By Tali Arbel, Technology Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --NBCUniversal Vice Chairman Ron Meyer, a Hollywood power player, is leaving the entertainment company after revealing he received threats of extortion following a settlement with a woman with whom he had an affair.
Jeff Shell, CEO of NBCUniversal, said in a statement Tuesday that Meyer "acted in a manner which we believe is not consistent with our company policies or values." NBC declined to elaborate.
Meyer, in a statement provided by Comcast's NBCUniversal, said he "made a settlement, under threat, with a woman outside the company who had made false accusations against me." He said he had a "very brief and consensual affair" a long time ago with the woman, whom he did not name.
He said other people, whom he also did not name, tried to extort him after they learned of the settlement. The extortion included threats to "falsely implicate NBCUniversal, which had nothing to do with this matter."
Shell's statement said that Meyer disclosed his actions to NBC late last week and "we have mutually concluded that Ron should leave the company, effective immediately."
Meyer was head of Universal Studios since 1995 and then promoted to NBCUniversal's vice chairman, providing "strategic guidance and counsel" over its extensive film, TV and theme park business, in 2013. He co-founded Creative Artists Agency, a top Hollywood talent agency, in 1975.
Canada orders TikTok’s Canadian business to be dissolved but won’t block app
Canada announced Wednesday it won't block access to the popular video-sharing app TikTok but is ordering the dissolution of its Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind it.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said it is meant to address risks related to ByteDance Ltd.'s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
"The government is not blocking Canadians' access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content. The decision to use a social media application or platform is a personal choice," Champagne said.
Champagne said it is important for Canadians to adopt good cybersecurity practices, including protecting their personal information.
He said the dissolution order was made in accordance with the Investment Canada Act, which allows for the review of foreign investments that may harm Canada's national security. He said the decision was based on information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada's security and intelligence community and other government partners.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of local jobs.
"We will challenge this order in court," the spokesperson said. "The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive."
TikTok is wildly popular with young people, but its Chinese ownership has raised fears that Beijing could use it to collect data on Western users or push pro-China narratives and misinformation. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company that moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2020.
TikTok faces intensifying scrutiny... Read More