Paramount Global
Risk Level:
Summary:
Paramount Global (since 2022, formerly ViacomCBS), the parent network of Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, CBS, and more, frequently uses its platform to advance ideological agendas. It promotes LGBTQ content to kids, partnered with the NAACP to promote activists, and funded Amnesty International. The company has also denounced state efforts to reform their election processes post-pandemic while at the same time banning donations to Republican election objectors. ViacomCBS does not protect its employees from potential viewpoint discrimination and discriminates against faith-based charities. The company has not publicly canceled business relationships, however. For these reasons, ViacomCBS receives a "Medium Risk" rating.
Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.
Paramount Global has not publicly terminated business relationships due to religious or political beliefs. As ViacomCBS, the company received a 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign (1). Among other requirements, this means Paramount Global vets suppliers for pro-LGBTQ policies.
Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.
ViacomCBS’s matching gifts program states that contributions to religious, political, or fraternal organizations will not be matched. As ViacomCBS, the employee donation matching program stated that “contributions to religious, political, or fraternal organizations will not be matched” (1). It remains to be seen if Paramount Global will make any changes to this policy.
Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.
Paramount Global does not protect its employees against viewpoint discrimination (1).
Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.
As ViacomCBS, Paramount Global denounced state election integrity efforts to reform their own election processes after the pandemic (1). CBS announced a new reality tv show called “The Activist,” where activists will “compete in missions, media stunts, digital campaigns and community events” (2)(3). Another affiliate, Nickelodeon, has added pro-LGBTQ messaging to many of its kids’ shows (4)(5). ViacomCBS noted that they would “monitor” a 2019 fetal heartbeat law in Georgia and considered moving production from the state (6).
Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.
In 2020, ViacomCBS donated $5 million to several different social justice organizations, including the NAACP, Amnesty International, and National Bail Out (1). The company has not publicly funded other ideological groups hostile to freedom of expression.
Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.
All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
March 23, 2023
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