CBS News has terminated its contract with longtime reporter and anchor Charlie Rose after The Washington Post reported on eight women’s “extremely disturbing” allegations against him, said CBS News President David Rhodes.
Rhodes said he was “deeply disappointed and angry” and said the termination was “effective immediately.”
“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. “I’ve often heard things used to be different. And no one may be able to correct the past. But what may once have been accepted should never have been acceptable.”
In order to maintain CBS News’ “credibility” reporting on “extraordinary revelations” at other media outlets, CBS needs to maintain credibility managing what should be “basic standards of behavior,” Rhodes said, which is why they acted so swiftly with Rose.
“I’m deeply disappointed and angry that people were victimized—and even people not connected with these events could see their hard work undermined,” he said. “If all of us commit to the best behavior and the best work – that is what we can be known for.”
NEW: CBS News terminates Charlie Rose following allegations of sexual misconduct. "There is absolutely nothing more important, in this or any organization, than ensuring a safe, professional workplace," says CBS News President David Rhodes. pic.twitter.com/CPgVRjsvXJ
— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 21, 2017
Rose has been a co-host of “CBS This Morning” since the show’s inception and is also a contributing correspondent for “60 Minutes.”
The Post published a scathing report on Monday evening, detailing the allegations of eight women who claimed Rose made unwanted sexual advances toward them. According to the women, those advances included inappropriate phone calls, walking around naked in front of them and groping them. The alleged incidents spanned over two decades, started in the late 1990s, according to the Post.
Rose was suspended less than two hours after the Post published its piece and Rose later posted a statement on Twitter appoligizing for his “inappropriate behavior” and saying he didn’t think all the accusations were accurate. He said he thought he was “pursuing shared feelings” at the time.
My statement in full. pic.twitter.com/3kvFrqF2dT
— Charlie Rose (@charlierose) November 20, 2017
On “CBS This Morning” Tuesday, Rose’s former co-hosts Norah O’Donnell and Gayle King were brutally honest about the disturbing nature of the allegations and their disappointment in Rose.
“This has to end. This behavior is wrong. Period,” O’Donnell said.
PBS also announced Tuesday it was terminating its relationship with Rose and cancelling distribution of his programs, according to New York Times reporter John Koblin.
PBS had already said Monday night that it would no longer distribute Rose’s nightly “Charlie Rose” show after the allegations surfaced, PBS News Hour reported.
BREAK: PBS is ending its relationship with Charlie Rose: "In light of yesterday’s revelations, PBS has terminated its relationship with Charlie Rose and cancelled distribution of his programs."
— John Koblin (@koblin) November 21, 2017
More: "PBS expects all the producers we work with to provide a workplace where people feel safe and are treated with dignity and respect."
— John Koblin (@koblin) November 21, 2017
