Just one day after The Washington Post published a report that detailed eight women's accounts of being sexually harassed by Charlie Rose, the TV host was fired by CBS News and PBS cancelled Rose's eponymous interview show. The swift action by both networks is a sign of the times: At long last, it seems like sexual misconduct allegations are being taken seriously.
Charlie Rose has been a PBS staple for well over two decades, but the network didn't have a hard time finding a replacement. Variety reports that Christiane Amanpour's CNN International show Amanpour, which focuses on current events, will air during Charlie Rose's former slot. The program has been dubbed Amanpour on PBS.
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"Amanpour on PBS adds to the long tradition of public-affairs programming that has been a hallmark of public media for decades,” PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger said in a statement released today.
PBS also said the network is "finalizing plans for a second public affairs program to follow Amanpour on PBS in the 11:30pm half hour time slot, rounding out the hour," but declined to provide any details about the new program.
Although it's been stated that Amanpour is an interim replacement, this is still great news since it will allow the award-winning reporter's CNN International show to reach a wider audience in America.
Furthermore, it may be a sign that PBS is using this opportunity to give a platform to women reporters who remain underrepresented in newsrooms. When the network does select a permanent replacement for Rose, this is the perfect time to find a qualified woman to take over. According to a study conducted by The Women's Media Center, women anchors and correspondents only reported 25% of the news at TV outlets in 2016.
If we really want to reduce sexual harassment in the workplace once and for all, it's crucial to have more women in positions of authority. Networks like PBS have an opportunity to close the gender gap — let's hope they choose to do so permanently and not just in the interim.