'Variety' Editor Suspended 21 Days

By: Gary Gentile, AP Business Writer (AP) Variety editor Peter Bart has been suspended without pay for 21 days and must undergo diversity training because of offensive comments he made in a magazine profile.

Bart will resume his duties on Sept. 10, according to Cahners Business Information, which publishes Variety. His salary during the suspension will be donated to organizations that promote diversity. Cahners said it would make a matching donation.

Cahners said it could not substantiate allegations in the September issue of Los Angeles magazine that Bart sold scripts while he was Variety's editor, but found that some of the actions attributed to Bart constituted an appearance of conflict.

The company promised that Variety, a trade publication that covers the entertainment industry, would strengthen and publish its conflict of interest policies shortly after Bart returns to work.

In a statement issued by Cahners, Bart said he agreed with the decision. "I was quoted making several statements to a Los Angeles magazine reporter that do not reflect my personal beliefs and values or the way that I run the newsroom," Bart said. "Nevertheless, I am deeply sorry and regret that they offended anyone. It will not happen again."

The profile of Bart, 69, who has been Variety editor since 1989, included allegations that he sold a script to Paramount Pictures in 1996. Variety's editorial guidelines prohibit employees from profiting from companies the paper covers.

The article also described Bart's habit of speaking bluntly. It included an accusation from an unidentified former Variety reporter that Bart once said he wouldn't hire gay men "because they get sick and die."

Variety is one of two trade newspapers that cover Hollywood. Variety has a daily circulation of 34,420, compared to 31,713 for the daily Hollywood Reporter. Both newspapers have daily and weekly editions.

The Hollywood Reporter is owned by BPI Communications, which also owns Editor & Publisher.