimately to protect commercially sensitive information or client confidentiality, but are open to abuse when used to restrict disclosures around employment issues. A former Channel 4 staffer, who signed a settlement deal after making a misconduct complaint, told Deadline that their agreement was an NDA 'in all but name.' Speaking on the condition of anonymity, they said Channel 4's brand is 'completely at odds' with the agreements and that fearful employees are 'one truthful comment away from being silenced.' Twenty-four of the 61 Channel 4 settlement agreements reference 'discrimination' as being among the claims that led to the deals being signed. One of the documents referenced 'pregnancy' discrimination after an employee returned from maternity leave. Channel 4's position is that it used standardized language in agreements, which does not necessarily indicate that a discrimination issue had been settled in all cases. A common confidentiality clause contained in the Channel 4 settlements forbids former employees from making 'any statement or comment concerning the terms of this agreement, the termination of your employment or any other matter concerning the company.' Channel 4's agreements go further in stipulating that former employees must not publish or communicate 'any derogatory or defamatory' statements about the network or its workforce, even if unrelated to their grievance. Perkins argued that these broad non-disparagement clauses can have the same effect as an NDA. C4 Denies Using NDAs Channel 4 has consistently denied that its settlement agreements are tantamount to NDAs, arguing that its confidentiality clauses 'never prevent individuals from raising issues of serious wrongdoing.' In emails seen by Deadline, CEO Alex Mahon has said Channel 4 'does not use and has not used NDAs' to 'cover up wrongdoing.' Perkins said this was Channel 4 simply 'adhering to the law' in Britain, which protects individuals who make disclosures in the public interest, such as reporting a potential criminal offence. In meetings with Mahon, Perkins has called on Channel 4 to ditch the clauses and sign her Can't Buy My Silence Pledge. Deadline can reveal that Channel 4 quietly made changes to its settlement agreements in 2022, stripping back blanket confidentiality clauses so they only reference specific matters, such as details of payoffs. Channel 4 continues to stand by non-disparagement clauses. The company's position is that these clauses protect people at all levels and are sometimes requested by departing employees who do not wish to be disparaged by former colleagues. It has signed four settlement agreements since 2021, paying out a combined £383,261 to ex-employees. Channel 4's commitment to the clauses puts it out of step with other industry players. The BBC removed so-called gagging orders from contracts in 2013, including non-disparagement clauses and those that stop individuals from discussing a settlement agreement or the circumstances of their departure. A Channel 4 spokesperson said: 'As a matter of course, Channel 4 does not use non-disclosure agreements, except in relation to commercial matters only and never in respect to staff. Our standard settlement agreements have always had a confidentiality clause in them, but we have always been clear that this does not and should never prevent individuals from raising issues of serious wrongdoing that require investigation. We would reiterate that again. 'Our CEO Alex Mahon has had several constructive meetings with Zelda Perkins and we support her work and the ambition to ensure all employees can speak freely and openly. In 2022, following very useful discussions with Zelda, we made changes to our template settlement agreement – which was also previously used to document some Channel 4 redundancies – to move away from comprehensive confidentiality provisions to narrowly defined clauses designed to protect legitimate interests for both parties to the agreements. We took the view that these confidentiality provisions are limited to cover things we think are justified, such as details of payment terms or where we have a duty of care to other employees.' The cache of settlement agreements was obtained by Ed Ryland, a producer who has worked on shows including Have I Got News For You. Ryland has been campaigning for transparency and accountability from Channel 4 since he made a complaint via its Speak Up facility in 2021 after working on unscripted series Joe Lycett's Got Your Back. Ryland accused Channel 4 of making 'misleading statements' about its use of NDAs. He told Deadline: 'We largely don't know what these NDAs are hiding. My attempts to establish the nature of the allegations they cover through further Freedom of Information requests have faced extremely strong legal resistance and so far have been unsuccessful. Channel 4 won't even confirm or deny whether any of these agreements relate to allegations of sexual misconduct. What are they trying to hide?' Channel 4's spokesperson said: 