CBS Settles Discrimination Lawsuit with Brian Beneker
CBS has reached a settlement in a discrimination lawsuit brought by Brian Beneker, a script coordinator who alleged he was denied a writing job on “SEAL Team” because he is a straight white man.
Beneker’s claim was based on CBS’ diversity hiring goals, which included aiming for 50% representation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) writers by 2022-23, a target he considered to be an illegal quota.
While the terms of the settlement were not disclosed, it is known that Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, has recently revised its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. The company stated in a memo that it will no longer establish or utilize numerical goals related to race, ethnicity, sex, or gender in hiring practices.
Beneker was supported in his lawsuit by America First Legal, an advocacy group led by White House adviser Stephen Miller, which has been challenging DEI policies in the private sector.
Despite the settlement with Beneker, there are no further changes planned to Paramount Global’s diversity policies, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Currently, Paramount Global is seeking approval from the Trump administration for a merger with Skydance Media. However, the Federal Communications Commission is conducting an investigation into Paramount due to allegations of misleading editing in a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris. This investigation could impact the approval of the merger, and Trump has also filed a $20 billion lawsuit against the company over the interview.
The FCC has also initiated probes into DEI policies at Comcast, the parent company of NBCUniversal, and at Disney.
Beneker’s lawsuit against CBS survived a motion to dismiss, with Judge John Walter determining that the company’s objections would be better suited for a summary judgment motion. Instead of proceeding with further legal action, the parties opted to settle after a mediation session in December.
America First Legal is also representing Jeff Vaughn, a former anchor on KCAL and KCBS, in a similar lawsuit against CBS Broadcasting. This case is ongoing and scheduled for trial in March 2026.
CBS declined to provide a comment on the settlement. The company had previously argued in its motion to dismiss that the First Amendment grants it broad discretion in hiring decisions for creative roles. The resolution of the lawsuit leaves this legal question unresolved.
In a separate case, Disney has invoked similar arguments in defense of firing Gina Carano, the actor from “The Mandalorian,” who was terminated for controversial social media posts. Carano has filed a lawsuit alleging unlawful termination in retaliation for her political beliefs.
U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett denied Disney’s motion to dismiss Carano’s lawsuit, ruling that the First Amendment does not provide absolute protection. The case is ongoing, with a trial scheduled for next February.
