After harassment allegations, Charlie Rose dropped by PBS, CBS, Bloomberg
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Eight women have accused Charlie Rose, the longtime TV host who appears on both PBS and CBS, of sexual harassment, the Washington Post reports. Per the Post, the allegations include "lewd phone calls, walking around naked in their presence, or groping their breasts, buttocks or genital areas" and stem from alleged incidents between the late 1990s and 2011. All of the accusers worked or aspired to work on the "Charlie Rose Show."
The big picture: Earlier on Monday, Vox reported on allegations of sexual harassment against the NY Times' Glenn Thrush. There have been at least 16 high-profile men in the media industry accused of sexual misconduct since allegations emerged against Harvey Weinstein.
PBS says it is "shocked" by the allegations and "immediately suspending distribution" of the Charlie Rose Show. CBS News said it will immediately suspend Rose. Bloomberg is also right away suspending the Charlie Rose show from airing on Bloomberg TV and radio. "We are deeply disturbed to learn of these allegations," the company said in a statement.
One accuser, Kyle Godfrey-Ryan, worked as Rose's assistant in the mid-2000s and says he used to appear naked in front of her and make sexually explicit phone calls to her. She says she complained to Rose's assistant, who brushed the accusations aside as "Charlie being Charlie." When she told a friend about Rose's alleged behavior, she says, he fired her.
Rose's response:
"In my 45 years in journalism, I have prided myself on being an advocate for the careers of the women with whom I have worked. Nevertheless, in the past few days, claims have been made about my behavior toward some former female colleagues.
"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."
