Several news staffers at CBS News have filed complaints with human resources against the president and co-head of the network’s news division, Neeraj Khemlani, reports the New York Post.
The paper cited what it called multiple sources, but did not name them. The Post also reported that agents for CBS employees have complained directly to CBS CEO George Cheeks.
The accusations come amidst fears that Khemlani will implement cost-cutting moves in an already under-resourced news division that has been stuck in third place in news among the big three broadcast networks.
Cheeks named Khemlani to his position along with Wendy McMahon, the former head of ABC’s station group, eight months ago. The power-sharing arrangement put Khemlani in charge of the network division and McMahon to lead the local stations.
The story describes Khemlani as “tough,” with employees labeling him “rude” and a “micromanaging.”
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Khemlani comes from Hearst Newspapers where he served as executive vice president but previously worked at CBS News as a producer on 60 Minutes. The move combined the two divisions that traditionally have been looked at separately.
“This is an opportunity to create a news and information structure that positions CBS for the future,” Cheeks said at the time in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “It speaks to our ability to scale newsgathering, production, technical and operational resources to serve both national and local, linear and digital, with the agility to deliver trusted information to every platform.”
There has been no response from Khemlani or CBS about the report from the Post.
Just this morning, the Insider’s Chief Media Correspondent reported that Khemlani had announced a management reshuffling.
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