CBS Corporation Investigates Alleged Claims of Sexual Misconduct by its Own CEO

CBS Corporation president, chairman, and CEO Leslie Moonves, husband of “The Talk” and “Big Brother” actress Julie Chen, is currently being investigated for alleged sexual misconduct. In a recent article published by Ronan Farrow in The New Yorker, six women have accused Mooves of inappropriate sexual behavior. One of the most revealing accusations is from actress Illeana Douglas, who claims that Moonves made unwanted physical advances towards her during a private meeting more than 20 years ago in 1996. Also in the article, the women accused 60 Minutes producer Jeff Fager of allowing harassment in the media company’s news division. Despite Moonves and Fager denying these allegations, the media company’s board of directors will eventually decide Moonves’s position at the company.

This is not the first time powerful men in media have been taken down by journalists like Farrow, who is the son of accused sexual assaulter and film director Woody Allen. From Rodger Allies and Bill O’Reilly of Fox News to Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer of NBC, and Charlie Rose of CBS, more allegations may bring down powerful figures in a wide variety of sectors or industries. These specific allegations against Moonves come at a time where another possible merger between CBS and Viacom may be on the horizon in the world of corporate mergers in media.