Newsmax to Hold Company-Wide Sexual Harassment Training After Allegations Against Top Executive
AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey
Newsmax staffers received a memo on Monday morning alerting them to a mandatory and company-wide sexual harassment training, just months after a sexual harassment scandal involving a top executive rocked the conservative cable news outlet.
The training, which will run for an entire week in February, comes after Mediaite reported in November on allegations against Newsmax vice president of programming Chris Knowles. Multiple staffers lodged formal complaints about his alleged conduct to Newsmax human resources; the allegations included Knowles circulating photos of a female staffer’s cleavage without her knowledge or consent, requesting a female subordinate to remove her leather skirt in front of other colleagues, and engaging in a consensual extramarital affair with a female subordinate.
Knowles and Newsmax vehemently denied the allegations at the time. A Newsmax spokesperson said in a statement: “Newsmax has never had a single complaint about Mr. Knowles having sexually inappropriate activity with any staffer, either formally or informally. And based upon our knowledge, we don’t believe any comments you claim he made constitute sexual harassment.”
Two Newsmax staffers told Mediaite that Newsmax did not launch an investigation into Knowles’s conduct despite Mediaite’s reporting on the complaints lodged against him.
“No investigation whatsoever,” one staffer said. “No repercussions whatsoever. He’s still #3.”
A Newsmax spokesperson insisted the network investigated the claims against Knowles: “Regarding Mr. Knowles, Newsmax investigated claims immediately upon learning of concerns raised about his comments. This was conducted before you contacted us for your article. The company took appropriate action as a result. After your article was published, Newsmax investigated your additional anonymous claims about him and found no evidence whatsoever to support those new allegations.”
One Newsmax staffer who Mediaite showed that statement to was incredulous. “‘Appropriate’ action regarding Knowles?! He’s still employed and they even moved his office closer to his subordinates, some of whom he’s been known to prey on,” the staffer alleged, adding: “Predators like Knowles seem to be protected by Newsmax. It makes me sick.”
On Monday, Newsmax’s vice president of Human Resources Maurice Rosenberg announced the sexual harassment training.
Three Newsmax employees told Mediaite that the company has never conducted sexual harassment training before.
“Newsmax has it all backwards,” one staffer griped. “This is such a joke. Like a band-aid for the ongoing disaster that is Knowles. Pretty insulting and too late.”
Newsmax contested that the network has never held sexual harassment training. “Newsmax has had held sexual harassment training in the past and will continue to do,” said spokesman Bill Daddi.
A Newsmax staffer who spoke to Mediaite responded: “When, 20 years ago?! I haven’t attended any sexual harassment training in my time here.”
Two Newsmax employees said they found the language of the corporate memo hypocritical in light of the allegations against Knowles, particularly, the line that read: “At Newsmax, we prioritize creating a professional culture where everyone feels comfortable, respected, and safe from harassment.”
One staffer remarked: “There is nothing professional about the way Newsmax operates related to harassment or otherwise. That statement is a total lie.”
In a statement, Newsmax declined to comment on the specifics of the allegations, instead taking aim at Mediaite: “Mediaite’s continued reporting on false claims made about Newsmax stem from Mediaite’s owner also being a prime time host on our cable news competitor Newsnation, which has had several of its senior staff come forward with serious claims of sexual misconduct. These have gone unreported on in Mediaite.” (Editor’s note: Mediaite owner Dan Abrams was not involved in the conception, execution or publication of this piece. As mentioned in Newsmax’s statement, he has a prime time show on NewsNation, on top of seven other jobs. We doubt he’s even seen this story.)
This story has been updated with comments from Newsmax.
