Source: CBS News
NEW YORK — The chairman of NBC News sent an exhaustive defense of the network’s handling of Ronan Farrow‘s investigation of Harvey Weinstein to his staff members, saying any speculation that the disgraced Hollywood mogul had any role in the network’s rejection of the story was baseless.
But after reading the letter that NBC News boss Andy Lack’s letter emailed to staff members on Monday, Farrow’s former producer, Rich McHugh, said it pointed to the need for an independent investigation into the network’s handling of the story.NBC’s decision not to air Farrow’s story, and to let him take it to the New Yorker magazine, became an embarrassment when he later shared a Pulitzer Prize with The New York Times for stories outlining Weinstein’s alleged sexual misconduct.
In an attempt to counter any idea that pressure by Weinstein played any role in NBC’s decision, Lack outlined all the times that the mogul and his lawyers reached out to the network’s executives. In each case, they were ignored or told that they would have a chance to comment if there was a story ready for broadcast, Lack said.
Lack said he wasn’t even aware the story was in the works the first time Weinstein called him. He subsequently called Lack nine times and sent four emails, “none of which were returned,” he said.
He also detailed contact NBC News President Noah Oppenheim had with the Weinstein team, including the time lawyer Lanny Davis showed up at NBC’s Rockefeller Center studio without an appointment. Lack also said Weinstein’s team was dishonest in dealing with NBC and mischaracterized their brief conversations.
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