Roy Rochlin/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — CBS has fired veteran journalist Charlie Rose after nearly a dozen women accused him of sexual misconduct in interviews with the Washington Post and Business Insider.
In a statement to staff also posted on Twitter, CBS News President David Rhodes said Rose was terminated “effective immediately,” following “the revelation yesterday of extremely disturbing and intolerable behavior said to have revolved around his PBS program.”
“There is absolutely nothing more important, in this or any organization, than ensuring a safe, professional workplace,” the statement continued, in part.
Rose issued an apology to the Washington Post after the allegations first broke and later, he shared it on Twitter.
“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,” Rose wrote. “Nevertheless, in the past few days, claims have been made about my behavior toward some former female colleagues.”
Rose continued: “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.”
He concluded: “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.”
Rose is the latest public figure to be accused of varying degrees of sexual harassment and worse in recent weeks, including movie producers Harvey Weinstein and Brett Ratner, director James Toback, actors Kevin Spacey, Jeffrey Tambor and Steven Seagal, comic Louis C.K., politicians Roy Moore and Al Franken, and others.
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