Howard Mittman was forced to step down as Bleacher Report CEO yesterday amid complaints about the lack of racial diversity at the AT&T-owned website. Turner Sports President Lenny Daniels will “assume overall responsibility for B/R,” Daniels said via a memo emailed to staff Tuesday. “We’re a team with shared values that are centered in family and, as a workplace, we’re committed to creating and maintaining a diverse, inclusive environment for all,” Daniels wrote. On an interim basis, website leadership will have Sam Toles reporting to Daniels on original content and voice initiatives; Tina Shah overseeing business strategy and operations; Ade Patton handling revenue; Chris Bown managing production and technical operations; and Tara August heading up talent services and special projects.
A N.Y. Daily News story referenced a virtual meeting last week headed up by Taylor Rooks, Adam Lefkoe and Master Tesfatsion “with a persistent theme being underrepresentation of African-Americans in positions of power at a sports content company that is designed to profit off black culture.” In his memo, Daniels wrote that he had been considering changes over the last several months. “With that in mind and based on the many conversations I’ve had with B/R colleagues over the past few weeks, candidly, it’s accelerated the timeline. It’s become clear to me that significant change needs to occur now.”
Along those lines, Daniels said B/R will revamp a “People Advisory Committee” to push for diversity in hiring and management; and he will broaden an initiative called “Reflect Our Fans.” Other changes include having VP/Content Operations of NBA Digital Eric Jackson and Senior Dir/Content Strategy & Management of NBA TV Michael Doyle establish a Basketball Committee and having VP/Social Production & Development Morgan Dewan and Senior VP/Programming Bennett Spector work together on developing a social media strategy.
