PBS, CBS suspend journalist Charlie Rose after mulitple allegations of sexual misconduct
Charlie Rose, the longtime TV journalist who co-hosts CBS This Morning, contributes to 60 Minutes and is best known for his PBS interview show, Charlie Rose, has just been added to the growing roster of men who have been accused of sexually harassing or assaulting people they work with.
He’s copping to most of it, and both CBS and PBS announced that he or his show are being suspended.
The Washington Post reported late Monday that eight women told the paper that Rose, 75, made unwanted sexual advances toward them, including lewd phone calls, walking around naked in their presence, or groping their breasts, buttocks or genital areas, while they worked for him or aspired to work for him.
Following that report, Business Insider published accounts from three unnamed women (they could not say if they were the same women cited by The Post), who said that in 2005, 2008 and 2010, while they interned for Rose or sought to work for him, Rose behaved inappropriately.
The Post’s accusations cover the period between the late 1990s to as recently as 2011; the accusers ranged in age from 21 to 37 at the time of the alleged encounters.
“There are striking commonalities in the accounts of the women, each of whom described their interactions with Rose in multiple interviews with The Post. For all of the women, reporters interviewed friends, colleagues or family members who said the women had confided in them about aspects of the incidents.”
The Post said three of the eight spoke on the record. Five spoke on the condition of anonymity “out of fear of Rose’s stature in the industry, his power over their careers or what they described as his volatile temper.”
In the piece published by Business Insider, one women said that Rose touched her legs inappropriately as he was dropping her off at a dormitory in New York City, and then on a separate occasion when she sought career advice, invited her to his hotel room late in the evening.
Another says he invited her to dinner to discuss career opportunities, had her meet him at his townhouse, and greeted her at the door in a bathrobe and invited her into his home. A third woman also says Rose greeted her at the door in a bathrobe while she was delivering research to his apartment as an intern, and invited her in. She declined.
Rose, who has been prominent on American TV screens for 45 years, quibbled about the accuracy of some of the allegations but he acknowledged his misdeeds and apologized, in a statement to The Post.
“It is essential that these women know I hear them and that I deeply apologize for my inappropriate behavior. I am greatly embarrassed. I have behaved insensitively at times, and I accept responsibility for that, though I do not believe that all of these allegations are accurate. I always felt that I was pursuing shared feelings, even though I now realize I was mistaken.
“I have learned a great deal as a result of these events, and I hope others will too. All of us, including me, are coming to a newer and deeper recognition of the pain caused by conduct in the past, and have come to a profound new respect for women and their lives.”
Shortly after the Post’s story went online, PBS issued a statement.
“PBS was shocked to learn today of these deeply disturbing allegations. We are immediately suspending distribution of Charlie Rose.
“Charlie Rose is produced by Charlie Rose, Inc., an independent television production company. PBS does not fund this nightly program or supervise its production, but we expect our producers to provide a workplace where people feel safe and are treated with dignity and respect.”
CBS issued its statement to USA TODAY shortly after it was reported on CBS Evening News. “Charlie Rose is suspended immediately while we look into this matter. These allegations are extremely disturbing and we take them very seriously.”