Netflix’s Chief Communications Officer Let Go Following “Insensitive” Remarks

Netflix has let go of its longtime chief communications officer, Jonathan Friedland, after Friedland himself conceded on Twitter that he was “insensitive in speaking to my team about words that offend in comedy.”

The Hollywood Reporter reports that Friedland used the n-word in a meeting with staffers, who later reported the incident. CEO Reed Hastings notified employees in a company-wide this afternoon. Friedland had been at Netflix for seven years, and wrote on Twitter that “leaders have to be beyond reproach in the example we set…I feel awful about the distress this lapse caused to people at a company I love and where I want everyone to feel included and appreciated.” At the same time, Friedlad said he felt “honored to have built a brilliant and diverse global team.”

As chief communications officer, Friedland oversaw traditional media, social media, and content publicity for Netflix in 190 countries, according to his LinkedIn profile. Prior to joining streaming giant, Friedland was the Los Angeles bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal and the SVP of corporate communications for The Walt Disney Company.

Check out his full remarks on Twitter right here: