CBS continues to make payments to a woman who accused Don Hewitt, the late creator of CBS’ legendary news program “60 Minutes,” of sexually assaulting her multiple times, The New York Times reported Thursday.
Details of Hewitt’s settlement were revealed in a draft of a report obtained by the Times and completed by investigators looking into whether CBS had cause to fire the company’s former chairman and CEO, Les Moonves, who has also been accused of sexual misconduct.
According to the Times, investigators found that “60 Minutes’” administrative and cultural independence from CBS played a role in enabling misconduct in its operation.
CBS reportedly reached a settlement with the woman, who remains unnamed, in the 1990s, but it was amended multiple times, including as early as this year. Hewitt, who died in 2009, was accused of assaulting her on multiple occasions, according to the Times.
Investigators also concluded that CBS was justified in firing Jeff Fager, former executive producer of “60 minutes” and Hewitt’s successor. The New Yorker in August published a report that accused Fager of allowing harassment in the company, and Fager was terminated from CBS shortly after.
The report the Times cited Thursday also found that CBS had “multiple bases” on which to fire Moonves.
Read the Times’ report on the investigators’ draft here.
Need help? Visit RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s website.