Jeff Shell’s appointment this month to the presidency of Paramount Global once a merger with Skydance is finalized represents a significant comeback for the former CEO of NBCUniversal who was fired for sexual harassment only a year ago.
He’s the first major media figure to be welcomed back after a potentially career-ending scandal and his hire not only set off cultural alarm bells for women’s advocates, but they warned it creates legal risk for Paramount if Shell were to cross the line on the job again.
Nicole Regalado, vice president of Campaigns at the feminist nonprofit UltraViolet, says that hiring Shell after his high-profile firing “sends the wrong message to women.”