CBS News fires Charlie Rose after sexual misconduct allegations
CBS News has fired "CBS This Morning" co-host Charlie Rose over allegations of sexual misconduct, CBS News president David Rhodes announced Tuesday.
"Despite Charlie's important journalistic contribution to our news division, there is absolutely nothing more important, in this or any organization, than ensuring a safe, professional workplace -- a supportive environment where people feel they can do their best work. We need to be such a place," Rhodes said in a statement Tuesday.
Rose was suspended from the network the previous day after The Washington Post published claims from eight women, all of whom worked or wanted to work for his PBS program. They describe Rose making unwanted sexual advances in the 1990s through 2011.
Shortly after CBS News' announcement, PBS said it had canceled the "Charlie Rose" show, which aired since 1991.
"In light of yesterday's revelations, PBS has terminated its relationship with Charlie Rose and cancelled distribution of his programs. PBS expects all the producers we work with to provide a workplace where people feel safe and are treated with dignity and respect," PBS said in a statement.
Bloomberg also confirmed to CBS News that they have terminated their agreement to rebroadcast the talk show.
On Tuesday, three new accusers came forward, this time women who work at CBS News.
Washington Post reporter Amy Brittain spent weeks reaching out to Rose's former employees and job seekers.
"I think that you can't understate, you know, the level of influence and power that a man like Charlie Rose has," Brittain said.
Several women "described Rose putting his hand on their legs, sometimes their upper thigh." One said he "groped her breasts" as she drove him in a car. Two women said he "walked naked in front of them" after taking a shower.
"Some critics might say, well why were they in position, you know, to see him naked? But the thing about Charlie Rose is that he would commonly require his employees to come over to his private homes," Brittain said.
Read CBS News president David Rhodes' statement in full below:
A short time ago we terminated Charlie Rose's employment with CBS News, effective immediately. This followed the revelation yesterday of extremely disturbing and intolerable behavior said to have revolved around his PBS program.
Despite Charlie's important journalistic contribution to our news division, there is absolutely nothing more important, in this or any organization, than ensuring a safe, professional workplace-a supportive environment where people feel they can do their best work. We need to be such a place.
I've often heard that things used to be different. And no one may be able to correct the past. But what may once have been accepted should not ever have been acceptable.
CBS News has reported on extraordinary revelations at other media companies this year and last. Our credibility in that reporting requires credibility managing basic standards of behavior. That is why we have taken these actions.
Let's please remember our obligations to each other as colleagues. We will have human resources support today and every day, and we are organizing more personal and direct training which you will hear about from senior management shortly.
I'm deeply disappointed and angry that people were victimized-and that even people not connected with these events could see their hard work undermined. If all of us commit to the best behavior and the best work - that is what we can be known for.
