Former United Paramount Network president and CEO Dean Valentine is said to have kissed and made
up with Viacom Inc. just in time for the holiday.
Insiders said Valentine and the media giant have settled his $22 million
breach-of-contract suit out of court.
Valentine, who stepped down last month after a four-year run atop the
network, is said to have settled for close to one-half of the $22 million he was asking for, insiders said.
Valentine was unreachable for comment Wednesday.
He originally filed his suit against Viacom last September and somehow managed to
remain at his post for four more months.
Valentine's suit contended that Viacom executives had failed to work out a final
contract with him or set up an agreeable salary structure.
Viacom and UPN executives had no comment.
Since Valentine left the network, CBS president and CEO Les Moonves has
gained oversight of UPN and Dawn Tarnofsky-Ostroff has been hired to run the
network's programming division.