'Channel 4 has a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and harassment, and we actively encourage reporting of unacceptable behaviour. We are taking a leading role in challenging unacceptable behaviour in our industry.' Channel 4 has declined to sign Perkins' Can't Buy My Silence Pledge, but said it supports the ambition behind the statement. The broadcaster's position is that signing the pledge could prevent it from offering settlement agreements, even when they are requested by a departing employee. NDAs are in the spotlight in the UK. ITN, which produces Channel 4 News, has been entangled in the debate after being accused by lawmakers of using NDAs to cover up workplace misconduct. ITN said it now longer uses confidentiality clauses in settlement agreements that 'prevent anyone from talking freely about their experiences.' MPs are also calling on the government to ban NDAs after criticizing their misuse in the music industry. Kienda Hoji, who sits on the board of the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, told BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday that settlement agreements do not need to contain clauses that mean people are 'silenced for life.' He added: 'This idea that somehow an NDA is inextricably linked to a settlement is a misnomer.' Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More Everything We Know About 'Nobody Wants This' Season 2 So Far
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Beyond The Gates Recap: Sharon Has Anita Shaking in Her Boots
Beyond The Gates Recap: Sharon Has Anita Shaking in Her Boots originally appeared on Daytime Confidential. On today's Beyond The Gates recap: Anita and Vernon's Mansion: Sharon arrives and immediately lets Anita know she's not there for small talk. Vernon walks up and Sharon greets him with a warm hug. Anita wonders where Tracy is but Sharon thinks they should chat one on one. With that, Vernon makes his exit. Anita and Sharon get right into it. She knows she had to disassociate from her feelings in order to get where she needed to go. Anita hopes she and Sharon can put everything out on the table. Sharon can't with Anita still trying to be the one in charge when that is what ruined them. Anita says she wants to take anything Sharon is ready to throw her way. Sharon suspects it's easy to feel the heat when Anita has so much money supporting her. Anita admits to making a ton of terrible mistakes but says she has worked hard for everything she has. Sharon notes they were all talented and says she had offers to go solo but chose to stick with the group. Once Anita left, those offers dried up. Sharon notes how rumors spread she had a drug and alcohol problem and knows Anita and Dante were responsible for spreading them. Anita claims to have no knowledge of how those rumors spread. Sharon says it doesn't change the fact that Dante did what he needed to do to elevate Anita's career. Anita wants to do the concert with the two of them to make amends. Sharon says it is too late for her to make amends or have peace of any kind. Anita walks in with tangerines and cheese as she remembers they were Sharon's favorites. Sharon remembers they were so poor and these were the only things they could afford. They chit chat a bit about the good old days when Sharon stops her. She says she's not there to reminisce and asks how much Vernon knows about what actually happened to split up the Articulettes. Anita says he knows she and Tracy were angry about her siding with Dante but told him the rest was complicated. Sharon is not surprised to learn Anita let Vernon think everything Dante spread in the press was accurate. Further, they were never able to defend themselves because he made them sign NDAs simply to receive their final payment. Anita says she never knew, and Sharon gets it as she wouldn't return their calls. Anita admits the pain she caused but says Sharon cannot blame her for the decisions they made together. Sharon loses her s*** and says Anita was the one who decided to break ranks. She was the one who was going to follow her dreams no matter the consequences for the rest of them. Sharon is clearly talking about two different topics when she says Anita told them they could go along with her plan or not. Anita says they did and Sharon confirms – but may God forgive them (I'll admit to being a touch confused). Sharon wants to leave but Anita says they need to get everything out. She doesn't want to be the only one to wonder how much responsibility the bear, individually or together, for what happened (WHAT HAPPENED?!?!). Sharon is having NONE of Anita. She thinks maybe it's time everyone learns the truth about Anita, including Vernon (that look of panic on Anita's face!). Police Station: Detective Walker arrives to speak with Jacob to help with Laura's case. He is an expert in video analysis and Jacob asks the different ways they could make a match. Fairmont Country Club: Chelsea runs into Martin and says she they want Samantha to be the