© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WECS · WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM · WVOF
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

CBS CEO Les Moonves Accused Of Sexual Harassment

Updated at 6:30 p.m. ET

The New Yorker magazine has published an article by Ronan Farrow detailing accusations of sexual harassment by CBS CEO Les Moonves and other men at the company.

Farrow interviewed 30 current and former CBS employees about alleged improper behavior by Moonves toward staff at CBS News and 60 Minutes. Farrow said six women said Moonves had sexually harassed them. Others told Farrow that other men at the company who were accused of improper behavior were promoted, as CBS paid settlements to the women who complained.

The New Yorker quotes victims as saying their careers were harmed by resisting Moonves' advances. In a statement to the magazine, Moonves says he regrets advances made decades ago when he "may have made some women uncomfortable," but he denies misusing his position to harm anyone's career. The allegations against Moonves go back two decades but also detail more recent incidents.

The company's statement said: "All allegations of personal misconduct are to be taken seriously. The Independent Directors of CBS have committed to investigating claims that violate the Company's clear policies in that regard."

The statement does not name Moonves directly, but it is titled "Statement From CBS Independent Directors Regarding The New Yorker."

Farrow is the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who, along with The New York Times last year, broke the story of Harvey Weinstein's sexual misconduct.

CBS shares plunged on news of the company's investigation into its CEO and chairman.

Moonves, 68, has headed CBS Corporation since 2016. Before that, he headed CBS Entertainment an CBS Television. He is currently embroiled in a fight with Shari Redstone of Viacom Corp., which is trying to merge with CBS.

A former actor, Moonves is married to CBS on-air personality Julie Chen.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

As supervising editor for Arts and Culture at NPR based at NPR West in Culver City, Ted Robbins plans coverage across NPR shows and online, focusing on TV at a time when there's never been so much content. He thinks "arts and culture" encompasses a lot of human creativity — from traditional museum offerings to popular culture, and out-of-the-way people and events.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content