(Reuters) – ABC News, a unit of Walt Disney Co, fired senior executive Barbara Fedida after an independent investigation alleged that she had made racially callous comments and used inappropriate language, according to an email from the company.
Fedida also managed in a rough way and did not return to ABC, Peter Rice, a Disney executive, said in an email ABC shared with Reuters.
Fedida, the network’s former senior vice president for talent, editorial strategy and business affairs, denied the allegations when they appeared in media reports in June, describing them as “incredibly misleading.” She said she had been an advocate for diversity with a history of hiring and promoting journalists of color.
Reuters was unable to reach Fedida for comment Monday. Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The investigation found no basis for allegations that Fedida was the subject of dozens of human resource complaints, Rice said. She also said there was no evidence that ABC had spent millions of dollars on settlements related to it.
ABC placed Fedida on leave last month while investigating the allegations.
Following the death of African-American George Floyd, other media, from the New York Times to Refinery29 and Bon Appetit, also face criticism of how they have handled the issue of race.
Rice said “serious work” was needed to improve ABC’s culture of inclusion.
Fedida’s role would be divided, with business matters separate from recruiting and talent relations, each with its own head, he added.
(Praveen Paramasivam Report in Bangalore; Stephen Coates Edition)