teen face of their purse line. It will allow her to be in the game without going full force. Chelsea wants to join him for lunch but Martin says he's meeting up with his dad. They move along to discuss Hayley's pregnancy. Chelsea thinks the entire situation is cringe worthy. Martin takes a seat and the waiter (who is also following folks around) pours his coffee. He quickly makes his exit when Ted arrives. Martin says he's been thinking about how they keep secrets. He loves his father and doesn't like how he treated his mother but thinks he deserves more compassion and understanding. Martin asks how things are going with his mother. Ted thinks they've made progress but it's not enough. He now thinks Leslie is far more dangerous than anyone ever knew. The waiter watches from a distance as Martin and Ted continue their conversation. Ted fills Martin in on his worries about Leslie having run Laura off the road and how Eva is in danger. He would love to talk to Nicole about this situation and Martin mentions possibly collaborating with Bill to get her gone, once again. Police Station: Kat and Leslie arrive to speak with Jacob. Kat presents him with the leather jacket and the receipts, but Leslie is there purely out of curiosity. Kat begins the presentation of the leather jacket. Jacob says it could have been touched and/or worn by anyone. She moves forward with a tag from the thrift shop, a ticket for a motorcycle without a license plate, and a coffee shop receipt. Kat notes the coffee shop receipt is for a 'Cherry C' which is very similar to 'Sherry C' which is the name Leslie used when she pretended to need Nicole's psychiatric assistance. Jacob asks if Leslie has anything to say for herself. She says she does and asks how she can file for a restraining order against Kat. Leslie is completely over Nancy Drew and her investigation. She says the 'evidence' Kat is presenting could have originated anywhere and has nothing to do with her. Leslie says the harassment has to stop and is serious about the restraining order. Kat calls her an 'arrogant bitch' before Jacob tells her to slow her roll. Leslie says she is up with no more bullying. Before she exits, she leans into Kat and says, 'That's Miss Bitch, bitch.' Kat is over the top telling Jacob how they have all the evidence they need to put Leslie away. During her explanation, Kat says she tried on the jacket which sets Jacob off as she could just as easily be arrested for Laura's 'accident.' He notes hers are likely the only prints on the jacket and the receipts. Orphey Gene's: Chelsea sees her grandfather working on his computer and he says he's working on a commencement address. Chelsea says he has always been good at giving young people advice. Vernon inquires and Chelsea tells him about issues with her latest relationship. Vernon is so sorry and knows rejection is just the worst. Chelsea thinks she dodged a bullet and notes the issues her mother is having with her father. Vernon understands what's happened recently but says there are a whole lot of solid examples of love all around her. Eva's Hotel Room: Eva thinks back to stealing things from her mama's house when Ted arrives. He says he's been trying to reach out to her to discuss Leslie's accusations which is why she has been ghosting. Ted gets it saying he never believed she was the one to run Eva off the road. He says he believed her before she had an alibi. He simply believes in her. Eva defends her mother saying she was probably just trying to get under Kat's skin. Ted counters saying Eva needs to protect herself from her mother. He thinks Eva is afraid of her mother. Eva wondered if her mother could have forced Laura off the road or caused the cardiac arrest but chooses to believe her. Ted gets it but says she can come to her if she ever wants to break free from her mother. Eva tells him to be careful as her mama has a tendency to confuse what she wants with reality. They agree to watch out for each other. Nicole and Ted's Place: (Y'all when I tell you I HOWLED when the camera first focused on that Febreze bottle!) Nicole sprays her house down with Febreze as Martin arrives to see how she is doing. He tells her about his meeting with his father and Nicole says she also spent the morning learning more about Leslie's more dangerous qualities. Martin says Ted misses her but says he would never pressure her in any way. That being said, he can't believe she has gone radio silent. Nicole says giving in would be a relief but wouldn't be real. Previous Beyond The Gates Recap: Endings Anita hopes Sharon will consider her offer about the concert. Sharon thinks the concert is simply a gesture, after which she will cast them aside as she did before (Sharon ain't wrong. The plan was to possibly relaunch her solo career…). Anita says it's not what she wants. Sharon says she knows Anita even better than Vernon and will never trust her again. With that, she makes her exit leaving Anita in tears. Vernon returns to find a despondent Anita on the sofa. He inquires and Anita indicates she couldn't convince Sharon to forgive her as she never forgave herself. Kat arrives home and tells Martin and Nicole about her less than successful trip to the police station. She says how Jacob was less than thrilled with many of her investigative techniques. Martin sides with Jacob and Nicole tells her kids to chill out. She says they need to accept that Leslie will probably get away with everything she's done. Detective Walker returns and tells Jacob his suspect is right at 5'7' and thinks he knows the manufacturer of the helmet and boots. Jacob asks about the leather jacket and the detective says the one in his possession (how would he know because Kat had yet to turn it in) was a match for the one in the video. Leslie shows up at Eva's hotel room asks her what she did with her helmet and gloves. Eva gets all kinds of smug and says they are currently hidden in a much better place than her apartment. Eva says she's protecting herself as what her mama says isn't always what she does. She tells Leslie she now needs to make sure to stay on her good side. Keep checking back for the latest Beyond The Gates recaps! This story was originally reported by Daytime Confidential on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Glasgow Times
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Committee calls on Government to ban NDAs to tackle misogyny in music industry
A report by the WEC found 'misogyny remains deeply rooted in the music industry' and 'meaningful change requires both cultural and structural reform', as the committee also called for changes to the Equality Act and the Employment Rights Bill to ensure freelancers are fully protected. Speaking about her experience in the report, which was published on Wednesday, singer Celeste told the committee: 'What is most prevalent in the daily experience of being female in the music industry is this idea of an ingrained bias, or even an unconscious, sexist bias.' Singer Celeste said an 'unconscious, sexist bias' was prevalent in the music industry (Ian West/PA) The WEC called for improved protections and reporting mechanisms, after finding that sexual harassment remains pervasive in the industry, with reporting rates low due to fear of retaliation, and added that women in music still faced unequal pay and ageism. It urged the Government to bring forward proposals to prohibit the use of NDAs and other forms of confidentiality agreements in cases involving sexual abuse, sexual harassment or sexual misconduct, bullying or harassment, and discrimination relating to a protected characteristic. The WEC said doing so would 'demonstrate decisive leadership and ensure that the silencing of victims of abuse will no longer be tolerated'. It also underlined the 'inadequacy' of legal protections for freelance musicians, saying the Equality Act did not 'clearly extend' to freelancers and those working under temporary conditions such as 'depping', which means substituting for another musician. The report also highlighted challenges faced by parents and carers in the music industry, saying freelancers in particular struggled with 'inadequate maternity support and the high cost of childcare'. The WEC called on the Government to amend the Employment Rights Bill to align maternity allowance with statutory maternity pay to allow self-employed women 'greater flexibility during maternity leave and remove unfairness within the system'. Chairwoman of the WEC and Labour MP Sarah Owen said: 'One year on from the Women and Equalities Committee's report on misogyny in music, significant issues within the industry remain unaddressed and appear to be on repeat. 'WEC's 2024 report warned women pursuing careers in music face endemic misogyny and discrimination in a sector dominated by self-employment. 'It laid bare a boys' club where sexual harassment and abuse is common, and the non-reporting of such incidents is high. 'The misuse of NDAs is a major concern. 'NDAs are frequently used to silence victims of harassment and abuse, often under coercive circumstances. 'The report presents evidence of the psychological toll these agreements take and the power imbalances that make them particularly harmful in the music industry. 'Women working in music feel rightly frustrated at the lack of support from the Government in tackling the challenges they face. 'Female artists should not encounter limitations in opportunity or have to work far harder to get the recognition their ability and talent merits. 'We urge ministers to accept the recommendations in our new report and help set the music industry on a path of lasting change free from discrimination and harassment.' The report also called on the Government to support the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, a new independent body designed to address misconduct across the creative sectors, by 'providing it with the legal assurances it needs to undertake its crucial work'. The UK Government has been contacted for comment.
