Charter makes diversity pledge in Time Warner merger deal

Charter Communications says it would commit to appointing more minorities to its board of directors as it looks to regulators to approve its proposed merger with Time Warner Cable. The St. Louis (MO)-based cable company will appoint an African-American director, an Asian-American director and a Hispanic director to its board within two years of the sale closing, it said.

The company also committed to appointing a chief diversity officer and implementing unspecified other measures to improve diversity at the company and in its programming. "Charter strives to reflect the great diversity of the communities we serve in all our business practices as a key component of our continued success,” said CEO Tom Rutledge. The conditions are outlined in a memorandum of understanding the firm said it had drawn up with civil-rights groups, including the National Urban League, the National Council of La Raza and Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network.