CBS News was put in a difficult position this evening of having to cover a stunning story involving a colleague: Charlie Rose.
Tonight’s broadcast of the CBS Evening News devoted two full minutes to the Washington Post report published this afternoon about eight women who say the longtime TV journalist made lewd phone calls, walked around naked in their presence, or groped their breasts, butt, or genitals over the years.
CBS Evening News anchor Anthony Mason teed up the segment for longtime CBS News correspondent Jim Axelrod.
Here’s the transcript:
Mason: The wave of sexual abuse allegations we’ve been reporting from Hollywood to Washington has now touched CBS News. Late today, CBS suspended correspondent Charlie Rose after the Washington Post reported that eight women associated with his PBS program are accusing him of sexual harassment. Rose apologized in a statement to the post. More now from Jim Axelrod.
Axelrod: The eight women according to the Washington Post were either employees of the Charlie Rose show from the late 1990s to 2011 or aspired to work for him there. Rose, suspended late today by CBS News, is 75. He co-hosts CBS This Morning and has been a contributing correspondent for 60 Minutes for nearly a decade.
The women who spoke to the Post worked for Charlie Rose inc., not CBS or PBS, where his interview show airs, or Bloomberg, where it’s taped and rebroadcast. The allegations in the Washington Post article include rose making unwanted sexual advances in the form lewd phone calls, groping, and walking around naked in front of the women. Five described Rose, who Time magazine named one of its “100 Most Influential People,” putting his hand on their leg to test the reaction. Two said while working for him at his home or while traveling on business with him, he came out of the shower, walking naked in front of them.
Rose told the Post in a statement, “I deeply apologize for my inappropriate behavior. I am greatly embarrassed. I have behaved insensitively at time, and I accept responsibility for that, though i do not believe that all of these allegations are accurate.”
In a statement, CBS News said, “Charlie Rose is suspended immediately while we look into this matter. These allegations are extremely disturbing and we take them seriously.”
In addition, this evening PBS and Bloomberg suspended distribution of his program.
