NEW YORK: Charlie Rose, one of America's most respected broadcasters, an award-winning television host and interviewer, was suspended Monday after eight women accused him of years of sexual harassment and unwanted advances.
A bombshell Washington Post report said the women were employees or aspired to work on the Charlie Rose show and were in their 20s and 30s when the alleged harassment took place from the 1990s to as recently as 2011.
They complained that the unwanted advances included lewd phone calls, groping and walking naked in front of them. Three of them spoke on the record.
The report makes Rose, now 75, the latest senior male journalist accused of misconduct in the wake of the downfall of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, which opened the floodgates of sexual assault and harassment accusations in many industries.
Almost immediately, public broadcaster PBS moved to suspend distribution of the Charlie Rose show. CBS, where Rose co-hosts CBS This Morning and is a contributing correspondent for 60 Minutes, followed suit.
"Charlie Rose is suspended immediately while we look into this matter. These allegations are extremely disturbing and we take them very seriously," a CBS News statement read.
A spokesperson said PBS was shocked by the "deeply disturbing allegations."
Charlie Rose is produced by an independent television production company.
"PBS does not fund this nightly program or supervise its production, but we expect our producers to provide a workplace where people feel safe and are treated with dignity and respect," the spokesperson said.
In a statement he tweeted out, the divorced host said "I deeply apologize for my inappropriate behaviour. 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," Rose said.
"I always felt that I was pursuing shared feelings, even though I now realise I was mistaken."
The newspaper said five of the women accused Rose of putting his hand on their legs.
Two said that while they worked for Rose, he emerged from the shower and walked naked in front of them. One said he groped her buttocks at a staff party.
Earlier, The New York Times confirmed that it had suspended a senior White House correspondent, Glenn Thrush, after news website Vox reported that he engaged in sexually inappropriate behaviour on his previous job at Politico.
"The alleged behaviour is very concerning and not in keeping with the standards and values of The New York Times," a statement read. "We intend to fully investigate and while we do, Glenn will be suspended." -- AFP