Cablefax The Magazine September 2023 - 19

Bernard Gugar
General Counsel and EVP, Corporate Development
Fox News Media
THE WHY: As part of Fox News Media's DEI council, Gugar has been part of employee
growth and career development initiatives. He's also involved in the legal community,
serving as a mentor for rising attorneys in the industry. Prior to joining the network,
he provided his skills and background to the University of Chicago's Polsky Center for
Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Booth School of Business, where he guided
tech entrepreneurs spanning digital media, fintech, healthcare, artificial intelligence
and E-commerce industries in developing and monetizing their business ventures.
HE SAYS... " DEI leaders at Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences have resigned or been let go in recent weeks, as well as the creative diversity director at the BBC. While
some departures can be squarely linked to the economic headwinds the industry as a whole has been facing, any
concomitant cost-cutting in the DEI space raises significant questions about the future DEI strategy of these companies
specifically, as well as that of the industry writ large. "
WHAT RECENT POP CULTURE MOMENT SHOWED PROGRESS IN DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN
ENTERTAINMENT? The 2023 Grammy Awards. People invited to perform were from varied backgrounds and
covered a wide swath of genres.
Jason Gumbs
SVP, Big South Region
Comcast
THE WHY: Not only does he advocate for federal programs like the Affordable
Connectivity Program, Gumbs is a strong proponent of how Comcast can help
as well. He's an ambassador for the company's Project UP plan, which includes
specific initiatives like Internet Essentials-Comcast's low-cost broadband adoption
program for low-income households-and its Lift Zones. Gumbs is also heavily
involved with the Black Employee Network, where he started a separate mentoring
program dedicated to helping members from the group.
HE SAYS... " A diverse employee base ensures a well-rounded set of perspectives and approaches to the
business. "
HOW HAS ADVOCATING FOR DEI BENEFITED YOUR COMPANY OR DEPARTMENT? It has ensured
a more diverse set of views from our teams when addressing a challenge. Our employee base reflects
the communities that we serve, which is a very important part of our business.
Bernie Han
GVP, Spectrum Networks News Standards & Practices
Charter Communications
THE WHY: Han holds an important role in helping tell stories that reflect diverse
communities, but it starts from within. Han and the Spectrum News D&I Task Force
launched a one-on-one mentoring program for emerging diverse leaders within
the organization. Additionally in the past year, she continued to oversee Spectrum
News' partnership with AllSides to help identify and mitigate journalistic bias in
story selection, framing and word choice.
SHE SAYS... " As local journalists, we are tasked with covering the stories that
represent our audience and making sure we are diverse in our storytelling. A strong
commitment to authentic DEI not only deepens our reporting, it's also a guard against bias. "
PLACE I WOULD LOVE TO RETIRE TO: Definitely New York City! I love its fast pace and that it's always changing.
I know some people may think I'm crazy for wanting to retire in NYC but for me the city offers everything I need ...
all at only a $2.75 subway ride away.
CablefaxDiversity.com
September 2023
19

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Cablefax The Magazine September 2023

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