Image via WikipediaBut in greenlighting "The Black Panther" for its planned premiere early next year, Hudlin has ignited ethical questions on whether his personal involvement in the TV series benefits him financially while also clashing with his responsibilities as a network chief.
In press materials, he is listed as an executive producer on "The Black Panther" along with Denys Cowan, senior vice president of animation for BET Networks. Hudlin will also receive at least a story credit for the six episodes that have been ordered thus far, which are based on installments he wrote for Marvel.
Hudlin declined to answer questions this week about whether he was being paid specifically for producing or writing "The Black Panther," and whether he would participate in possible future sales of the animated series to other outlets or consumers. Other executives at Viacom-owned BET also refused to comment on the project.
Some ethics experts who were contacted about the matter speculated on whether Hudlin's treatment of "The Black Panther" represents a potential conflict of interest.
"This does raise the question of impropriety," said C. Kerry Fields, a business law and ethics professor at the USC Marshall School of Business. "This deal doesn't seem to have the sense of impartiality it should have. It certainly raises the issue of whether the board of directors for the network is exercising sufficient oversight. The cost, network support, advertising and its placement in the program lineup are all things he controls."
When I read this I couldn't believe it. What? I mean Hudlin is executive producer. Why shouldn't he get paid?! The other thing is that we consider is the fact that if Hudlin did not have the power he wielded at BET, the show would not exist at all! If Hudlin were white and the Black Panther was a white character, I don't think anyone would be asking about ethics.
Black Panther battles ethics - Los Angeles Times
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