Paramount president and CEO Bob Bakish has revealed additional steps to pause operations in Russia following its invasion of Ukraine and has introduced a $1 million donation to assist humanitarian aid.
In an inner memo to workers on Tuesday, Bakish wrote: “Like a lot of you, I’m carefully following the devastating, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The ensuing humanitarian disaster and its ripple results on the lives of thousands and thousands of individuals throughout Ukraine, Japanese Europe, and in Russia itself, is heartbreaking to witness.”
“For the reason that starting of this disaster, our groups the world over have been working across the clock to find out the very best, and most significantly – most secure – methods we as a enterprise can present our assist for all these impacted. I wish to be clear, the security and safety of workers and all those that work with us is, and can all the time be, our high precedence. We proceed to supply specialised assist providers to a whole bunch of workers, freelance and stuck time period workers in Ukraine, Russia, and Poland whose lives are being impacted by this disaster.”
Bakish stated that the studio is “taking a collection of steps to droop our operations in Russia, together with pausing the availability of Paramount International content material.” The studio had already suspended theatrical launch of movies in Russia, together with “The Misplaced Metropolis” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 2.” Bakish stated that writer Simon & Schuster had suspended gross sales to accounts in Russia, together with the licensing of translation rights to Russian publishers and tht Paramount Client Merchandise would pause all new licensing offers in Russia.
“Different exercise, together with the distribution of linear channels and a few content material licensing, will take extra time to pause as a result of present contractual, technical and accomplice complexities,” Bakish stated.
Revealing a $1 million company donation to assist humanitarian aid, Bakish inspired workers to instantly assist these in want throughout humanitarian disaster unfolds. “Eligible workers within the U.Ok. and the U.S. can make the most of the Paramount Matching Program, which we’re working to increase to further worldwide areas,” Bakish wrote.
“As well as, we’re utilizing our content material and capabilities to assist these in want, together with the facility of our international platforms to make sure the world bears witness to this tragedy, in addition to to assist humanitarian aid efforts,” Bakish wrote. “The brave information groups at CBS Information, Channel 5, Chilevision, Community 10, and Telefe have been reporting across the clock from on the bottom in Ukraine and neighboring nations.”
The chief highlighted Paramount group firm efforts throughout the disaster, together with the U.Ok.’s Channel 5 latest fundraising particular, “Ukraine: How YOU Can Assist,” MTVE’s international name to motion throughout linear and social for audiences to donate funds to assist aid efforts throughout a number of organizations, and the Client Merchandise workforce donating toys, merchandise, and funds to organizations which can be supporting youngsters and households from Ukraine who’re in search of refuge.
“Our workforce is working to rapidly carry Ukrainian-language youngsters’ content material to European nations like Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Spain and France without spending a dime on Pluto TV, and to Poland by means of native Nickelodeon distribution companions,” Bakish added. “And there’s extra underway and to come back.”
“As we pause our operations, we’ll proceed to financially assist our devoted workforce in Moscow. I additionally ask everybody throughout the enterprise to please be delicate to the impact this disaster is having on colleagues throughout Europe, and notably those that are Ukrainian, Russian, and in Japanese Europe,” Bakish concluded.
