A bombshell article published in The New Yorker magazine has accused CBS chairman and chief executive, Leslie Moonves, of sexual misconduct stretching back decades and painted a broader picture of similar behaviour within America's most watched television network.
The article published on Friday makes Moonves, a distinguished executive who transformed CBS into a ratings winner, one of the most powerful American men implicated in the #MeToo era that ignited last year after the career implosion of Harvey Weinstein.
CBS announced that it had launched an investigation into the 'recently reported' alleged misconduct. Reports about the story sent CBS shares tumbling more than six percent, hours before it was even published.
Six women who had professional dealings with Moonves told the magazine that he sexually harassed them between the 1980s and late 2000s.
Four described forcible touching or kissing during business meetings, and two said Moonves physically intimidated them or threatened to derail their careers, the magazine reported.
"I recognize that there were times decades ago when I may have made some women uncomfortable by making advances. Those were mistakes, and I regret them immensely," Moonves said in a statement.
The New Yorker said 30 current or former employees complained that such behaviour extended from Moonves to important parts of the corporation, including CBS News and its flagship investigative program '60 Minutes.' But his wife Julie Chen said she fully supported her husband.
"Leslie is a good man and a loving father, a devoted husband and an inspiring corporate leader. He has always been a kind, decent and moral human being," she said on Twitter.
The New Yorker reported that during Moonves's tenure, men at CBS News who were accused of sexual misconduct were promoted, even as the company paid settlements to women with complaints.
The magazine said 19 current and former employees accused Jeff Fager, the former chairman of CBS News and the current executive producer of '60 Minutes,' of allowing harassment in the division.
“We are seeing vigorous discourse in our country about equality, inclusion, and safety in the workplace, and CBS is committed to being part of the solution," CBS said in a statement.
The corporation's board of directors had earlier issued a pre-emptive statement, saying that upon conclusion of its investigation, it would 'promptly review the findings and take appropriate action.' In November, CBS News sacked Charlie Rose, at the time one of America's most respected TV journalists, after eight women told a newspaper he had made unwanted sexual advances.
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