Netflix CEO Reed Hastings sent an all-company memo Friday afternoon alerting employees that he’s fired chief communications officer Jonathan Friedland for using the N-word as a descriptive term on two occasions.
According to The Wrap, the memo detailed two separate incidents a few days apart in which Friedland had used the racially insensitive word in the context of discussing racial insensitivity–both incidents of which were said to be hurtful to employees who were present. “I’ve made a decision to let [Frieldand] go,” Hastings wrote in the memo. “Jonathan contributed greatly in many areas, but his descriptive use of the N-word on at least two occasions at work showed unacceptably low racial awareness and sensitivity, and is not in line with our values as a company.”
Frieldand was said to be in charge of publicity for Netflix’s original content.
Fast Company has reached out to Netflix for comment and will update this story with its response.
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