Credit: AP ImagesThe Walt Disney Company isn’t the only studio that’s in hot water. NBCUniversal will lose its CEO after an inappropriate relationship between Jeff Shell and an unnamed woman at the company has come to light.
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Jeff Shell started with the entertainment giant as the President of Programming. He soon became the chairman of Film and Entertainment, then was promoted to CEO of NBCUniversal in 2020 after the previous CEO stepped down. However, if you search Jeff Shell on NBCUniverisal’s company sight today, you’ll find an error page.
“I had an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company, which I deeply regret,” Shell admitted openly in his own statement. “I’m truly sorry I let my Comcast and NBCUniversal colleagues down, they are the most talented people in the business, and the opportunity to work with them the last 19 years has been a privilege.”
Shell oversaw NBC’s television and news programming, along with the film and entertainment from Universal Pictures. He also was in charge of Peacock programming and sports broadcasting, such as the Olympics.
While the CEO of NBCUniversal may seem like the highest level for the company, a Bob Iger type, if you will, the entertainment media studio is under the umbrella of Comcast. Comcast gained sole ownership of the company back in 2013. Comcast CEO Brian L. Roberts decided that all staff who reported to Shell, must now report to Comcast president Mike Cavanagh.
In a memo released by Roberts to the staff, he stated, “We are disappointed to share this news with you. We built this company on a culture of integrity. Nothing is more important than how we treat each other. You should count on your leaders to create a safe and respectful workplace. When our principles and policies are violated, we will always move quickly to take appropriate action, as we have done here.”
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It is unclear how long and to what extent the “inappropriate relationship” was going on. However, it is common for men in these positions to take advantage of their powers. We have seen it all too often, but it seems as though NBCUniversal and Comcast will no longer tolerate this behavior. The entertainment company is making an example out of Shell, showing that even CEOs can lose their jobs if they cross the line between appropriate and inappropriate.
Are you glad to see companies take action when inappropriate behavior occurs? Let us know in the comments.