MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes on Monday admonished the network for allegedly suppressing former NBC journalist Ronan Farrow’s expose on Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct.
Hayes, in the closing segment of his Monday night broadcast, described the allegations detailed in Farrow’s new book, “Catch and Kill,” which was released Tuesday. In the book, Farrow accuses NBC News executives of killing the Weinstein story after he spent seven months reporting it due to concerns that Weinstein would expose former Today Show host Matt Lauer’s alleged sexual misconduct.
NBC President Noah Oppenheim has denied Farrow’s allegations.
After presenting Farrow’s and Oppenheim’s positions, Hayes went on to imply that NBC must bear some responsibility for allowing Farrow to leave the network just two months before he broke the Weinstein story in another publication.
“One thing…is indisputable,” said Hayes. “Farrow walked out of NBC News after working on the Weinstein story and within two months published an incredible article in the New Yorker, that not only won a Pulitzer but helped trigger a massive social and cultural reckoning that continues to this day.
“It is the kind of journalism that you want to do as a journalist,” he continued.
Please watch this excellent closing statement by @chrislhayes
To stand up this way against his bosses at NBC News is remarkable
I should note what makes this even more remarkable is Andy Lack (NBC News Chairman) isn't a big fan of Chris/his show
Chris is stepping out here pic.twitter.com/vXnQkJd4eq
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) October 15, 2019
Oppenheim on Monday sent a letter to NBC employees strenuously denying that the company suppressed Farrow’s story on Weinstein to keep a lid on allegations against Lauer, calling the charge a “conspiracy theory.”
Farrow hit back at Oppenheim during a Monday interview on the View, saying he had a “paper trail” to prove his allegations.
Lauer has denied allegations of sexual misconduct, while Weinstein is set to go on trial this January.
Farrow writes that Weinstein tried to pressure him to abandon his investigation through Hillary Clinton’s publicist Nick Merrill, which Merrill denies.