US television giant CBS has announced the immediate departure of CEO Leslie Moonves, following a slew of escalating sexual misconduct allegations.
One of the biggest scalps in the #MeToo era, Moonves orchestrated CBS's revival into a ratings winner, and was respected Hollywood executive until he was accused of inappropriate behaviour stretching back decades.
Two articles were published by The New Yorker magazine in July last year, detailing allegations from 12 different women against the 68-year-old television titan.
Just hours later, CBS announced that Moonves would leave "effective immediately," and that he and the network would donate $20 million to supporting the #MeToo movement and equality for women in the workplace.
"The donation, which will be made immediately, has been deducted from any severance benefits that may be due Moonves," a CBS spokesperson said.
"Moonves will not receive any severance benefits at this time (other than certain fully accrued and vested compensation and benefits); any payments to be made in the future will depend upon the results of the independent investigation and subsequent board evaluation."
Les Moonves arrives at the CBS, CW and Showtime TCA party at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. Source: AAP
US media reports his severance payment could range from $100 million in stock to $180 million stipulated in his contract, or even that he could leave with no bonus, pending the results of the investigation.
His interim replacement will be chief operating officer Joseph Ianniello, while the board searches for a permanent successor.
Investigations into the allegations by outside law firms are ongoing.
Accuser Jessica Pallingston told the Pulitzer-winning journalist Ronan Farrow, who broke the allegations against Moonves in The New Yorker, that such a payoff would be "completely disgusting."
- Slew of claims -
Farrow's follow-up article on Sunday contained allegations from six more women, who said they Moonves harassed or assaulted them between 1980 and the early 2000s.
Farrow, whose reporting about Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein helped spark the #MeToo movement, quotes them as saying that Moonves forced them, at times violently, to perform oral sex on him, or that he exposed himself to them.
The company also announced it had ended a lawsuit pitting network heads against the Redstone family, whose members control an 80 per cent voting stake in CBS.
The Redstones sued CBS, saying the network had attempted to dilute their voting rights to a 20 per cent share.
Moonves joined CBS in 1995 from Warner Bros. Television, where his team developed hit shows such as "Friends" and "ER."
He was promoted to president and CEO of CBS Television in 1998, and became chairman in 2003. A one-time actor, his wife is the host of "Big Brother" on CBS.