South Wales Guardian
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Committee calls on Government to ban NDAs to tackle misogyny in music industry
A report by the WEC found 'misogyny remains deeply rooted in the music industry' and 'meaningful change requires both cultural and structural reform', as the committee also called for changes to the Equality Act and the Employment Rights Bill to ensure freelancers are fully protected. Speaking about her experience in the report, which was published on Wednesday, singer Celeste told the committee: 'What is most prevalent in the daily experience of being female in the music industry is this idea of an ingrained bias, or even an unconscious, sexist bias.' The WEC called for improved protections and reporting mechanisms, after finding that sexual harassment remains pervasive in the industry, with reporting rates low due to fear of retaliation, and added that women in music still faced unequal pay and ageism. It urged the Government to bring forward proposals to prohibit the use of NDAs and other forms of confidentiality agreements in cases involving sexual abuse, sexual harassment or sexual misconduct, bullying or harassment, and discrimination relating to a protected characteristic. The WEC said doing so would 'demonstrate decisive leadership and ensure that the silencing of victims of abuse will no longer be tolerated'. It also underlined the 'inadequacy' of legal protections for freelance musicians, saying the Equality Act did not 'clearly extend' to freelancers and those working under temporary conditions such as 'depping', which means substituting for another musician. The report also highlighted challenges faced by parents and carers in the music industry, saying freelancers in particular struggled with 'inadequate maternity support and the high cost of childcare'. The WEC called on the Government to amend the Employment Rights Bill to align maternity allowance with statutory maternity pay to allow self-employed women 'greater flexibility during maternity leave and remove unfairness within the system'. Chairwoman of the WEC and Labour MP Sarah Owen said: 'One year on from the Women and Equalities Committee's report on misogyny in music, significant issues within the industry remain unaddressed and appear to be on repeat. 'WEC's 2024 report warned women pursuing careers in music face endemic misogyny and discrimination in a sector dominated by self-employment. 'It laid bare a boys' club where sexual harassment and abuse is common, and the non-reporting of such incidents is high. 'The misuse of NDAs is a major concern. 'NDAs are frequently used to silence victims of harassment and abuse, often under coercive circumstances. 'The report presents evidence of the psychological toll these agreements take and the power imbalances that make them particularly harmful in the music industry. 'Women working in music feel rightly frustrated at the lack of support from the Government in tackling the challenges they face. 'Female artists should not encounter limitations in opportunity or have to work far harder to get the recognition their ability and talent merits. 'We urge ministers to accept the recommendations in our new report and help set the music industry on a path of lasting change free from discrimination and harassment.' The report also called on the Government to support the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, a new independent body designed to address misconduct across the creative sectors, by 'providing it with the legal assurances it needs to undertake its crucial work'. The UK Government has been contacted for comment.
Leader Live
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Committee calls on Government to ban NDAs to tackle misogyny in music industry
A report by the WEC found 'misogyny remains deeply rooted in the music industry' and 'meaningful change requires both cultural and structural reform', as the committee also called for changes to the Equality Act and the Employment Rights Bill to ensure freelancers are fully protected. Speaking about her experience in the report, which was published on Wednesday, singer Celeste told the committee: 'What is most prevalent in the daily experience of being female in the music industry is this idea of an ingrained bias, or even an unconscious, sexist bias.' The WEC called for improved protections and reporting mechanisms, after finding that sexual harassment remains pervasive in the industry, with reporting rates low due to fear of retaliation, and added that women in music still faced unequal pay and ageism. It urged the Government to bring forward proposals to prohibit the use of NDAs and other forms of confidentiality agreements in cases involving sexual abuse, sexual harassment or sexual misconduct, bullying or harassment, and discrimination relating to a protected characteristic. The WEC said doing so would 'demonstrate decisive leadership and ensure that the silencing of victims of abuse will no longer be tolerated'. It also underlined the 'inadequacy' of legal protections for freelance musicians, saying the Equality Act did not 'clearly extend' to freelancers and those working under temporary conditions such as 'depping', which means substituting for another musician. The report also highlighted challenges faced by parents and carers in the music industry, saying freelancers in particular struggled with 'inadequate maternity support and the high cost of childcare'. The WEC called on the Government to amend the Employment Rights Bill to align maternity allowance with statutory maternity pay to allow self-employed women 'greater flexibility during maternity leave and remove unfairness within the system'. Chairwoman of the WEC and Labour MP Sarah Owen said: 'One year on from the Women and Equalities Committee's report on misogyny in music, significant issues within the industry remain unaddressed and appear to be on repeat. 'WEC's 2024 report warned women pursuing careers in music face endemic misogyny and discrimination in a sector dominated by self-employment. 'It laid bare a boys' club where sexual harassment and abuse is common, and the non-reporting of such incidents is high. 'The misuse of NDAs is a major concern. 'NDAs are frequently used to silence victims of harassment and abuse, often under coercive circumstances. 'The report presents evidence of the psychological toll these agreements take and the power imbalances that make them particularly harmful in the music industry. 'Women working in music feel rightly frustrated at the lack of support from the Government in tackling the challenges they face. 'Female artists should not encounter limitations in opportunity or have to work far harder to get the recognition their ability and talent merits. 'We urge ministers to accept the recommendations in our new report and help set the music industry on a path of lasting change free from discrimination and harassment.' The report also called on the Government to support the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, a new independent body designed to address misconduct across the creative sectors, by 'providing it with the legal assurances it needs to undertake its crucial work'. The UK Government has been contacted for comment.
